St Michael’s has a 10-day timetable. The school day is divided into six 50-minute periods. Most subjects take double periods but for some, there may be a single period.
Each year group has a Collective Worship twice a week. During afternoon pastoral time, students will complete a rotation of activities from PCSE, Reading for Pleasure, Form Numeracy and Pastoral Challenges.
Lunchtimes differ slightly for each year group. The breakdown is below:
NB: St Michael’s operates a 32.5 hour school week.
It is important for pupils to arrive at school on time so they can fully participate in all the school has to offer. The school gates close at 8:35 am to ensure that pupils have time to get to their form group on time.
If a pupil is late, it causes a lot of disruption to school with regard to the taking of registers and the interruption to learning by a pupil arriving late to a lesson. Parents are informed of their child’s lateness by text on the same day. If you received this notification, you do not have to contact the school unless you wish to discuss your child’s lateness.
Parents will be informed of the detention for frequent lateness by a Go 4 Schools app message or by email.
Attendance is imperative in order to reach the student’s full potential, and, at St Michael’s, we aspire for all students to attend school every day. We expect a 97% or above attendance rate. People who attend school have excellent career prospects, progress to their full potential, and have excellent social and emotional skills. Form tutors will be tracking individual attendance and whole form attendance over the year.
So that we are sure of the whereabouts and safety of our students, we ask that parents/carers ring the school by 8:30 am each day of absence (please use the absence mailbox when you hear the main school telephone menu). For absences of less than 3 days, on return to school, a letter signed by parents/carers is required to confirm the reason for absence and the dates involved. We ask that this letter be brought to school on the first day back. For absences of 3 days or more, medical evidence is required. This can include the label from prescribed medicine.
If medical or dental appointments have to be made during school time, the school should be notified in advance, by telephone or email at contact.staff@st-michaels.sandwell.sch.uk. In addition, an appointment card or a letter from parents/carers should be shown to the Form Tutor (who should sign it) and then handed into the school office when the student signs out. Where possible, we would ask that appointments be arranged for after school hours, at weekends or during the school holidays.
The government’s stance on taking children out of school during term time makes it clear to parents that they are expected to maintain their children in school throughout term time. We are therefore required not to authorise any holidays unless there are exceptional circumstances. Any requests for a holiday in term time must be submitted using the local authority form, copies of which are available from the school reception. Any requests that are not submitted on this form will be automatically rejected. A fine will be incurred if your child is taken out of school for holiday purposes unless it has been agreed with the school.
Students who start to feel unwell at school should see the Head of Year and Reception would be asked to ring parents/carers if it is felt a student needs to go home. For safety reasons, students who are unwell will not be allowed to go home unless collected by a parent/carer or an adult nominated by the parent/carer.
Students must wear correct attire at all times; however, there may be occasions when a student arrives in incorrect uniform. In this case, the school will provide and expect a student to wear replacement uniform until the issue is rectified. Failure to meet uniform requirements will result in the student going to Refocus.
Students must see staff at Reception at the beginning of lunch.
Please provide a note in your child’s planner to explain the problem. If this is a continued medical condition or injury, medical evidence will be required.
Make sure the Form Tutor and Head of Year are aware of the problem. If a student needs to take regular medication (either prescription or non-prescription), it is possible to send this to school, where it will be kept in a locked cupboard for use when required. Parents/carers will need to complete an authorisation form, which is available from Mrs Stockton – see Key Staff.
Phone to make an appointment. We will always try to see you, but it helps if we can agree a convenient time. We cannot help to sort out problems if we do not know it is happening.
Your child may have school dinners or bring sandwiches. All students stay on the premises during lunchtime. School dinners are taken in the dining hall. Sandwiches must be eaten in the dining hall.
