Being an Elizabethan
We want our boys to be happy and successful at School and to grow up to be confident, able and responsible. Education at Queen Elizabeth’s School is about much more than simple academic progression. There is an extensive PSHE programme which is continued throughout the year as outlined earlier. It is vital that the boys gain a sense of their moral role within the School community and beyond.
Extra-curricular activities
There is an extensive range of extra-curricular activities and we encourage all boys to become involved in some of them. Extra-curricular activities are to be enjoyed;, they enable boys to make a contribution to the School and at the same time enhance their own records of achievement. Many activities can be enjoyed at lunchtime, but some take place at the end of the School day, and many sports fixtures are at weekends.
For those who sing, or for those proficient with a musical instrument there are many musical groups to join including the choir, bands and orchestras.
Queen Elizabeth’s School possesses an enviable sporting reputation; in recent years boys have represented England Schools Rugby at both U18 and U16 levels, and also England Schools U18, U16 and Great Britain Juniors at water polo. The water polo teams have won national titles and, along with the swimming teams, regularly compete in national finals. Rugby XVs and VII’s continue to compete at a high level with boys representing their county, division and country. Cricket, athletics and cross-country running enjoy regular team and individual representation at divisional and county level. Eton Fives, basketball and tennis field regular teams and the whole representative structure is underpinned by a strong inter-House system.
The School has a strong chess tradition and there are inter-House tournaments as well as matches against other schools. Tuition is available for those who show a particular aptitude, but the chess club caters equally well for beginners.
Other clubs encourage boys' interest in backgammon, war-hammer, science and drama, and the rocketeers build and launch their own rockets! There is truly something for everyone and full details are published separately at the start of each term.
Responsibilities
Being an Elizabethan inevitably carries some responsibilities, none more important than the protection of the fine reputation built up by previous generations of Elizabethans.
Presentation of self is vitally important and boys who wear our uniform must always be aware that they are representing the School while they do so. Our uniform regulations are clearly set out and must be strictly adhered to. In particular, we emphasis that no ear-rings or studs may be worn, that hair should be of uniform length, and that “gel” or similar products must not be applied to it.
We have a code of conduct, which is clearly understood by all, and boys are expected to behave in a considerate and mature way while they are in School. It is equally important that they should do nothing to tarnish the School’s reputation while travelling to and from School and wearing our uniform.
Good behaviour as the basis of outstanding success
Behaviour
- The School’s mission is the driving force behind our behavioural management document. We must create an environment which allows the boys to develop the ability to accept and abide by rules. They must have a sense of right and wrong, and they should develop a sense of responsibility, self and mutual respect, honesty, tolerance, compassion and trust.
- The primary objective of the School’s behaviour management policy is to create an environment that promotes good behaviour and high academic standards. The School’s behaviour policy will help to modify pupil behaviour, clarify School procedure and provide advice to staff in the handling of inappropriate behaviour. It will also make clear to pupils and their parents the boundaries and the effect of a pupil’s actions. We continue to have a strong positive influence on our pupils and have the capacity to lead, support and encourage them in developing good behaviour. The good behaviour of pupils at Queen Elizabeth School enables effective teaching and learning to take place and gives them every opportunity to reach their full potential. When pupils misbehave they not only prejudice their own educational chances but also the chances of others.
- Good behaviour is conduct which assists the School to provide an environment in which effective teaching and learning can take place, and allows boys to achieve their full potential. Our major focus when looking at the School’s behaviour management strategies will be on the vast majority of pupils who behave well. Other sections of this document look at the many strategies already in place to achieve such behaviour.
- Bad behaviour is conduct which prevents this. It is important that everyone involved has an understanding of what is acceptable and that there is consistency in applying standards to all pupils.
- The School will promote positive behaviour both in the classroom and in the wider context of the School. At Queen Elizabeth's School we focus on the positives, and recognise the boys for their achievements. The School will also give a clear set of values and make clear the boundaries of acceptable and unacceptable behaviour.
- Regrettably, there are a few pupils who reject the ethos of the School. This is manifested through their patterns of behaviour. The following supportive actions are put in place so that boys might improve this behaviour: special report; use of mentors; quality checks; reprimands; detentions; Head of Department’s detention; exclusion from lessons (both internal and external); pupil contracts; Saturday detention; exclusion from School. The majority of boys adopt and contribute to the School’s ethos and do not require the use of these measures.
