School policies

We want everyone on our courses, both students and staff to have a great time. We have a few rules to ensure everyone has a great time, and it is important to follow them. If there are any rules you don’t understand, please ask any member of staff.
Things you should ALWAYS do:
∙ Keep all your money and valuable items safe. These can be left with The Designated Safeguarding Lead if necessary.
∙ Be on time for classes, meals and activities every day. We don’t want you to miss any part of your lessons or activities. If you are late for them it will disrupt your classmates. It is important to be on time for meals so you do not inconvenience hosts.
∙ Take an active part in lessons and all activities. The course will be at its most enjoyable if you try your best in all your lessons and activities.
∙ Be kind and friendly to other students and staff. Treat people as you want them to treat you.
∙ Be careful not to endanger others or yourself. Your safety is our most important priority. Sometimes something might not appear to be dangerous but our staff are trained to know what can cause you or other students harm, so please listen to our staff members.
∙ Stay in your room and be quiet after bedtime. It’s important to get a good night’s sleep. Even if you aren’t feeling very sleepy, your roommates and hosts probably want to sleep so please respect their wishes.
∙ Keep your room tidy and make your own bed.
∙ Look after your belongings and the school. Please don’t leave them lying around. The school is used by many students, so it is everyone’s responsibility to keep it looking nice. Don’t do anything that might damage or break anything belonging to the school.
∙ Speak English. We want you to speak English as much as possible, because this will help you to improve your communication skills in English. Speaking English in class and during the activities is especially important.
∙ Wear your lanyard with a name badge at all times. Your name badge has important information such as the emergency phone number. It also helps all staff get to know you.
Things you should NEVER do:
∙ Leave the school building unless you are with JoStudy staff. To keep you safe, we need to know where you are at all times. You will have plenty of opportunities to go shopping on excursions.
∙ Smoke, obtain or drink alcohol, or take drugs. Drugs are illegal and you can be in serious trouble with the police! Smoking and drinking alcohol is illegal if you are under 18. If you are found with cigarettes or alcohol it will be taken from you and destroyed. We may have to send you home early.
∙ Steal or shoplift. As well as being morally wrong, you can get into serious trouble with the police. We will send you home early if you are caught doing this.
∙ Bring or buy knives, weapons or toy guns. British police can stop and search you to check if you have any knives or weapons. If they catch you with any weapons you could be in serious trouble. Certain types of toy guns that fire pellets might not be legal in the UK.
∙ Use bad language or fight with anyone. Bad language (including in your first language) and fighting just spoils the fun for everyone. If you have a disagreement with another student, try and work it out calmly or ask a staff member to help you.

∙ Use your mobile phone or any handheld equipment during lessons, meetings or activities, or after lights out (bed time). You will have plenty of time to stay in contact with friends and family. However, please give lessons, meetings and activities your full attention.
∙ Use school or personal IT/electronic equipment to access illegal/inappropriate sites or images. For the safety and wellbeing of you and other students, we will not let you view any sites that are not appropriate for your age.
∙ Chew gum or drop litter. We need to keep the school clean. Disposing of chewing gum can be messy so it’s not allowed at the school. Please use the bins provided for all rubbish.
∙ Damage school property. Equipment costs money to repair or replace. You or your parents will be billed for any school property that is damaged deliberately or through misuse. This includes using fire extinguishers if there is no fire.
∙ Break any British law. Please ask any member of staff if you are unsure if anything is allowed.
∙ Behave in an anti-social way. For example: shouting in areas where you should be quiet, running on crowded areas, standing in large groups in the street. Don’t spoil other people’s fun. The safety and wellbeing of our students is the most important thing for us. Rules and laws are there for everyone’s safety. Students who break the law, do not obey the course rules, who repeatedly misbehave, do not follow the instructions of course staff or otherwise disrupt or adversely affect the smooth running of the course will be asked to leave the course immediately at their own expense.
Safety
Please think about your actions and how they affect your safety and the people around you. If a staff member asks you to stop doing something because it isn’t safe, please stop doing it.
If you see a fire, please sound the alarm. If you hear the fire alarm, please go directly to the fire meeting point which you will be shown on your first day with the member of staff you are with at the time. Do not leave the fire meeting point until told to do so. There will be regular fire drills during your stay. Do not open fire doors, as this will set off an alarm. It is against the law to set off the fire alarm for no reason or to play with fire safety equipment. You could be fined for this under the law and may be sent home early. The law requires us to ensure that all electrical equipment is safe, including anything you bring to the Centre. To ensure that it is safe we use a PAT test.
Living in Britain and Staying Safe If there is an emergency that a member of staff is unable to deal with, the telephone number for the police, fire brigade or ambulance service is 999. The common European emergency number 112 is also used in the UK, so you can use either. Please note that our habits and rules in Britain may be different to those in your own country.
Always remember:
∙ Be polite and join queues.
∙ Use bins. Do not leave litter anywhere. In some places you may be fined for dropping litter.
∙ Do not block paths or walkways. Think of other people who are around you.
∙ Do not cross roads until you see the green man. Remember that cars drive on the left so when you cross the road, look right first then left.
∙ Do not be loud and shout when you are in public places unless there is an emergency.
Keep your work in folders provided and put any unwanted paper in the recycling bin at the end of the lesson.
Leave the bathrooms and kitchen in the condition you have found it in. Wash up all your cups and bowls used.
Be aware of school safety policies.
Sit in other people’s cars.
Be on time for excursions
Keep your home-stay family’s number available in case you need to let them know you will be late home.
∙ Always say “hello”, “goodbye”, “please” and “thank you”.
∙ Everyone is equal in the UK, don’t treat people differently because of gender, race, nationality or religion.
If a student is behaving in an unsatisfactory or unruly manner in class, the School has the right to issue a warning which could result in the student being permanently removed from the class or the course.

