School Policies
Thornhill College Publication Scheme On Information Available Under The Freedom Of Information Act 2000)

Introduction

One of the aims of the Freedom of Information act 2000 (FOIA) is that public authorities, including all maintained schools, should produce a publication scheme setting out

• The information which we publish or intend to publish;

• The manner in which the information will be published; and

• Whether the information is available free of charge or on payment

All information in our scheme is available in paper form. Some information which we hold may not be made public, for example personal information.

Aims and Objectives of the School

Thornhill College, a Catholic Grammar School, promotes high achievement and learning for life. It aims to develop in its students:

• a real awareness of their dignity as children of God;

• a caring, Christian approach to life;

• high self esteem, respecting and valuing themselves and others;

• high standards of achievement in all areas of the curriculum;

• lively enquiring minds and a spirit of curiosity;

• the ability to be self motivated;

• the ability to communicate effectively using a variety of media;

• the ability to work both independently and collaboratively;

• flexibility and adaptability in the world of work;

• understanding of their responsibility towards the environment;

• an appreciation of their cultural identity and of the diversity and interdependence of all people within the World Community.

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Categories of Information Published

The publication scheme guides you to information which we currently publish (or have recently published) or which we will publish in the future. 
The categories of information that we undertake to make available are organised into four topic areas:

If you require a paper version of any of the documents within the scheme, please contact the school by telephone, email, fax or letter. 

To help us process your request quickly, please clearly mark any correspondence ‘PUBLICATION SCHEME REQUEST’
If the information you are looking for is not available via the scheme you can still contact the school to ask if we have it.

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Paying for Information

Single copies of information covered by this publication are provided free unless stated otherwise.  If your request means that we have to do a lot of photocopying or printing, or pay a large postage charge, or is for a priced item such as some printed publications or videos we will let you know the cost before fulfilling your request.

If you are not satisfied with the assistance that you get or if we have not been able to resolve your complaint and you feel that a formal complaint needs to be made then this should be addressed to the Information Commissioner’s Office.  This is the organisation that ensures compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and that deals with formal complaints.   

Information Commissioner,
Wycliffe House, Water Lane,
Wilmslow,
Cheshire, SK9 5AF

OR

Information Currently Published 1
School Prospectus

The detailed requirements as set out in the Education (School Information and Prospectuses) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 are summarised below.

• The name, address, telephone number, fax number, email address; the management type of the school and the names of the Principal and the Chairman of the Board of Governors.

• The expected number and age-range of pupils at the school.

• The classification of the school as a voluntary grammar school.

• The arrangements for parents to obtain copies of the information which Education and Library Boards are required to publish about admissions to schools in their area.

• The arrangements for parents of prospective pupils to visit the school.

• Numbers applying for admission to the school in the school year in which the prospectus is published and in each of the 2 previous years, and the number of pupils actually admitted to the school in each of those 3 years broken down into the number of applications and admissions in each grade in the transfer procedure test.

• Details about the school curriculum covering:-

  • the Board of Governors’ curriculum policy statement;

  • details of how complaints in connection with the curriculum are to be made;

  • the arrangements for inspecting and obtaining copies of those documents which a school is required to keep available for public inspection (the Board of Governors’ curriculum statement, any statutory rules or Department Circulars about the curriculum, any published inspection reports on the school, details of courses of study taken by pupils and details of procedures for making complaints about the curriculum);

  • a list of the external qualifications for which courses of study are provided both for pupils of compulsory school age, and for those over compulsory school age;

  • the titles of the specifications (syllabuses) associated with those qualifications;

  • details about the careers education and careers guidance provided and any arrangements for work experience for pupils.

• Information about school hours and holidays, including the time at which the school day begins and ends, and the dates of school terms and half-term holidays for the school year to which the information relates.

• Information about religious education provided at the school and the arrangements for parents to withdraw their children from religious education or collective worship.

• Information about special curricular and other arrangements made for particular classes of pupils, including pupils with special educational needs.

