St Simon Stock Catholic School students are encouraged and supported to become independent learners and to take responsibility and ensure they come to school fully prepared and ready to learn.

It is important to establish a good routine in the first year of secondary school as this is often followed for the rest of the school life. Organisation can sometimes be one of the issues where students need assistance; we will therefore be working with your child from the first day, on organising themselves.

We encourage students to check their bags and equipment every evening and during each holiday period, so they can restock any items they need. Every day, all students in Years 7 to 13 should carry with them the following basic equipment for all lessons:

• Reading book
• Scientific Calculator
• Protractors (optional)
• Dictionary 
• Minimum of 2 HB pencils
• Soft pencils such as 2b, 4b, 6b (for Art)
• Colouring pencils / Pencil sharpener / Ruler / Eraser
• Watch (not a smart watch) (1)
• Selection of black and green pens. Black pens should be used for all written class and homework. Green pens should be used for self-marking and peer-marking tasks.
• Students may wish to bring a small glue stick with them
• Students may wish to bring a small pair of scissors with them – these must be small school safety scissors (round edged)

(1) A key part of our teaching and learning strategy moving forwards is that students in all year groups learn to self-manage their time-keeping in all tests, using their own watch, which they take off and put on their desk. This removes the impediment of the student having to look up at a clock on the wall, which results in them stopping writing whilst they do this. Smart watches, with internet connection, are not allowed.

Use of mobile phones

Students may bring their phone to school but it must be switched off during school hours. If your child is found using their mobile phone during the school day, the phone will be confiscated and will need to be collected by the student at the end of the school day. If this happens more than once, we will contact parents to discuss this further and ask them to come in and collect it.

Please do not ask your child to check messages from you during the day. If they need to call home, they should go to reception or to their Pastoral Manager in the St Josephine Bakhita Hub and seek support there.