WE LOOK FORWARD

TO MEETING YOU

I am proud to be the Head of School at Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School where we are committed to creating an environment where each pupil is empowered to ‘Strive for Excellence’ and reach their full potential in every aspect of their educational journey. Our STRIVE values guide us in this mission. These values are not just words on a page but principles that guide our actions every day.  
 
Self-Motivated to Achieve 
Together We Learn 
Respectful to All 
Integrity in All We Do 
Valuable Contributions 
Everyone is Equal 
 
I know that you have chosen Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School for our values and commitment to ensuring your child’s success.  I look forward to welcoming your child on their journey with us and to working with you for the next seven years at Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School.  
 
Mr C. Seager, Head of School 

Essential Information Form
Chris Seager

As you start to think about leaving primary school and the move to secondary school, you should remember why you chose Dame Elizabeth Cadbury.

A Guide to Supporting Children Through Secondary Transition

Our Values - Strive for Excellence

Our STRIVE values underpin what it means not just to be a successful pupil but also a successful citizen in modern Britain. They represent characteristics which enable our pupils to be compassionate, community-minded individuals who contribute positively to our society both now and in the future. At Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School we challenge our pupils to ‘Strive for Excellence’ in everything they do.

SELF MOTIVATED TO ACHIEVE

This value teaches us that, by demonstrating a positive attitude to learning, we can be active learners who are resilient when facing challenges and who always think hard about all learning.

TOGETHER WE LEARN

This value teaches us the power of collective learning. It means that we work collaboratively to create an environment where we can all thrive as part of the Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School community.

RESPECTFUL TO ALL

This value teaches us that our interactions, behaviours, and attitudes can support all members of the Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School community. It shows us that we must create a culture where everyone feels valued, understood, and included.

INTEGRITY IN ALL WE DO

This value teaches us that we must always do the right thing to build trust, honesty, and accountability; even when nobody is watching.

VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

This value teaches us that we all have a responsibility to make positive contributions to the Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School community every day. It shows us that everybody in our school brings unique talents, perspectives and experiences that make our community richer.

EVERYONE IS EQUAL

This value teaches us that everybody at Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School is equally valued. It shows us that we must recognise and celebrate our different backgrounds and experiences as a source of strength and diversity in our community.

What Will I Learn?

 KEY STAGE 3 – YEARS 7-9. 

We are proud of the diverse and enriching curriculum that we offer our pupils. The subjects they will study are in Key Stage 3 are English, Mathematics, Science, a modern foreign language – French, Spanish or German, Geography, History, Religious Education, Physical Education, Personal Social and Health Education, Design Technology, Food Technology, Art, Computer Science & Music. Within their PSHE lessons, pupils will receive a comprehensive Careers Education that will aid them in selecting their Key Stage 4 options in Year 9 and guide them in their future careers. 

Our Curriculum

House System

When you start at Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School you will be placed into a ‘House’ – Durham, Exeter, Warwick, or York. This will be like your family at school and your Head of House will monitor all your successes and any areas you might struggle with. They will contact home to discuss ways in which we can work together to ensure that you achieve your best. If you have any worries on a day-to-day basis, you’ll be able to talk to your form tutor who will work with your Head of House to help you resolve them.    
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House Charities

Where can I get support?

Should you have any worries or issues, you should report them to your form tutor, class teachers or Head of House who will help you with any problems you may have. All staff in school are there to look after you and guide you through your transition to secondary school =

Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School has a group of Prefects in Year 10 and Year 11. These are senior pupils who will be able to help you out if you have a problem. You can recognise them because they wear a black tie without the usual House-coloured stripes.

These Prefects will act as your guides during Induction Day and as you settle in at Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School in September. They will be able to offer you support, should you ever need help with anything.

We also have Anti-Bullying and LGBTQ Ambassadors who offer support and guidance to their peers. These pupils wear badges so you can identify them. 

Student Leadership
Student Wellbeing
Supporting children's transition to secondary school
Pupil Support Services

The School Day

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Careers

Read MoreCareers Website

Uniform Expectations

Dress for Success

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Using Your Planner

On your first day you will be issued with a planner. 

You will use this to: 

  • Record a copy of your personal timetable.
  • Make of note of homework that is set and when it is due.
  • Show your parents/carers what work is being set and pass messages to your Form Tutor.
  • Record any detentions that might be set.
  • Record any Catch Ups or Redo sessions with your teachers.

