Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What if I don’t know anybody else starting at Heron Hall Academy?
A: Life is an adventure. With so many new people that means so many amazing opportunities to make new friends. Don’t worry, you will soon settle in.

Q: Will I be in a form with my friends at primary school?
A: We do our best to liaise with primary schools to place students in forms with friends, however it is not always possible for students to be matched. Where there are numerous students joining Heron Hall Academy from a primary school, we try to ensure students are in a form with a familiar face.

Q: Who will support me when I start in Year 7?
A: our Form Tutor will be your main point of contact as you will see them every day. There will also be your Head of Year and Deputy Head of Year who will deal with behaviour incidents and any other pastoral issues. We will also be tracking your attendance and we run rewards for those with the best attendance as well as putting in place interventions for students with poor attendance. A member of the Senior Leadership Team will manage the staff in each Year group and will deal with more serious incidents. If you are struggling with your learning, you and your parent/carer should contact your Head of Year.

Q: What if I get lost around the school?
A: Just ask an older student or a member of staff who will be happy to help you. You will be given lots of support to help you settle in and get to know the layout of the school.

Q: What will happen if I am late for school?
A: Being on time is key to you fully understanding what you need to do to be successful in every lesson. If you are late without a valid reason you will complete a sanction on the same day.

Q: What do I do if I feel unwell?
A: Tell your teacher. You will be asked to wait until the end of the lesson (unless it is an emergency) and then you will be able to go to Student Reception where someone will talk to you and see how you are.

Q: Can I go to the toilet during lesson time?
A: All students are responsible for ensuring that they use the bathroom during break and lunch time. You will not be allowed out of lesson time unless it is an emergency!

Q: Can I get breakfast at school?
A: Yes. You can buy breakfast at the canteen from 7:45 am to 8:30am

Q: How do I buy food at school?
A: We operate a bio-metric system whereby your thumb is scanned and then matched with your parent-pay account. Your parent/carer will top up this money online and then once you have collected your lunch in the canteen, your thumb is scanned and the payment is taken from your parent-pay account. This is set-up on your induction day. This system helps to keep queues moving faster, allowing students more time to eat.

Q: Will I be able to use a locker at school?

A:Yes, you will. You will need to obtain a padlock and you can use the lockers that are situated around school. This will help you on the days you have PE so you do not have to carry your PE kit with you all day.

Q: What do I use my planner for?
A: Your planner is very important because it is where your timetable is written and you write your homework in. It is also useful for your parent/carer and teachers to write notes to each other in. You must carry your planner with you at all times and your planner must be placed on the desk at the start of each lesson.

Q: Do students need to bring their laptops to school?

A: No, we ask that students keep their laptop at home. If a laptop is needed in school each department has a set for classes to use. We do not want students carrying expensive item to and from school.

Q: Do we need to sign up for Arbor?

A: We would like all families to sign up to Arbor as this is a great way to share information. We will be sending out details in September.

Q: Is Show my Homework an app or Website?

Show my Homework can be accessed on an app or via a webpage. Full details will be sent out when we launch Show My Homework in September.

Q: Does all uniform need to have the school logo or are we able to buy cheaper alternatives?

A: We have cut the cost of the school uniform considerably and reduced the number of items required with the logo. With items such as blazers, where the logo is required, we have a preloved uniform shop where uniform is available at a heavily discounted price.

Q: When you get into trouble and have a Saturday detention what happens if you don’t come in?

A: We hope this situation will never happen, however if this does happen then each case is decided by the year team and senior leaders. This may end up with an internal exclusion or suspension.

Q: Can I bring my mobile phone into school?

A: Smart mobile phones are not allowed at the school. Basic function phones should be switched off before entry to the school and  remain switched off and out of sight all day. Mobile phones that are seen will be confiscated and remain in the school office until Friday. If the phone is confiscated on a Friday it will remain in the office until the following Friday.

On a Friday the phone will be returned to a parent between 4pm and 5pm by a Head of Year or member of the Senior Leadership Team. If the phone is confiscated for a second time the school will keep the phone until the next holiday.