Student Registration

• When students enquire we send them a standard reply acknowledging their interest, giving general information about our courses and suggestions on finding accommodation.    
• If booking, students are required to complete an online test from our web site test and this together with telephone with basic information as to the student’s level.  We also insist on a completed enrolment form to be received and a £100 booking fee (£500 for non EU students) to be paid before enrolment takes place. For students requiring visa assistance we would also require proof of identity which would be kept on file at all times.
• We send a reply giving more specific information about the course, hours, prices, deposit, payment, visa information (if relevant) and answers to any questions they may have.  
• We then complete the application and student profile forms which include all their contact details and course requirements, as well as accommodation, transport, deposit and payment information.
• For students requiring visa assistance, we send a confirmation letter to the Immigration authority including detailed information about the student contact details and course (full-time hours, dates, price, syllabus outline).
• Full fees are payable one month before the student’s start date.
• After the student has paid their course fees, we send them confirmation of receipt by e mail and a visa support letter to the student.  Payment is always required before the start of the course.

On the student’s first day

• Students are required to show photo ID (passport) and of a copy the visa both of which are kept in a secure file.
• Students are offered a verbal assessment of their level of English before starting classes.
• Students receive the first day induction which contains important information about their stay and they are made aware of the Absence Policy and the importance of attending classes.

Non-arrival of student

• If a student does not arrive, we would try to contact them at all their contact details given to us.  
• If there was no reply, we would contact their guardian, the Immigration authority or continue to contact the student depending on their age and visa status to inform them of the student’s non-arrival.

Non-attendance of student

• If a student does not attend, we would try to contact them at all their contact details given to us.  
• If there was no reply, we would then contact their guardian, the Immigration authority or continue to contact the student depending on their age and visa status. 
• Students must contact the office if they are unable to make it in to classes as soon as possible.  Full fees will be payable for a missed lesson unless the student gives 24 hours notice.  The office number is  provided on the front page of the welcome pack they receive on day 1 of their course.
• The school’s attendance policy is displayed on the student notice board ensuring all students are aware of the policy.
• Attendance of visa students is collected and analysed weekly but looking at overall percentage of attendance for individuals. If this drops below the required 98% for any reason the student will be asked for an interview.

Lessons start at 09.15 am so please make sure you are on time. If are more than 5 minutes late, you will still go into the class. Please be aware that if this happens regularly, we will have to contact your parents.

We will phone all students who are not in class to find out where they are unless we have already been informed by you. All teachers inform the principal if a student is not in class or is consistently late.
We expect all students to attend class every day.