Your parents/carers will sign your planner every week to show that they have seen all of your homework and to confirm that you have passed on any messages.

ClassCharts points will be given out from your teachers and staff for your effort, behaviour and work as well as your contributions to school life. Praise will be recognised by your form tutor, Head of House and Leadership.

Contact Home

We pride ourselves on ensuring communication with our parents and carers is both effective and time efficient. If you wish to contact the school on any matter, please phone your child’s Head of House or email: enquiry@decschool.co.uk.  

If you wish to see the Headteacher about a most serious matter, please write to, email enquiry@decschool.co.uk or telephone and make an appointment for a mutually convenient time. Relatively routine matters should always be referred to the Head of House in the first instance. Conversely, if serious problems present themselves at school, the Head of House or a senior member of staff will arrange to meet with you. If this happens, the problem is serious, and we ask for your full support in the interests of your child.

We use WEDUC to communicate with parents and carers. You can view our parent/carer guide HERE

We use ClassCharts to report your child’s positive and negative behaviours. The behaviours recorded represent live data and can be viewed throughout the day. Parents/carers will receive an access code for the ClassCharts parent app in September. This will allow you to monitor your child’s behaviour whilst they are at school and discuss their positives and negatives with them at the end of each day.

The school newsletter and school letters are published electronically on our website to keep you informed about all school matters.

We also use twitter to keep parents informed of exciting news and opportunities. Follow us at @FollowDECTC

Parents Evenings

Parents are requested to attend all Parents Evenings. These meetings are seen as a vital part of the communication process between home and school and research has shown that children of parents who attend benefit greatly.

In Year 7, all appointments are booked and take place using an online platform, meaning that you can attend meetings from a location that is convenient to you. At your child’s Parents Evening you will have the opportunity to meet your child’s teachers, discuss their progress and ask any questions that you may have.

Dates and times for Parents Evenings are sent out in advance and published on the school’s website.

Other information evenings and parental workshops are also held for parents and details are published separately for these events.

Year 7 Parents Evening - date to be confirmed.

Homework
All pupils are required to do homework and it is expected that parents will ensure that an area at home is identified as suitable for completing homework. A pupil planner is given to each pupil at the start of the school year where pupils record their homework and which parents / carers are asked to sign each week. Pupil planners are monitored on a regular basis by Form Tutors, Heads of House, and Leadership.

Breaktime

At school you will have a 25-minute break in the morning. You can socialise with friends in the school Canteen or Hall, or you can make use of our outdoor space. If you want to buy food, you can purchase and eat refreshments in the school Canteen or Hall. You can read in the school library during breaktime but must note that it is a silent space.

Lunchtime

All of Year 7 have lunch at the same time so you will be able to see your friends. You can buy a hot meal or a sandwich or bring a packed lunch. You will need money on your cashless account to buy refreshments.

Members of Leadership will be on duty at lunch time. You can view the school’s menu on our website.

Find out if you are eligible for Free School Meals

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Frequently Asked Questions

All pupils must arrive in school each day by 8.35am via the top gate. This gate closes at 8.39am so if you are late, you will need to enter via ‘late gate’ just below the main school gate. If you are late, you will receive a 20-minute detention after school. Line Up starts at 8.40am on the playground. There will be lots of staff about who are keen to meet you. They will welcome you to reassure you and guide you, especially in the first few days as you get to know new faces.
It’s best practice to catch the bus that will get you into school with plenty of time to spare. Don’t risk being late by catching a bus that just gets you in before 8.30am. But, if you do miss your bus, don't worry - get the next bus. If you arrive to school after the gates have closed, go straight to the bottom gate and then to reception where a member of staff will be able to help you.
It is important to check how much money you have on your Weduc account every day. But, if you forget, you can go to your House Office, where your Head of House will be able to help you. Remember we are a cashless school so reminding your parents to check your account is vital so that you can make any purchases on site.
Making a checklist of things you'll need each day when you start will help you to be organised. It's useful to check your bag each day before you leave too but some times we forget things. If you leave your packed lunch at home, you should go to your House Office where someone will be able to help you.
If you don't bring your kit, you will be given kit from the PE department to wear. This isn’t optional. Your PE kit should be one of the things on your checklist for the evening before PE lessons.
It's normal to feel worried about making big changes like starting a new school or meeting new friends but don't worry. Everyone in Year 7 is in the same situation. If you do feel nervous, you should talk to your Form Tutor who you will see every day during registration. They will be able to give you some strategies to cope with the nerves that we get when we start something new. You can also talk to any other member of staff that you feel comfortable with or one of the Prefects who are Year 11 pupils. They wear special ties so you can identify who they are. Their ties are plain black with a Dame Elizabeth Cadbury emblem in the centre. A Prefect will always be willing to listen and help you.
You should make sure that you pay attention when your teacher is setting your homework so that you get all of the details you need recorded in your planner. Sometimes, even though we try, we don't always understand our homework when we get home. If this happens, you should go and see your teacher as soon as you can but definitely before the work is due to be handed in. You can also go to homework club which runs each evening. At homework club you will find help and encouragement too. We'll let you know which room homework club will be in when you start in September. Avoid leaving homework until the last minute. That's often when problems occur.
The best way to avoid this is to pack your bag each evening before school so that you are ready for the day ahead and you don't have any distractions before you leave the house. If you do forget to bring your homework, you need to go and speak to your teacher before the lesson. Don't wait until it's time to hand it in. Teachers may set a detention if homework is not handed in on time.

