Bedford Free School
Student Handbook – All Your Questions Answered
Student Handbook
September 2015
Bedford Free School
Student Handbook – All Your Questions Answered
Welcome to Bedford Free School,
This handbook has been created by asking our year seven students at the end of their first year ‘What questions did you have when you arrived?’ and ‘How
can we make life easier for the new students arriving in September?’ There were some fantastic examples, many of which we would not have thought of as
staff, so our thanks go to our current year seven and their tutors for engaging so thoughtfully and carefully with the task.
The format is very simple, with questions and answers, in a table for ease of reference. More detail around many of these issues can be found in the school
planners and on the school website as this is not designed as a definitive guide to the school but a quick way to get the answers you need. I hope that our
many events around transition such as one-to-one meetings, transfer day and meet the tutor evening will have served to clarify exactly how life works here
at BFS. Students will also be thoroughly inducted at the start of the year with a focus on finding their way around the building and making friends, as these
are the two biggest concerns that they have every year.
Finally, please do not be afraid to ask even more questions! It is really important to me to know that students (and parents) are not worrying about things
over the summer holidays, so always call or email if you are unsure of things. If nothing else it will give us more great questions to answer in next year’s
edition of the student handbook!
We are really looking forward to welcoming your son and/or daughter and all parents and carers in to the BFS family.
Yours Sincerely,
Mr J McGrath
Head of Year Seven
Bedford Free School
Student Handbook – All Your Questions Answered
Question
Answer
What is an Achievement card?
An achievement card is given to every student once a week to
track their behaviour that week. It is your responsibility to look
after your achievement card and earn credits. You get one credit
per lesson, as well as registration, break and lunch-times. This is
a great way to show your form tutor how well you are doing, and
is the key to earning your Golden Time!
What are credits?
Credits (also known as K for short) are what you gain each day
during the week, and are recorded on your achievement card.
They are also recorded electronically on the register. This credit
system allows teachers and parents to track your progress each
week, as well enable you the chance to achieve Golden Time
every Friday.
What is Golden Time?
If you successfully earn your Golden Time you can leave school
at 3:15pm on a Friday, which is a whole hour earlier! It is
awarded to those students that have earnt 55 or more credits
out of the available 60. You also need to make sure your
parent/carer signs your achievement card to give permission for
you to leave school early on a Friday and that you do not lose or
deface your achievement card.
How do I gain House points?
You can gain house points for various different good deeds. It
can be for displaying the school values of Respect, Honesty and
High Expectations in a certain situation, as well as for excellent
work and effort in class.
Bedford Free School
Student Handbook – All Your Questions Answered
What are Electives?
Electives happen twice a week during the school day and are
part of your timetabled lessons. They are opportunities to learn
new skills including Bollywood dancing, Quilting and FreeRunning or simply a chance to spend time doing something you
love like Book Club or Cooking.
Do I get to choose my Electives?
Yes you do! An elective handbook will be given to each student
so that they can read through all the elective choices and choose
their top 5 favourite electives. These choices will be given to Mr
McGrath who then allocates students their electives based on
these choices.
How do I get a Trust Band?
Trust status is reviewed on a termly basis and you must:
 Lose no more than 20 credits
 Have 96%+ attendance
 Have no more than 8 behaviour points
Why does BFS run until 4.15pm
We finish the school day at 4:15pm to allow for 45 minutes of
Prep time at the end of every day. It also allows us to bring in
extra curricula activities through the electives programme, in to
the school day so everyone has the opportunity.
What is Prep time?
Prep happens at the end of every day here at BFS. It is 45
minutes long and happens in your tutor bases with your form
tutor. This time is for silent study, allowing students to make a
head start on their homework for that week, as well as a good
opportunity for revision or reading your favourite book!
Who do I talk to if I am experiencing problems?
You can go and speak to any teacher if you are experiencing
problems. In Year 7 in particular you can speak to Mr McGrath
who is your Head of Year, Miss MacPherson who is your Learning
Mentor, or your form tutor. Student reception on the ground
floor is also always open to help you.
Bedford Free School
Student Handbook – All Your Questions Answered
What happens if I DO NOT achieve Golden Time?
If you do not achieve your Golden Time you will remain in school
until 4:15pm on Friday. You will register in the canteen and
spend that hour with the pastoral team. Parents will be informed
by text that day. Remember, the school day finishes at 4:15 on
Friday as any other day. You earn an early finish so no medical
appointments or travel should be arranged as students may need
to remain in school.
Where do I go if I have lost part of my uniform?
Lost Property is located in Student Reception on the ground
floor. If you cannot find your lost piece of uniform there then you
need to go to the Pastoral Office on the 2nd floor to get a uniform
slip to excuse you for that day. However, if you are not in full
school uniform then you will lose a credit on your achievement
card.
If you lose your achievement card then you need to report it to
your form tutor, who will issue you with a replacement red
achievement card for the rest of that week. This also means that
you have automatically lost your Golden Time that week.
What happens if I lose my Achievement card?
How does the BFS Behaviour system work?
All our systems are founded in being positive with students.
When students do not meet our very high expectations of
behaviour our system is in the form of the consequence
staircase. It is designed so that students are well aware of the
consequences of the actions they are choosing and can be found
in your student planner and is on the wall of every classroom.
What happens if I get a detention?