Absence

If you know that you need to be absent for a period of time you must ask permission to the office and your request will be evaluated by the Welfare Manager. In case of illness, please telephone the office, or the emergency mobile (which can be found on the board in the office) as soon as possible. We will then arrange support for you. 

We aim to: 

• To ensure all our students take their studies seriously and do not miss any classes without a good reason. 
• To provide individual care to any student who feels unwell and to ensure they return to class and activities as soon as they are well enough to do so. 
• To ensure that students are able to catch up on any missed work owing to an absence from class. 
• To ensure the safety of our students at all times. 

Definition of acceptable absence from class or activities: 

Our policy is that all students must attend all lessons and activities unless they are not feeling well enough to participate. In exceptional circumstances, students may be taken out of class by their parents or homestay host with the prior arrangement of the Centre Manager, however this is discouraged. No other reason for absence is normally accepted. 

Procedures: 

The normal procedure for dealing with absences is as follows: 

• Students are told to inform their home-stay family and the School Director if they are feeling unwell. 
• If the student does not feel well enough to travel to school the student must be visited by the Welfare Manager or one member of the office staff on its behalf  if the home-stay family does not feel confident to decide on whether they should attend or not. 
• The student may stay at the home-stay families house if: 

1. the family agree; 
2. the family feel the student is ill but not needing medical assistance 
3. an adult is available to supervise them 
4. The situation must be logged in the First Aid Book 

If a child falls ill at school they will be attended to by a senior First Aider who will assess their situation. The First Aider will decide if the student needs to be seen: 

1. urgently by a medical professional. 
2. non-urgently by a medical professional. 
3. can stay at school in the sick room (Rugby Room) 
4. can return to their hosts house providing there is adequate supervision. 

Class and activities registers are completed before the start of every lesson and activity. The students are marked: 

• / for present 
• A for absent 

The teacher can wait a maximum of 10 minutes before mark a student as ABSENT. At 9.30 am one member of the staff will check if students are present in all classes.

In case of any absence, it will be immediately reported to the Welfare Manager who will try to contact the student, the homestay or the guardian or the group leader (in case the student is part of a closed group).

If a student is late more than 3 times consecutively, the Welfare Manager will speak to the student and will try to let him/her understand the importance of being punctual.

All late arrivals and absences will be recorded together with the follow up action.

Lessons
Lessons normally start at 09.15 so please make sure you are on time. You and your parents have agreed that you must attend lessons on time every day.

Any time you are late:

➢ It slows down the lessons for the students who are there on time as teachers must repeat everything.

➢ It is disrespectful to your classmates and teacher If you are regularly late, we will:

1. Talk to you and find out why so that we can help you improve this.

JoStudy English Academy welcomes comments and suggestions from students, hosts, activity leaders and teachers about the services it provides. Students, hosts, activity leaders and teachers wishing to make a suggestion or comment about the School’s policies or services, either academic or non-academic, can do so informally:

• by completing our ‘smiley face’ form
• by contacting the office 
• by leaving feedback  in our complaints/compliments box

A comments/complaints box is in the main entrance and in each classroom and you can put any anonymous notes there. A blank complaints form can be found next to the box or can be asked to the office. We would also very much like you to raise the issue with ourselves and we can do our best to find a solution.  Please see any of the office staff at any time. If you wish to take the matter further you have the right to make a formal complaint. This document sets out the procedure for making a complaint. 

Our aim is:

• To listen to all complaints and suggestions. 
• To enable staff and students to be able to make complaints and suggestions. 
• To resolve problems in the best way possible. 
• To use complaints as an opportunity to review and improve the service we offer. 
• To consider and, if practicable, act on suggestions. 
• To provide an opportunity at Staff Meetings for staff to bring up any issues under Any Other Business. 
• To provide information on the JoStudy Complaints Procedure to students in their information packs. 
• To tell students verbally during their induction about JoStudy Complaints Procedure. 
• To provide all students with an opportunity to give feedback (including complaints and suggestions) on the Day Two Questionnaire and Leavers’ Questionnaire. 
• To feedback information gathered from questionnaires to staff and act on any complaints, and where possible, suggestions. 
• Where possible, to see any students making a negative comment on the Leavers’ Questionnaires before they leave. 