You will have a timetable that you will write into your planner which will include 5 lessons each day. Every day you will need your stationery (see equipment here – link to be changed) and you will need any homework for the lessons of the day. Your bag should be packed and checked against your planner each evening. You will have PE each week. You must remember to wash your kit ready for the next week so that it is clean and fresh. When you are deciding on which school bag to buy ready for September make sure you consider being able to fit your PE kit, your planner and even your lunch in at the same time.

You can wear a coat to school, but you are not allowed to wear coats in the building. You will be directed to remove it as soon as you enter a building. Make sure that all of your possessions are labelled with your name.
When a member of staff raises their hand straight up in the air, this indicates that you need to be silent. You should raise your hand immediately, stop doing whatever you are doing and be silent. Leadership will raise their hand at the end of every lunch sitting for an orderly dismissal.
As silly as it sounds, start practising now. You could ask for some help at home or you could watch a ‘how to’ video on Youtube. We will tell you as soon as we can which House you are in so don’t buy a Dame Elizabeth Cadbury tie until your House and form has been confirmed.
Each lesson lasts from 60 minutes. We don’t have bells here so your teacher will tell you when a lesson is drawing to a close and it’s time to move to your next lesson. You will be expected to walk into your classrooms sensibly and quietly, take out your equipment and wait to be invited to be seated. All your teachers will have allocated you a seat when you first begin so you will know where you are to be seated. 

Each lesson will be different. You will usually have a book for a lesson where you will capture all your learning. Teachers will give you feedback in your books too so it’s essential that you keep them neat and well presented. Lessons are chunked into sections by the teacher so that your learning is being built upon over the hour.

Some of the ways that we help you to learn and recall knowledge are quizzing, using knowledge organisers, experiments, and practicals, reading, discussing ideas and topics and recording or reporting through writing.

We will check your progress through regular assessments and give you feedback on how to improve or develop your ideas. You will be given targets and actions to take to make progress for each assessment that you complete.
Any lost property is handed in to reception. It’s always worth retracing your steps so that you visit the rooms that you have been in before you realised that your item was not with you. Make sure that you label everything with your name.
If you don’t feel very well, you should go to your House Office who will be able to help you.

You can buy refreshments at break and lunch time. You will be informed where you will dine when you start in September. Leadership will supervise you during break and lunch. We do not go ‘out to play’ at lunch time as we only have 30 minutes to dine. At the end of each break and lunch session, you will be dismissed straight back to lessons.

Dame Elizabeth Cadbury is a Telling School, and we encourage you to tell us if something or someone is bothering you. You can tell your form tutor who you will see every morning, or you can report issues to your Head of House too. Don’t keep things bottled up; share them and we can help to sort problems out.
Yes - you can come to school on your bike. As soon as you enter the school premises you must get off and push your bike to the bike shelter where you can store it safely until the end of the day. Please note that we do not provide locks. We advise that you regularly get your bike brakes checked and that you wear a helmet when you are riding your bike for safety.
We are a ‘Drink to Think’ school and we encourage you to drink water in lessons. We have water filters around school where you can fill up your bottles, but you cannot leave lessons to do so, so you need to plan the times when you want to fill up. Energy drinks and glass bottles are not allowed on school site. They will be confiscated. No eating is permitted in lessons.
Don’t panic. You can ask any pupil in year 8-13 or a member of staff and they will be able to help you. All staff wear a blue lanyard so you will be able to see who they are. When you first start with us, we know that you will be finding your way around and getting used to where your classrooms are, so we do make allowances for some delayed arrivals in the first week. However, we will expect pupils to be punctual to all lessons and ready to learn when they arrive when you have found your way around.

The school website shows you a list of equipment, uniform and kit that you will need. It is expected that in every classroom based lesson you get your planner and equipment out on the desk ready to learn at the start of each lesson.

Your timetable will have a staff code and your Form Tutor will tell the names of your teachers. You will then write these into your planner. All of your teachers will introduce themselves to you but if you forget, all you need to do is ask them to remind you of their name. Remember, they will be learning everyone’s names too.
You can only go to the toilet at break and lunch. However, if you have a toilet pass for medical reasons, you will be allowed to go during lesson time.
Parental Information

Important Procedures

If a pupil has a special educational need or disability and has received additional support at their primary school for this need, they will be assessed by the SEND Coordinator (SENDCo) to ascertain if they still require this support. Should the pupil still require support with their additional needs, they will be supported by the SENDCo and the Learning Support team. The support offered to a pupil will be decided in communication with parents/carers and staff will be provided with a pupil profile which details the best way to support the pupil in lessons. The pupil profile is the child’s voice in the classroom and will be written with the support of parents and the SENDCo.

Termly, the SENDCo will review the provision for the pupil and decide whether the pupil needs additional support from specialist staff to develop skills in the classroom by providing additional scaffolding so that pupils can access the topic in lessons. Some pupils will need special provision in addition to lessons to develop literacy and numeracy skills which could mean the pupil attends a range of intervention programmes during form time. Pupils could also be invited to a range of programmes that would develop their confidence and social skills such as Social Interaction Group (SIG) where pupils work on their self-esteem and communication skills.

These interventions are by invitation only to ensure the groups are small, allowing for us to maximise the impact for pupils. Where special educational needs of a registered disability are identified, every effort is made to make special provision for pupils within the resources of a mainstream school available. Please note that Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School is a multi-level site with separate buildings.

At Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School we recognise the importance of supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our pupils. Our whole school approach includes an extensive PSHE programme, assemblies, form time activities, pupil voice, a mental health practitioner and pastoral support as well as working with external agencies. These include Forward Thinking Birmingham, CAMHS and the School Nursing Team.

Dame Elizabeth Cadbury is a Telling School and we encourage all pupils to talk about their experiences, thoughts and feelings. Bullying has no place in our school, and it will not be tolerated. There are well-developed procedures for staff and pupils to follow if incidents do occur. The topic of bullying is explored in assemblies and during tutor time so that pupils are reminded they should tell someone if they do not feel happy about a matter. Our pupils know that there is no need to suffer in silence. Our Anti-Bullying Ambassadors are also available, and they are trained to support pupils too. If you believe that your child is being bullied, please contact their Head of House immediately.

Pupils take responsibility for their own personal property and should never bring expensive items into school. The school cannot accept responsibility for valuables. Electronic tablets, computer games, electronic mobile devices such as kindles and other expensive items MUST NOT be brought into school. Books represent a very significant element of the school’s expenditure, and it is essential that they are properly looked after. Pupils are expected to pay for a new book where one is lost or defaced. Each pupil is issued with a planner at the start of the academic year, and we expect them to remain in an excellent condition. If a planner is lost, a new planner can be purchased via the House Office. The cost to replace a planner is £3.00.

Pupils must cross at the crossing opposite the top gate. Parents/carers are asked not to park near the school gates as this makes it dangerous for pupils crossing the roads.

To safeguard pupils, staff and visitors, all external gates will be locked during the school day. The gates will be locked at 8.35am and re-opened for pupils exiting school at 3.10pm. If a pupil arrives after 9.10am or needs to leave before 3.10pm, they will be let out by the staff at reception.

The school has qualified first aiders to deal with on-site emergencies. Where there is a more serious accident and it is necessary for a pupil to be transported to hospital, parents/carers are contacted as soon as possible. Where both parents are absent from home, the parents or carer are contacted at their place of employment. If a child is unwell, parents/carers will be expected to collect their child. It is vital that the school has up-to-date information to enable us to contact you in cases of accident or illness. An essential information and medical form is issued to parents, on which you should indicate clearly the telephone numbers by which quick contact can be made, and any other emergency contact details. You must provide the school with at least two emergency contact numbers.