• The organisation of education in the school in particular in respect of the teaching of children of different ages and abilities together or in separate groups and a summary of the homework requirements of the school.

• Information about the assessment outcomes of pupils at the school and of pupils in Northern Ireland during the previous school year, as follows:

  • The proportion of pupils (expressed as a percentage) of pupils in the final year of Key Stage 3 achieving level 5 (or above) and the proportion achieving level 6 (or above) in English, in Mathematics and in Science, in:

    • teacher assessment

    • external tests

• Information about examination performance as follows:-

  • the number of pupils enrolled in Year 12 and aggregate number of pupils enrolled in Years13 and 14 on 31^st October of the previous school year and the number of those with special educational needs.

  • For the year immediately preceding publication information about the examination entry and the proportion of pupils gaining each grade in GCSE, GNVQ, AS, A and AVCE level

  • For the 3 years prior to that:

    • The percentage of pupils achieving 7+ GCSEs at A* - C (or equivalent);

    • The percentage of pupils achieving 5+ GCSEs at A* - C (or equivalent);

    • The percentage of pupils achieving 3+ GCSEs at A* - C (or equivalent);

    • The percentage of pupils achieving 2+ GCSEs at A* - E (or equivalent);

  • For the previous school year examinations performance of pupils enrolled in Year 12:

    • The percentage entered for 7 or more GCSEs;

    • The percentage entered for 5 or more GCSEs;

    • The percentage achieving grades A* - C in 7 or more GCSEs;

    • The percentage achieving grades A* - C in 5 or more GCSEs;

    • An alphabetical list of the subjects in which pupils were entered for GCSE examinations, the number entered for each subject and the percentage who achieved each grade from A* to G or who were ungraded;

    • The percentage of Year 12 pupils achieving none of the qualifications listed above.

• Information about the examination performance of pupils in Year14 in the previous school year as follows:

• the number of pupils in the final year of a GCE A-level or AVCE course and the percentage of those achieving :

• 3 or more grades A to C

•  2 or more grades A to E

• an alphabetical list of the subjects in which pupils were entered for GCE A-Levels or AVCE examinations, the number entered for each subject, and the percentage of those who achieved each grade A to E or were ungraded;

• the total number of pupils in the final year of any course leading to a GCSE or another qualification (other than A-level or AVCE) and the percentage who achieved one or more such qualifications.

• For each course included in above, the number of pupils in the final year of each course and the percentage achieving the full qualification.

• Information about the destination of school leavers, including the total number of pupils who left the school from Years 12, 13 and 14 in the previous year and the percentage of those who:

        (a)     transferred to another school;
(b)     entered Jobskills;
(c)     entered Further Education;
(d)     entered Higher Education;
(e)     took up full-time employment;
(f)      entered a modern apprenticeship;
(g)     other 

• The arrangements for Pastoral Care.

• The percentage attendance rate of pupils at the school in the previous school year. 

• Details of how parents can obtain copies of the school’s anti-bullying, child protection and discipline policy statements, including the arrangements for bringing school rules to the attention of pupils and parents, and how parents make known any concerns they have about their child’s safety.

• A statement of the school’s policy on drugs education.

• Information about sporting and extra-curricular societies and activities and the facilities available to pupils at the school.

• Arrangements for the provision of meals and other refreshments and the facilities provided for pupils to eat food which they bring to school including the remission of charges.

• The school’s policy or rules in relation to pupils’ dress and any recommendations on the wearing or uniform.

• Details of how parents can obtain a copy of the Board of Governors’ Charging and Remissions Policy.

• Information about the school’s participation in community activities and activities in relation to the Education for Mutual Understanding educational theme.

• Information about the processes in place for parents to discuss the educational progress of their children.

• Information about any special provision made, and facilities in place for teaching children with special need and how parents may obtain a copy of the school’s special educational needs policy.

• Details of any changes that will be made to any of the above information after the start of the school year to which the prospectus relates.

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