A
- Absence
- Addresses
- Aerosols
- Appointments (with staff in school)
- Appointments (outwith school)
- Assemblies
- Assertive Discipline
- Attendance
Absence
Excessive absence hinders a pupil's school progress, so unnecessary absences should be avoided at all costs. This particularly applies to holidays taken during term time. Absence for holidays in term time is marked in the register as ‘unauthorised’.
If your child needs to be absent from school, this is what to do:
- Phone the school before 9 am on the first day of absence. (If you forget to phone, you will be contacted by the school, by phone or by letter, and the Attendance Officer may call on you.)
- Send a note explaining the absence when your child returns.
Addresses
If you change your address or phone number, please tell the school at once.
Aerosols
Aerosol sprays can affect those who suffer from asthma. For this reason they must not be brought to school. Any found in use will be confiscated.
Appointments (with staff in school)
You are welcome to see staff at any convenient time if you have a concern about any matter or simply if there is information you want to pass on ‘face to face’. Your child’s Guidance teacher or Head of House should be your first point of contact. As Guidance staff have a teaching timetable and as senior staff can have fairly full diaries as well as a teaching commitment, it is best to contact the school to make an appointment rather than simply turning up. In an emergency, of course, someone will always make time to see you.
Appointments (outwith school)
Pupils who have an appointment with the doctor or dentist during school hours must bring either the appointment card or a letter from home asking for permission to be out of school for the time required. This should be brought to Mrs Thomson (Attendance Officer) at her office before 9 am. For appointments close to 9 am, the request should be brought the day before. Permission to be out of school will only be given if the pupil brings an appointment card or parental letter.
Assemblies
Assemblies are held once per week for all Houses:
- Bengullion on Tuesdays.
- Davaar on Wednesdays.
- Kilbrannan on Thursdays.
- Knockscalbert on Fridays.
Assemblies are for all members of the House, from S1 to S6. On the mornings when they have assembly, pupils should go straight to the Assembly Hall.
Assertive Discipline
The school’s approach to behaviour management is based on a system called ‘Assertive Discipline’. The aim of this is to create a positive environment based on everyone recognising and agreeing what constitutes the necessary conditions for effective teaching and learning to take place. Those who disrupt those conditions do so knowing that they will harm their own and others’ learning. They also know that their decision to be disruptive will have consequences. These consequences are designed to encourage pupils to take responsibility for their actions and to learn how to behave better. For them to be effective parental support is vital. The CGS Charter and Codes of Conduct are the backbone of the Assertive Discipline policy.
Attendance
Good attendance is vital for a child to make progress at school.
The school will monitor the attendance of all pupils and may place those who are absent without good reason on an Attendance Card. Parents will have to sign this card daily.
Parents of poor attenders will be asked to come to the school to discuss how their child’s attendance can be improved. In some cases, they may be referred to the local Attendance Council for action to be taken.
Senior pupils who receive the new Education Maintenance Allowance or a Higher School Bursary will have them withdrawn if their attendance falls below 95% without good reason. They may also have to repay what they have already received.