Communications & charging

College communications

Up to date information is transmitted to staff and students via email and a series of television monitors located throughout the College.

The College calendar and list of events is provided to each student at the beginning of the year and is available through the website.

Parental communications are usually issued through the students and there's an end of term check-list to ensure that everything has been received.

Brooke Weston online

Brooke Weston operates a comprehensive and constantly updated website which provides general information for anyone interested in the College as well as providing resources for staff and students. It also has documents available to download.

Other documents

All official/statutory documentation that applies to the College is available to be viewed, upon request, from the Principal's office.

Charging policies – meals

Breakfast and lunch can be bought at the College. Payment is made in advance by cheque or cash which is electronically loaded onto the student's smart card.

(Loss of the card does not mean a loss of money, as the system does not allow others to use a found card). Meal costs are deducted daily. Smart cards remain the property of the College and, if lost, must be replaced at a cost of £5, which is charged to the student's account.

Uniform and sports clothing

In accepting a place at the College, parents and children agree to abide by the uniform policy. All students from Years 7 to 11 wear College uniform. College ties are available for purchase in College. Currently Years 12 and 13 students do not wear uniform, but clothing is required to be clean, tidy and presentable. Training shoes and denim clothing are not condoned. Uniform sports clothing is required and this is provided at cost by the College, which purchases in bulk directly from the manufacturer.

Trips and visits

A wide range of trips and visits is offered to the students. In each case the economic charges are levied but no profit is generated. Some may be subsidised at the discretion of the College. Strict guidelines apply to all trips and visits to ensure student safety.

View photos from this year's residentials.

Remissions

Grants which cover all costs of transport and school meals (including breakfast) and essential school uniform are available to all eligible parents. For further details contact the College administration officer who will deal with all queries in complete confidence.

Parents in receipt of either jobseeker's allowance or income support are eligible to claim for free breakfast and lunch, transport to the College, uniform grants and essential trips. Forms and further details are available from the College finance office. Registration is absolutely confidential and the smart card method of payment for meals etc. ensures that no one except the finance officer and the Principal is aware of benefits being paid.

For trips that are not an essential part of the curriculum there may be some assistance given in very exceptional cases at the discretion of the College.

A full sports uniform will be provided when students who qualify for benefit join the College. Subsequent uniform requirements are negotiated between the parents and the College finance officer.

Music tuition

Although the College makes a charge for musical instrument tuition the rate is subsidised.

Students who maintain their tuition are advised to consider the purchase of an instrument because College instruments are shared among several students.

Examinations

In some circumstances (if a student fails to attend an exam, or chooses to sit additional entries for example), pro rata charges may be levied. Examination entry may be withheld for students who fail to attend lessons without a good reason.

Loss of College property

Students who lose or seriously damage College property which has been allocated to them (e.g. books or smart cards) will be charged for replacement of these items.

Lockers

When students enter the College they are provided with a locker. They must purchase their own padlock and key.

Transport

The College is not obliged to provide transport but, at present, it offers a subsidised bus service for all students within its catchment area each day. Parents are expected to contribute a proportion of the cost (by standing order) which is determined annually. As transport rates are determined exactly according to how many users there are on a particular route, money cannot be reimbursed if, for whatever reason, the student does not use their regular bus service.

Bus Route and Timetable 2005-06 (168k)

Quality Assurance

The ISO EN 9002 Quality Assurance Standard is awarded to few schools and Brooke Weston is proud to be one of the first state schools to secure it.

The Investors in People award also forms an important part of our quality assurance procedures with regard to training. Brooke Weston has held this award for several years and in 2002 the College was reconfirmed as an Investor in People.

These awards, among others, such as being positive about disabled people require continued scrutiny and vigilance to ensure we continue to deliver a quality service.

Complaints and concerns

Parents may contact the College at any time about matters which concern them.

The College will always investigate any complaint speedily, efficiently, fully and fairly and a response should usually be given within 24 hours.

Complaints should be addressed to the member of staff best placed to respond.

Our receptionists will help to put you in touch with the right person.

Complaints about the curriculum and related matters will normally be resolved in consultation with the student's tutor who will liaise with the appropriate departmental staff. However, when an outcome cannot be agreed, the tutor or parents should refer the matter to one of the Vice Principals who will seek to find an acceptable resolution.

Although we would hope that no parent would ever need to use the procedure, if no solution is found then the complaint should be put in writing and sent to the College marked for the attention of the Chair of Governors.

The Chair will acknowledge receipt of the complaint and outline the way in which it will be investigated. Parents' views will be sought and every effort will be made to conclude the matter as quickly as possible.

In the very unlikely event of all of this proving unsuccessful, then parents should refer the matter to the Secretary of State for Education and Employment.

These procedures do not apply to complaints about the action of individual teachers or the Principal, where complaints should be addressed directly to the Principal or to the Chairman of Governors.