This section was originally developed by David Evans, Jack Driver , Lewis Williams and Mrs Mewett during Activity days in the summer of 2007.

If YOU want to contribute to these pages, you can – Just contact Resources who will explain what to do next.

E.C.M - Every Child Matters

According to the government, the U.K. is a place in which every child (and that’s YOU!) – matters.

What do they mean?

Well, the ECM programme says that every young person should get help and guidance from teachers and others so that they can

• Be healthy • Stay safe • Take part in things • Have fun and do well at school • Have enough money

Being Healthy

School is a good place to get fit and stay healthy. We may miss the old days when you could buy chips and other unhealthy food from the canteen – but, Hey come on, you know it’s better this way! As well as P.E. lessons in the school week you have a chance to keep fit and build up your sporting skills in the many Enrichment activities, clubs and sports events that take place after the school day.

Staying Safe

Staying safe is a pretty basic requirement for having a good life!

Staying safe can mean something as fundamental as taking care crossing the road on the way out of school, all the way up to knowing how to use text, chat rooms and social websites safely.

When children transfer from primary school they often worry about things like
• Getting lost!
• Being bullied!
• What to do if you feel ill!

Well, don’t worry too much about getting lost. Although Willingdon is a much bigger school than most primary schools, you will have taster days and guided tours around the school and a map in your Planner to guide you (Click on the “Map of School” button above to see it). Year 7 students can usually act as tour guides themselves by the end of the first week in September!

Don’t worry about bullying either. According to the last Ofsted inspection there is “a complete absence of any signs of bullying in the school”. Nevertheless, with so many children and teenagers in the school there will be times when some people try to throw their weight around, and friendships can sometimes break down and upset everyone involved.

The main thing to do is talk to others about any worries you have, no matter how small they might be. If ever you receive any upsetting text messages or come across any worrying things through the internet – tell a teacher.

- Visit the 'Against Bullying Policy'

- Visit 'Know it All' safe internet site

Take Part in Things

There are loads of things you can get involved in at school. Joining an after-school club or taking part in an activity is a great way of making friends. Have a look at our extended services page for details.

Do well at school & have fun!

The best tip for helping you to do well at school and succeed in your lessons is to

• Aim at excellent Attendance (Missing days off school can’t be avoided if you are really unwell, but do your best to attend regularly because missing lessons makes everything a little bit harder and can make you feel that others understand everything better than you do.)

• Check out the front pages in your Planner – There’s lots of helpful advice about coping with problems and getting the best out of school. • Keep your Planner safe and always write down your homeworks.

• Talk to people if you have a problem – Friends, teachers and tutors will always help.

• Join in things! Try to make the most of Enrichment and after-school clubs and activities.

Have enough money!
(Economic well-being)

Some information about Teenagers and work
• How old do children have to be before they can work in England?
Children are not legally allowed to work until they are 13.
• What times can children work?
Children can only work after 7 a.m. and before 7p.m but not during school hours. On a school day they can only work for up to 2 hours but no more than 1 hour before school.

How many hours can a teenager (13 and 14 years old) work?
School Days	Not more than 2 hours in one day during the following periods: Morning: 7am to start of school or Evening: close of school to 7pm
Saturdays	Up to 5 hours between 7am and 7pm
Sundays	Up to 2 hours between 7am and 11am
Term Time (including weekends)	Up to a maximum of 12 hours a week (Including weekends)
School Holidays (including Weekends)	Up to a maximum of 25 hours week. 5 hours a day, between 7am - 7pm on any day except Sunday. On Sundays, 2 hours between 7am - 7pm
15 and 16 year olds may work for up to 8 hours on Saturdays and up to a maximum of 35 hours during school holidays.