We always welcome good ideas to improve our courses so please talk with us. It is also much better to try to fix little problems when they occur, so they don’t become a bigger problem for you. Please talk to us as soon as possible. We can’t do anything if we don’t know about it. We will always do our best to solve any problems as quickly as possible and come up with a solution.  If you have any problems or concerns feel free to speak to your teacher, group leader or to the Office staff. The office’s doors are always open to you. However, if you are still not happy, please speak or write to Jasmine. If she cannot resolve matters immediately, she will ask you to put your complaint in writing.  You will receive a written response within 3 working days.

JoStudy recognises that it has a duty to provide fair and objective procedures for examining and resolving complaints, and to ensure that its procedures are free from partiality arising from personal or institutional conflict of interest or other sources of bias.  No person will be disadvantaged by having raised a complaint, but the school expects that students, hosts, activity leaders and teachers will not make frivolous, vexatious, or malicious complaints. The School is responsible for all the services it provides for students, hosts, activity leaders and teachers, and comments or complaints about these should follow the procedures outlined in this document.  The School expects that complaints will normally be dealt with informally in the first instance. It should be possible to resolve most problems quite quickly in this way, avoiding stress and saving time. Students, hosts, activity leaders and teachers with a complaint should seek to bring it to the attention of the School, using the procedure out-lined here, as soon as possible following the occurrence of a problem, and ideally within one month. Many complaints can be dealt with quickly and effectively in this manner, without recourse to formal procedure.  At the outset any person with a complaint to make will be invited to suggest the remedy they are seeking, without prejudice to the outcome.

Confidentiality

Every attempt will be made to maintain the confidentiality of a complainant. However, where a complaint is of a personal nature against an individual, it is likely that the complainant’s identity would have to be revealed at some stage in all but the most exceptional cases in order for there to be a fair investigation. For example, when a complaint is made against an individual, that person has the right to know who is complaining against them and what the nature of the complaint is.

If a student is behaving in an unsatisfactory, in an unruly manner in class or fails to attend without leave of absence JoStudy English Academy disciplinary procedure is as follows: Students are firstly spoken to by their teacher or the school managers. If the poor behaviour continues the student will be spoken to again by the same people.  The first time to check there are no underlying problems, the second, more strictly. If the behaviour persists they are cautioned by the DSL or DOS and there is a follow up letter to this meeting. 

Discipline problems may consist of persistent: 

∙ class disruption 

∙ expressions of intolerance towards other cultures and beliefs 

∙ expressions of extremist opinions which contradict Core British Values 

∙ harassment or lack of courtesy towards other students or teacher 

∙ lateness to class 

The first three steps of the discipline procedure may be omitted in the case of gross misconduct by a student. Gross misconduct includes, but is not limited to: 

∙ Smoking, using drugs or consuming alcohol 

∙ Theft of another person’s property 

∙ Deliberate damage to home-stay or school property 

∙ Deliberate injury of another student or member of staff

JoStudy English Academy has the right to remove students and cancel a student’s enrolment at any time in line with the information above.

It is great to use social media, websites, blogs, podcasting, smart phones, tablets etc. in your free time and also as part of an English class. However, the internet can make us feel worried or scared if it is not used properly. So it’s worth remembering a few important points:

∙ Do not share personal details with students (either online or in person).

∙ Think before you post. There’s no such thing as “delete” on the Internet. 

∙ It’s a small world digitally. Remember that something you say in one country can be offensive in another. Be respectful and considerate. Posting offensive or false content can be a criminal offence. 

∙ Staff and students must not access sites with sexual, violent or terrorist content.

∙ Staff must not take photos of the students, unless instructed to do so by the directors for publicity materials. Images of the students must not be posted on personal social media accounts. 

∙ Staff have the right to challenge students to see the content on their phones and confiscate them under our duty of care. 

These risks can include exposure to inappropriate material, cyber-bullying, identity theft or invasion of privacy, downloading copyrighted materials, exposure to inappropriate advertising such as online gambling and financial scams, safeguarding issues such as grooming, radicalisation and other illegal activities. There are also risks to the security of our computer and network systems. Through this policy JoStudy aims to protect our students and staff from inappropriate materials and to keep them as safe as possible. We try hard to have a workplace that is free of harassment and sensitive to the diversity of our employees and students. Therefore, we do not allow anyone to use computers and e-mail in ways that are disruptive, offensive to others or harmful to morale.