High Standards and Clear Expectations

At Smithdon High School our expectations of staff and students are built around our values and our motto of Work Hard, Be Kind and Smile.

Underpinning our motto are our three key values that are integral to the high expectations that we have of ourselves and everyone in our community:-

We “work hard” because we are AMBITIOUS aiming high to ensure the best from ourselves in all aspects of our education and development.

We are “kind” because we are RESPECTFUL of ourselves; each other; the facilities and the wider environment.

We “smile” because we are RESILIENT and we work through the challenges that life brings with support from our school community.

Lesson expectations

The Start of the Lesson

• Smithdon High School teachers stand outside their classroom to greet students checking and addressing uniform issues on entry to room.
• Students stand behind chairs in silence.
• The teacher enters the room, by which time students will have the equipment out on the desk ready for the lesson.
• The teacher gives instructions for a retrieval activity and gives students permission to sit down.
• The register is taken (while the retrieval activity task takes place).

During the lesson

• Teachers will deliver activities and give ongoing feedback on work completed.
• Students are expected to engage in the learning activities with maximum effort.
• Teachers will praise and reward effort and achievement.
• Students are expected to remain in the lesson unless they have a valid reason, such as toilet pass, a meeting or a music lesson.

End of lesson

• Students will be instructed to pack away quietly after the plenary activity two to three minutes before the end of the lesson.
• Students should stand silently behind their desks waiting to be dismissed in an orderly fashion (e.g. row by row, block by block) by the teacher.

Additional Expectations

Transitions

Students are expected to be on school site by 8.25am, line up on the playground in form groups on Monday and Friday for Spotlight messages from the Headteacher, before being led to their form rooms by their tutor. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, students will go straight to form rooms. An online spotlight will take place on Wednesdays.

Uniform

• Students are expected to be in full, correct uniform, with shirts tucked in, at all times. Sometimes, the Headteacher will announce “shirt sleeve order”, meaning blazers are not required to be worn due to the heat.
• Outdoor coats, hats, scarves, gloves, etc should be removed as soon as students enter the classroom.