If you get a detention your name will appear in red on the
register, and you will be reminded by your form tutor in Prep
time. A text message will be sent to your parents/carers to let
them know you will be staying late after school. If you get a
detention and cannot attend on the day (e.g. due to medical
appointment or family commitment) then it will be rearranged
for the following day.
Bedford Free School
Student Handbook – All Your Questions Answered
What is Isolation?
Isolation is located in the Pastoral Office on the 2nd floor. This is
the place you go to if you have worked your way up the
consequence staircase for poor behaviour and have been
removed from a lesson. Isolation consists of individual booths for
students to sit and do their work calmly and silently under
supervision. Students will remain in school until 6pm that day
and a parental meeting will be scheduled.
Where can I go at break and lunch times?
The areas available for students to go to at break and lunchtimes include the following: the playground and caged tarmac
area outside, the library (which holds different activities every
lunch time including Collectable Cards and Film Club), the Year 7
common room and the canteen.
How long are break and lunch?
Break-time is 20 minutes long, and lunch-time is 50 minutes.
Are there clubs after school and at Lunchtimes?
During lunch times there are clubs in the Library that you can go
and participate in such as Collectable Cards and Film Club, and
also at lunch time you can join in with sport activities in the
cage. After school you can sign up for local sports fixtures and
compete against other schools, or you can go to Homework Club
in the Library. Teachers may also organise for revision
intervention clubs during the year for extra support.
How does the Restaurant work?
The Restaurant is the name of our canteen. It is situated on the
ground floor and is open before school for Breakfast Club, during
break time to get drinks and snacks, and during lunch time to
get hot and cold dinners (and snacks and drinks).
Bedford Free School
Student Handbook – All Your Questions Answered
What is Homework club?
Homework Club is situated in the Library after school from
4:15pm-6pm every day. It is a place where students can stay in
school to do their homework quietly, and where there is access
to books and computers for students to help with their studies.
Students who wish to attend Homework Club simply need to
arrive at the Library at 4:15pm on the day they wish to attend
and sign in/sign out with the teacher who is there.
What is Show My Homework?
Show My Homework is a website that students and parents can
log into to keep track of a student’s homework that week. The
school will issue each student a log-in for themselves and their
parent/carer. The student’s account will outline the subject, the
details of the homework, and the deadline. The teacher will often
upload the homework sheet too if it’s electronic.
What happens if I don’t do my homework?
If you do not do your homework then you need to try and find
your teacher before the lesson and explain that you have not
done it. If you fail to do your homework on time then you will get
an Extended Prep, which lasts for 45 minutes after school until
5pm that day.
How do I inform the school if I am unable to come to
school?
To inform the school about an absence you can do one of two
things: If it is a planned absence (e.g. doctor’s appointment)
then you need to contact reception prior to the absence so that
we can record it on the register. If it is an unexpected absence
(e.g. illness) then you or your parent need to ring reception
before 8:15am and leave a message explaining why you cannot
come to school that day. On your return to school you need to
bring with you an absence note (yellow slip found at the back of
your school planner) written and signed by a parent. This is to go
in your school file.
Bedford Free School
Student Handbook – All Your Questions Answered
What do I do if I have to leave school to attend an
appointment?
If you know you have an appointment during the school day you
need to contact reception beforehand to let them know the date
and time so they can put it on the register. The student also
needs to go to the Pastoral Office on the 2nd floor to get a yellow
slip that gives you permission to leave school during the school
day. Without this yellow slip, you cannot leave your lesson.
What is a PA?
PA is short for Personal Assistant. In each year group there will
be 4 PAs, one from each house. These are specially chosen by
your Head of Year. If you are a PA you are an assistant to your
Head of Year.
What is a TA?
TA is short for Teacher’s Assistant. Each class will have a TA who
will help the teacher for that lesson.
What is Student Reception for?
Student Reception is located on the ground floor by the main
entrance to the school and can help you in many different ways.
The medical room is found there, and so is lost property. You
sign in and out of school there if you have an appointment. It is
also where you hand in reply slips and money for school trips.
What happens if I arrive late?
If you arrive in school later than 8:25am you will be issued with
a 5pm detention.
Can I chew gum in school?
No. If you are seen chewing gum in school you will get a 5pm
detention.
How will I find my way around school?
There is a map of the school in your student planner. Otherwise
you will see that each door has a room number on it and there
are various signs around the school to help you know where you
are. The best way is to ask any one of our lovely students who
will be more than happy to help.
Bedford Free School
Student Handbook – All Your Questions Answered
What do I do if I feel unwell during the school day?
If you are feeling unwell during the school day then you need to
go to the medical room, which is located in Student Reception on
the ground floor.
How do I pay for a school trip?
Monies and signed reply slips are to be returned to Student
Reception in a sealed, named envelope.
What support can I expect from my Tutor?
Your tutor is often the first and last teacher you see every day,
therefore they are the main person you will be able to get
support from if you have any questions or worries. This support
can be both academic and pastoral, which means they will try
their best to help you with any problem you have so never
hesitate to ask.
Can I use my phone in school?
The policy on mobile phones in school is such that you can have
your mobile phone in your pocket or in your school bag during
school hours. However, you must ensure that it is on silent or
switched off. You are not allowed to use your phone during the
school day unless you have permission from a teacher, otherwise
if you are seen on your phone it will be confiscated.