ANY CHANGES TO THIS INFORMATION MUST BE MADE ON AN ESSENTIAL INFORMATION AMENDMENT FORM AND GIVEN TO THE HEAD OF HOUSE AS A MATTER OF URGENCY.

Whilst accidents and serious illnesses that occur in school will be dealt with by school staff, incidents that happen out of school hours or at the weekend should be dealt with by parents.

If your child has a medical condition, please ensure that the school is aware in the first instance by entering it on the essential information form before your child begins at Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School.

If your child has a condition that requires a Care Plan such as epilepsy, diabetes or asthma for example, or a potentially life-threatening severe allergy that requires them to carry an EpiPen, it is vital that you provide Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School with the care plan and medication prior to them starting in September. This is to ensure the school is fully equipped to support your child when they are in school.

Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School is a cashless school. We use WeDuc, a web payment provider for the payment of all trips, visits, peripatetic lessons, dinner money for our cashless catering system and any other services the school offers.

Parents/carers will be provided with login details to get into their child’s WeDuc account. Parents/carers are requested not to send large sums of money into school with pupils.

If your child brings a mobile phone into school, the phone must be turned off throughout the school day. If your child is found using their phone it will be confiscated immediately and given to Miss Styles, Head’s PA. It can be collected from Miss Styles at the end of the school day.

Parents are requested to attend all Parents Evenings. These meetings are seen as a vital part of the communication process between home and school and research has shown that children of parents who attend benefit greatly.

In Years 7 to 10, all appointments are booked and take place using an online platform, meaning that you can attend meetings from anywhere that is convenient to you. At your child’s Parents Evening you will have the opportunity to meet your child’s teachers and discuss their progress.

Dates and times for Parents Evenings are sent out in advance and published on the school’s website.

Other information evenings and parental workshops are also held for parents and details are published separately for these events.

Only the school can authorise non-attendance. If a child is absent, parents/carers should contact the school before 8.40am on each day of absence. Your child should be on school site no later than 8:35am. If pupils arrive onto school site after 8.35am they will be issued with a 20-minute detention after school on the same day. All pupils should be waiting outside their form rooms by 8.40am each morning for registration. If pupils arrive after 9:10am they will be marked in the register as an unauthorised absence and coded as ‘U’ and they will be set a detention after school. Afternoon registration takes place during period 4.

Any requests for absence from school must be made eight weeks in advance using an absence request form available from reception. Parents/carers are asked not to take holidays during term time and, if taken, the school will not authorise the absence. You will also make yourself liable for a Fixed Penalty Notice, where each parent/carer will have to pay £60 for each child removed from school.

This will need to be paid within 21 days and if it is not paid within this time, the charge will rise to £120 per parent for each child and must be paid within 28 days in order to avoid prosecution by the Local Authority. 

Pupils may be given a same-day 20-minute detention. You will be given 24-hours’ notice of the school’s intention to keep your child after school if the detention is for more than 20 minutes. Please check your child’s planner regularly to see if a detention has been issued. It is the pupil’s responsibility to show their planner to parents/carers if a detention has been issued.

Pupils should expect to stay behind after 3.10pm for various reasons. In addition to detentions, which are only ever used as a sanction, pupils may be required to stay for a catch-up, revision session or redo. These are never used as a punishment but are intended to help all pupils make progress.

A catch-up is issued if pupils have gaps in their learning, either due to absence or because they did not completely understand something beforehand. A redo is issued if pupils produce work which is not of the required standard, and they need to have another attempt.

We passionately believe that moving on to a new topic before pupils have secured their understanding of what has come before is setting them up to fail; redos and catch-up help us to ensure that all pupils achieve. 

Pupils must not bring any illegal substances, knives, or any other weapon onto the school site. Drugs, tobacco, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vapour pens, matches and lighters are not permitted. Any such items found will be confiscated and will be destroyed. The matter will be treated as a serious breach of school rules and parents will be contacted. 

The Headteacher will recommend permanent exclusion to the Governance Advisory Board for any pupil who brings drugs, knives or weapons onto the school site and the Police will be informed. Please refer to our Behaviour Policy on the school website.