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Mentors
Some pupils need assistance, which goes beyond the normal commitment of a tutor or subject tutor. The need may be an academic or a personal one; it may be a short-term or a long-term issue. In such an instance, the School will provide the individual with a staff mentor. This person will work with the pupil on a ‘one-to-one’ basis, meeting regularly and working to ensure success through attainable goals. Mentoring is a positive way in which we can ensure that difficulties are resolved in partnership between School, pupil and parents.
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Home and School - an active partnership
The methods outlined above demonstrate how the School will seek to work alongside parents at all stages and will report back to them whenever necessary. It is crucial, also, that parents work with the School to ensure the best progression for their sons. What is essential is that if a parent recognises such problems to be hindering academic progress, he or she informs the School immediately. This allows School and home to work together purposefully for the benefit of pupils.
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Dress regulations
Good behaviour and sound attitudes, the foundations of responsibility, cannot be acquired by talk and discussion alone. Teaching and study are insufficient for the inculcation of good habits and a sense of duty; in these matters practice, pride and correction are fundamental and thus the School operates a set of rules which all pupils are expected to adhere to every day.
Our boys acquire a sense of duty first of all by knowing that in putting on our QE uniform they take on a reputation which was hard earned by many generations before them. They learn to take pride in their uniform and to honour the debt of tradition by remaking our reputation year by year. They are exhorted to a high level of commitment; to give themselves generously in their duties and their activities for the School. Every effort is acknowledged and approved.
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Boys in Year 7 will be dressed in:
- Navy blue blazer (with School badge attached)
- Plain dark blue or navy shower-proof overcoat/anorak (without motifs)
- School tie with House colours
- School blue-coloured long-sleeved shirt
- Navy blue V-necked sweater
- Dark grey/charcoal grey long trousers. classic style (not baggy)
- Black or dark grey socks
- Plain black sensible shoes
We have a code of conduct, which is clearly understood by all, and boys are expected to behave in a considerate and mature way while they are in School. It is equally important that they should do nothing to tarnish the School’s reputation while travelling to and from School and wearing our uniform.
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School bags should be:
- Black or navy blue with logo no bigger than a postage stamp
- Strong enough to provide protection for all School books
- Provided with a suitable lock if they are to be left in School
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A note on mobile telephones and pagers.
The School will accommodate these where parents feel that there are good reasons for their sons having one, such as safety between home and School. However, we must strongly insist that:
- all mobile phones remain switched off during the School day
- they are not used at any time on School premises other than with permission from a member of staff
- they are passworded-protected and privately insured
- they are NEVER brought into public examinations as this contravenes examination board regulations
- no boy brings a phone capable of taking pictures to School at any time.
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Hair
Eccentric or cult hairstyles have no place in this School. Hair will be of uniform length (i.e. without a step cut in it), short and neatly combined and will not be close-cropped, shaven or dyed. Hair gel or similar hair products are not permitted. Any other item deemed unsuitable by the Head of Year will be notified through year assembly.
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Looking after property
The School provides lockers for the majority of boys and it is in these that students should keep their possessions, particularly at break times and when they are PE classes. It is the individual’s responsibility to look after his own possessions at all times; possessions should NEVER be left unguarded at any time. Conversely, if any pupil is suspected of stealing, he will be dealt with by using the most severe of sanctions.
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Praise and acknowledgement
From the start of Year 7, a reward system will be introduced involving merits. Boys are given merits by their subject teachers and there will be a different sticker for each department, allowing tutors and parents to identify that a pupil is doing particularly well and to encourage him to gain more stickers from other departments. On reaching the first milestone (100 merits), a boy will be sent to his Head of Year from whom he will receive a bronze certificate. Silver awards (200 merits) will be given out in assembly by the Head of Year and Gold (250 merits) by the Headmaster.
This small reward for effort or attainment either in academic or extra-curricular activities is a valuable addition to a boy’s own record of achievement, as well as a means of helping his House towards success in the weekly competition.
Besides these tangible rewards, boys will also know when their performance has been acknowledged, by the conferral of some post of responsibility. This may be small at first but may culminate in the position of Form Captain for those who best show the qualities of leadership associated with that post.
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