School Policies

Absences

If you wish to withdraw a student from school for any reason you must request permission in advance and in writing, stating the reasons, dates and details for the absence. Absences during term time are not encouraged and should be avoided if at all possible.

If sickness is the cause of the absence, please telephone school between 8.30am and 9.00am on the first day of absence and send a letter to school with the student on the first day of their return.

If at any time you need to remove a student from class during the working day, for instance because of sudden illness, please report to the school office. Similarly, if you have arranged an emergency appointment for a student (such as a dental) during the school day, please collect the student from the office.

Students are not allowed to leave school during the school day unless advanced permission has been sought giving the reason for the absence and explaining who will be collecting the student and at what time.

Lateness

If a student is late for school, they must report to the school office before going to their classroom. Occasional lateness we understand but persistent lateness will be addressed as this frequently has an adverse effect on the student and causes disruption to the other students and teachers.

Equipment

Exercise books (jotters),text books are provided by the school. Payment will be requested to replace them if they are lost or damaged. Exercise books should be kept clean and presentable and students should not use them to doodle, or rip pages out.

At Sa Porrassa, writing materials are provided for Nursery and Reception students. All other students should be fully equipped with two pencils, a rubber, a pencil sharpener and a ruler. Parents/guardians should regularly check that students have the correct equipment. Students from Year 5 upwards also need a writing pen (preferably an ink pen or roller ball) and will need at various times through the year a calculator, protractor and drawing compasses.

At Sant Agustí, materials are provided throughout the school. Students in Year 5 and 6 may bring their own pencil case to school with a suitable writing pen (preferably an ink pen or roller ball) and at various times through the year, they will need a calculator, protractor and drawing compasses.

Correction equipment (Tippex) of any sort is not required.

Students need to bring a small bag to school to carry equipment and books from home to school.

An art smock or something to cover students´ clothes during art lessons is useful.

Personal property

Mobile phones, tablets and other expensive equipment should not be brought to school. The school and staff accept no responsibility for any personal property lost or broken on school premises.

At Sant Agustí, lost and found items are located next to the main Reception office. Please ask the Reception staff at Sa Porrassa for any lost and found items.

Examinations and assessments

Students in classes from Nursery to Year 2 do not have exams. Ongoing assessments are made by the class teacher.

Examinations for Years 3 to 6 in English, Maths, Spanish and German take place in November and May. Other subjects for these years are examined at the end of the topic/unit.

Secondary school students will undergo formal assessments throughout the year as part of the on-going Data Entry series and for tracking student progress. These take place at least 3 times per year.

Exam papers are not sent home but parents are informed of the results via the students´ homework diary or on their report.

All students in Years 11, 12 and 13 will be examined by external exam boards for their IGCSE, AS level or A2 level qualifications in January and/or May/June.

Homework

It is expected that all students complete their prescribed homework in the allotted time without excuse. Incomplete, forgotten or untidy homework is taken very seriously and a student will usually be required to complete or re-do the work.

As a school, we believe that the core purpose of homework is to help students make progress in their learning, whether that be in their knowledge, skills, understanding or in their own personal development. Teachers will set homework for a variety of reasons, that might include preparation for lessons to come, consolidation and practice of lessons, to stretch and challenge or to broaden personal development. As a school, we do not believe in setting homework for the sake of it. We recognise that many of our students have extensive extra-curricular commitments outside school. We value family life.

Click here for a copy of our Homework Policy

Behaviour

BIC Sa Porrassa - Click here for a copy of our Student Behaviour and Conduct Policy

BIC Sant Agustí - Click here for a copy of our Behaviour and Pastoral Care Policy

Anti-bullying

Baleares International College seeks to create a safe environment in which all members of the school community feel supported and free from bullying; we are working with staff, students and parents to create a school community where bullying is not tolerated. All types of bullying are harmful and can prevent students achieving their academic and personal potential.

The school has a firm anti-bullying stance and does not tolerate bullying in any form or for any reason.

Students are regularly encouraged to ensure that they speak to a member of staff if they feel that they, or anyone they know, is being bullied in school. Students can report concerns verbally to any member of staff.

Where concerns are raised, they will be dealt with on the same day by the pastoral lead. Communication will take place to inform parents and the class teacher (primary)/form tutor (secondary) of the report.

Each report of bullying has its own individual circumstances and as such will be dealt on a case by case basis.

Possible actions include:

• A restorative conversation between the student reporting and those involved to improve the issue
• Close monitoring of behaviours in class and at social times
• Parental meetings with pastoral leaders
• Appropriate sanctions including internal, external and permanent exclusion. In the most extreme cases a student may be permanently excluded from school and removed from the Baleares International College student roll.

Click here for a copy of our Anti-bullying Policy