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04 September 2026 Letter to Parents
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If you need to translate this letter, please use the symbol in the top left hand cornerDear Parents and Carers,
From 2026/27, students will no longer line up before tutor time. Instead, they will go directly to their tutor rooms where they will receive a warm welcome from staff. Teaching staff will be visible around the school to support students as they arrive.
As we prepare for the new academic year, we, as an inclusion team, would like to share some important updates to our routines and behaviour systems at Orchard School. These changes are designed to strengthen our inclusive school culture, ensure consistency across the school, and provide clear support and guidance for all students.
A Warm and Structured Start to the Day
Year Group Entrances and Exits
On the first day of term for each year group only, students will line up as follows:
Year 7 – Line up in the small hall playground – where they met on transition day
Year 8 – Line up in the small hall playground as last year
Year 9 – Line up on the astro as last year
Year 10 – Line up on the small hall playground as last year
Year 11 – Line up on the astro as last year
Students will then be informed about the entrances and exits that will be used for the rest of the year, details of which are below for your information.
After they have pouched their mobile phones and any other electronic devices (now a statutory requirement as these are prohibited items), students in Years 7 and 8 should enter the school site via the upper playground. Students in Years 9-11 should enter the school site via the Sports Hall gate. The new routines and entrances will be shared next week when students arrive in school. Students should also leave site via the same entrances, as they will be leaving from their year group areas.
Morning registration will include:
Readiness checks, including uniform, equipment and Yondr pouch checks.
A protected 20-minute reading session to promote literacy and a calm start to the day.
Registration and preparation for learning.
Students arriving late, after 08:30, will sign in at the Main Hall until 9:00am, where the same tutor-time checks will take place. Any student who arrives after 9:00 will lose their morning registration mark, and be allocated a U code, so arriving before this time is really important. That said, we want to see students whenever they are able to arrive during the school day. Please make appointments outside of the school day wherever possible. If these can't be avoided, an afternoon appointment is preferred, as less learning is missed. We also expect students to be in school, or return to school, before or after an appointment.
Detentions
We are moving away from centrally run detentions and introducing a more immediate and relational approach.
Detentions will now include:
20-minute after-school detentions staffed by Year Teams and teaching staff.
40-minute after-school detentions overseen by Senior Leadership Team and Re-Engage staff where required. A 40-minute detention will occur when a student has failed to attend their 20 minute detention. Failing to attend a 40-minute will also result in an escalation through our behaviour policy.
This approach enables students to take responsibility for their actions while maintaining positive relationships with staff.
Yondr and mobile phones/ electronic devices
As we begin our third year of using Yondr pouches, we would like to remind families that schools are now required to be phone-free environments, legally.
As part of our Behaviour for Learning and Uniform Policy, all students must have a Yondr pouch, regardless of whether they bring a mobile phone to school. Students who bring a phone must place it in their Yondr pouch and lock it on arrival to the school site, before entering the school building. Compliance is checked by year teams, tutors and staff throughout morning arrival and registration. The vast majority of students are now familiar with these routines, and we thank parents and carers for their continued support in helping us maintain a focused, distraction-free learning environment.
Where a pouch is forgotten, damaged, or a phone is found outside of a pouch, staff will follow established procedures to collect and store the device until the end of the school day. Any refusal to hand over or securely store a mobile phone will be treated as a breach of the school's Behaviour for Learning Policy and may result in further sanctions.
Whilst any confiscated phones will be stored as securely as possible, we can't take any responsibility for these items, as they are prohibited and should be stored in a pouch, in the child's bag, throughout the day. Thank you for your continued support in helping us maintain a calm, focused, and distraction-free learning environment.
Changes to Behaviour Support
We are continuing to develop a relational approach to behaviour, helping students reflect on their choices and repair relationships while maintaining high expectations.
Introducing RESET
Our current ISR provision will be replaced by RESET.
Under the new system:
Students who are removed from a lesson will spend the remainder of that lesson only (unless it is a double lesson with the same teacher) in RESET.
They will also have to complete a same day 20-minute after-school detention.
Restorative conversations will remain a key part of the process.
Students who avoid lessons (truant) may also be referred to RESET by on-call staff.
Re-Engage
Rather than using external suspensions, for many low-level escalated behaviours, students will be supported through our Re-Engage provision, which we have been developing over the course of the past academic year, and will continue to do so this year. This will allow us to work more effectively with students to address concerns, carry out screening to diagnose need, rebuild positive habits, and support successful reintegration into lessons.
Re-Engage is a welcoming, positive space in our CLC building which is designed to help students build confidence, develop learning habits, and access the support they need to be successful in school. It’s a place of opportunity. A place where students can take a breath, refocus, reflect on their behaviour and get personalised guidance from staff who are passionate about helping them grow.
We celebrate inclusion because it reflects the heart of our school: every child valued, every child supported, and every child able to succeed.
Students who spend time in Re-Engage benefit from:
A calm, structured environment
Tailored support for learning, wellbeing, and behaviour
Staff who listen, encourage, and champion their progress
A chance to reset, reflect, and return to lessons feeling ready and confident
External suspensions will still be used for the most serious behaviours and always as a last resort. Every case will, of course, be considered individually.
Uniform Update
We have made some small amendments to our uniform policy to provide greater clarity. Most notably:
Hair colour must be natural in appearance; unnatural colours, e.g. blue, are not permitted.
Students should not wear more than one pair of trousers at the same time.
Full details of our uniform policy can be found on our website.
As part of our readiness checks every day, students' uniforms and equipment will be checked, and any issues will be noted on a tracker. Please expect a follow-up call from tutors and Year teams where these fall short of our expectations. If you need support with obtaining uniforms or equipment, please reach out.
Working Together
We are committed to providing a calm, orderly, and supportive learning environment where every student can thrive. We believe these changes will help create greater consistency, strengthen relationships, and ensure all students are able to make the most of their time at Orchard School.
Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to working together to ensure a successful year for all our students. A reminder, that as a member of our school community you agree to follow our Parent/Carer Commitment to Achievement which you can find on our website here: https://www.orchard.amplifyeducation.co.uk/Student-Expectations/
Warmest regards,
Mr Marshall-Aherne & The Inclusion Team
