Designed to ensure students are safe and have a clear understanding of the expectations on them as learners, learning habits are used to support students with the day to day practicalities of school life such as attendance, organisation, homework and behaviour in lessons.
The Dixons Cottingley Academy learning habits are as follows:
Perfect Uniform We will insist on perfect uniform: not nearly perfect but perfect. We expect all students to be wear their uniforms neatly and with pride.
Homework Students are expected to complete all homework set, on time and to a good standard.
On-task We insist on focused learning in the classroom to ensure that learning is maximised for all students.
Punctual All students should attend school and classes on time, every time.
Full Equipment Students should arrive to lessons with the right equipment, so that no learning time is interrupted. Students do this without carrying bags, this reduces wasted time packing and unpacking at the start and end of each lesson.
No answering back Students should respect their peers and teachers.
Instead of excusing bad learning habits we will insist on good learning habits every day, we have high expectations and make no excuses. To ensure all students are following learning habits, we use a three stage detention process called 'Corrections'. We give escalating 30, 60 and 90 minute same-day corrections after school to support this.
Correction Reasons
If your child has been issued an 'Always On-Task' correction, this means your child has been 'Off-Task' during a lesson or around the Academy. All students should be focused on their education in order to maximise their learning potential. Students are given a planner warning before being given a correction so that they have a chance to improve the behaviour before it escalates. The only exception to this is if they are in exam conditions.
Examples of this behaviour can be talking when asked not to, not tracking the teacher when a lesson is in progress, copying another students work, or other behaviours which would deem them to not be doing what is currently expected.
We specify whether this behaviour is in lesson or out of lesson to see trends in behaviour and support those who particularly struggle in specific lessons.
If your child has been issued a correction for 'Bullying', this means their behaviour or actions have intended to hurt another individual or a group of students. This can be physical, emotional or cyber.
If your child has been issued a correction for 'chewing', this means they have been chewing gum, drinking fizzy drinks or eating sweets in the Academy. Chewing gum is banned in the Academy as it is unhygienic and causes a mess when not disposed of properly.
If your child has been issued a 'Full Equipment' correction, this means the student has arrived to the learning environment without the right equipment i.e. black pen, green pen, ruler, pencil, rubber, highlighter, whiteboard pen, clipboard, whiteboard, whiteboard eraser, glue stick, calculator, planner, knowledge navigator, tuff bag. This can also include booklets that are necessary for learning.
If your child has been issued a 'Homework' correction, this means they failed to meet the deadline for their homework during Morning Meeting or a Lesson. This could also mean they have failed to meet a deadline including any online homework.
If your child has been issued a correction for 'Late to lesson/line-up/academy' this means they have not been punctual. All students should attend the Academy, line ups and lesson on time, every time.
If your child has received a correction for 'No Answering Back', this means your child has answered a member of staff back in a rude or unacceptable manner.
If your child has received a correction for 'Perfect Uniform' this means your child failed to meet the Academy expectation of perfect uniform. Further details regarding uniform are here: https://www.dixonsco.com/about/uniform
Failed Correction: If your child has been issued a 'Failed Correction' sanction, this means they have not met the expectations of a correction i.e. working in silence, completing correction work to a high enough standard. This will result in an immediate 60 minute correction for the next day.
Truanted Correction: If your child has received a 'Truanted Correction' sanction, this means your child failed to attend their correction and has been issued an immediate 60-minute correction.
Rescheduled Correction: This means your child's correction has been rescheduled. Please note: we will only reschedule corrections for medical appointments (with evidence) or in exceptional circumstances.
Isolation: If your child has been issued a correction for 'Isolation', this means that your child's behaviour led to them being removed from circulation in lesson or around the Academy and placed in the Reset Room. This could also mean they have displayed Red Line behaviour, resulting in an immediate 60-minute correction.
On Tour: If your child has received a correction for 'On Tour', this means your child has been removed from a classroom or circulation in the Academy due to their behaviour. Generally this means your child has been 'Move Room' to another classroom or taken to Reset.
Directors of Curriculum Phase
Miss C Heptinstall: Director of Curriculum Phase - Year 7
Ms D Kirton: Director of Curriculum Phase - Year 8
Mrs S Kauser: Director of Curriculum Phase - Year 9
Mr T Post: Director of Curriculum Phase - Year 10 & 11
MCAS
On the My Child At School app, parents can see live information about their child, including corrections. We encourage staff to leave comprehensive comments explaining clearly the reason for the correction. By doing this, there is absolute clarity between staff and parents so that we can work together to ensure all students have a positive experience, and build character.
We use several acronyms to shorten this process and make it easy to be clear:
PW - Planner warning
C - Correction
OT - On Tour
R - Reset
MR - Move Rooms (removed from lesson)
More information on the My Child At School app can be found here: