Policy on Drug Education:

To be read in conjunction with Health Education Policy
Rationale
In the light of current evidence that young people's drug use is increasing, and shared concerns at local and national level, we wish to state that as part of its care for the welfare of its students, the School believes it has a duty to inform and educate young people on the consequences of drug use and misuse.
The School takes a pro-active stance on this matter, believing that health education is a vital part of the personal and social education of every student.
The School condones neither the misuse of drugs, including alcohol, by members of the School nor the possession or supply of other dangerous/illegal substances.
Fundamental to our School's values and practice is the principle of sharing the responsibility for the education of young people with parents, by keeping them informed and involved at all times. Effective communication and co-operation is essential to the successful implementation of this policy.
Whilst we acknowledge the numbers of people who use and misuse substances is rising, it is seen as important to recognize that larger numbers of young people are choosing not to use or misuse substances. We will continue to support their differing needs.
- It is backed up with access to advice or help for students with Policy of Assessment, Recording, Reporting and Marking (Draft)
At Social Model Senior Secondary School we believe that effective marking and assessment is an essential element of high quality teaching and learning. Informative marking and assessment provides students with useful feedback on their progress and advice on how work can be further improved.
A good assessment structure should be clearly understood by teachers, students and parents, thus encouraging regular reflection on, and monitoring of, progress. This in turn ensures that learning opportunities for individuals are maximized.
Assessment of progress and performance is ongoing and takes place across many strands, which can be summarized as follows:
Whole School Assessment
Assessment is an essential element in high-quality teaching and effective learning. It should encourage and support both the student and teacher in the learning process, enabling a correct match between the demands of the task set and the student’s ability.
Whole School Assessment must:
1. Improve the teachers’ awareness of the work of each student and their progress on a regular basis, and to develop the student’s confidence and motivation
2. Ensure students’ understanding of, and involvement in, the assessment process.
3. Ensure consistency in assessment, both within departments and across the curriculum, including termly assessments and reports.
4. Ensure that reports of assessment results are understood by student, teacher, parents and other stakeholders, and will lead to good student progress and improved performance.
5. Ensure that outcomes of assessment inform practice and modify teaching methods where appropriate.
Marking and Recording
Marking is at the heart of all good teaching and assessment and it aims to assist and promote the learning process. It is important that there is consistency of practice across departments and across the school and that teachers, students and their parents have a clear understanding of what is being assessed, how and why.
Must:
1. Improve teacher awareness of student’s work and progress, allowing the teacher and student to take action in response to the student’s successes and difficulties so that potential is fulfilled.
2. Offer positive guidance to each student through the use of high-quality comments (see statement Whole School Assessment).
3. Enable the student and his / her parents/carers to judge progress.
4. Increase student motivation.
5. Encourage students to assess themselves and to reflect upon their progress in the light of teacher levels/ grades awarded and comment added.
6. Share with students the expected outcomes of each piece of work.
7. Ensure that details of work set and results of assessment are readily and clearly available in school.
8. Establish consistent practice in the setting of work, marking and recording of levels / grades across the curriculum.
9. Standardize practice across the school in the marking of grammar and spelling.
Guidelines and Responsibilities:
1. Work should be marked by the teacher and in most cases include a comment. Comments could contain: a reference to the standard of work; positive comments on success; a comment on what to do to improve / a specific point for future action highlighting errors and appropriate corrections and a reference to effort.
2. Teachers should use the common attainment and effort grades as set out in the policy statement Reporting.
3. Teachers should record all levels / grades awarded clearly in their mark book and collate sufficient evidence to make termly judgments on student progress.
4. Spelling and punctuation errors should be taken into account when marking student written work. The Spelling policy for the school outlines strategies for improving student spelling.
5. Curricular Leaders have the responsibility to monitor the quality of marking within the department and to ensure that it meets the Whole School Assessment framework.
Internal/External Examinations
Examinations are a formal method of assessment that enable teachers to measure attainment (how well students are performing compared with norms for the age group) and achievement (how well students are performing in relation to their individual capacities and potential).