2022 - 2023
2022 - 2023
Our Values
Welcome to Bolder Academy
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you and your child to Bolder Academy.
Your child’s happiness and welfare are paramount. I want every child to enjoy
learning and to have the confidence and the skills needed to make the most
of the opportunities in life.
As Headteacher, I am committed to seeing that each child is safe and will
thrive at Bolder Academy. I know that each child is special, each is unique; and
getting to know them individually has always been a key priority for me in my
professional life.
We recognise individuals and their differences, but I believe it is only through
teamwork, that we will truly succeed. Working in partnership with parents
and carers will be fundamental in ensuring the best for every student.
Being the best takes hard work and effort; I have high expectations of myself,
my staff and our students. With our co-ordinated support, your sons and
daughters will develop the resilience, independence and creativity they need
to be the best learners they can be.
Bolder Academy is undoubtedly the place to achieve these ambitions.
I very much look forward to meeting you and your child in the coming months.
I know a Bolder future awaits us all.
Heidi Swidenbank
Headteacher
Our Values
We love that they are all unique
with different strengths and
different passions.
We will challenge and inspire them.
We will prepare them to lead life
with confidence and energy.
Our wish is that they leave us as
kind, strong and brave young
adults with a belief that anything is
possible.
We welcome all
children into our
school.
The Location of the Academy
MacFarlane Lane
Isleworth
Middlesex
TW7 5DB
Travelling to Bolder Academy
We recognise that there is significant concern around the problem
of air pollution and its impact on the health of young people.
Reducing the number of cars on local roads and not contributing
further to the problem of air pollution will help improve the quality
of the environment for the students of Bolder Academy.
To help achieve this aim, Bolder Academy has worked with the local
residents’ association to create a sustainable Travel Plan that will
help us minimise the impact of the Academy on our local
community.
One of our key objectives of the Travel Plan is that Bolder
Academy is committed to being a car-free school. As a result, we
are asking our students to use public transport, walk or cycle to
the Academy whenever possible.
There will be no parking on-site or drop offs down MacFarlane Lane,
so we are asking parents/carers to use public transport if you need to
visit the Academy. There is a Park and Stride facility currently in the
Tesco car park.
As part of our commitment to sustainable transport and improved air
quality, we are asking you to sign the Travel Plan agreement form.
Cycling
When cycling to Bolder Academy, students should ride their
bicycles with care and in accordance with the Highway Code.
Students should wheel their bicycles when within the Academy
grounds. There are covered bike sheds where bicycles can be
locked but are stored at the owner’s risk.
All students who cycle must wear a bicycle helmet and a high
visibility jacket. Bicycles must have lights for the winter nights.
Buses
Two bus services run along the Great West Road - close to Bolder
Academy:
H28
H91
Three more bus routes run along London Road which is a fifteen
minute walk from the Academy:
235
237
267
For further details, please see
www.tfl.gov.uk/buses
Trains
Syon Lane station is a 5 minute walk.
Bolder Academy
The Academy Day
To ensure all students take part in extracurricular activities we
have an extended day Monday – Thursday.
Timings of the Day – Years 7, 8 and 9:
Monday – Thursday
Time
Activity
8.15 – 8.40
Academy gates open
8.40
Academy starts for the day
8.45 – 9.15
Personal Development
9.15 – 10.10
Lesson 1
10.10 – 11.05
Lesson 2
11.05 – 11.25 Break
11.25 – 12.20
Lesson 3
12.20 – 1.05
Lunch
1.05 – 2.00
Lesson 4
2.00 – 2.55 Lesson 5
2.55 – 3.50
Lesson 6
3.50
Academy finishes for the day
*Please note that on a Wednesday, Year 7 (current year 6
students) will finish at 2:55pm. They will not have a period 6
lesson on this day.
Timings of the Day: Friday – Years 7, 8 and 9
Time
Activity
8.15 -8.40
Academy gates open
8.40
Academy starts for the day
8.45 – 9.15 Personal Development
9.15 – 10.10 Lesson 1
10.10 – 11.05
Lesson 2
11.05 – 11.25 Break
11.25 – 12.20 Lesson 3
12.20 – 1.15 Lesson 4
1.15 Academy finishes for the day for Years 7, 8 and 9
1.15 – 1.45 Lunch available
Timings of the Day – Years 10 and 11:
Monday – Thursday
Time
Activity
8.15 – 8.40
Academy gates open
8.40
Academy starts for the day
8.45 – 9.15
Personal Development
9.15 – 10.10 Lesson 1
10.10 – 11.05
Lesson 2
11.05 – 11.25
Break
11.25 – 12.20
Lesson 3
12.20 – 1.15
Lesson 4
1.15 – 2.00
Lunch
2.00 – 2.55
Lesson 5
2.55 – 3.50
Lesson 6
3.50
Academy finishes for the day
Timings of the Day: Friday – Year 10
Time
Activity
8.15 -8.40
Academy gates open
8.40
Academy starts for the day
8.45 – 9.15 Personal Development
9.15 – 10.10
Lesson 1
10.10 – 11.05
Lesson 2
11.05 – 11.25
Break
11.25 – 12.20 Lesson 3
12.20 – 1.15 Lesson 4
1.15 – 1.45 Lunch
1.45 – 3.15 Compulsory PE and Creative Arts
3.15
Academy finishes for the day for Year 10
Timings of the Day: Friday – Year 11
Time
Activity
8.15 -8.40
Academy gates open
8.40
Academy starts for the day
8.45 – 9.15 Personal Development
9.15 – 10.10 Lesson 1
10.10 – 11.05 Lesson 2
11.05 – 11.25
Break
11.25 – 12.20
Lesson 3
12.20 – 1.15
Lesson 4
1.15 – 1.45 Lunch
1.45 – 2.45 Compulsory Intervention or tutoring
Term Dates
Term Date From Date To
INSET - Staff Only Thu 1 Sept 2022 Mon 5 Sept 2022
Autumn Term 1
Year 7s start Tue 6 Sep 2022 Fri 21 Oct 2022
Years 8 - 11 start Wed 7 Sep 2022 Fri 21 Oct 2022
Half Term Mon 24 Oct 2022 Wed 2 Nov 2022
Autumn Term 2 Thu 3 Nov 2022 Fri 16 Dec 2022
INSET - Staff Only Fri 25 Nov 2022 Mon 28 Nov 2022
Christmas Break Mon 19 Dec 2022 Tues 3 Jan 2023
INSET - Staff Only Wed 4 Jan 2023
Spring Term 1
All students
Thu 5 Jan 2023 Fri 10 Feb 2023
Half Term Mon 13 Feb 2023 Fri 17 Feb 2023
Spring Term 2 Mon 20 Feb 2023 Fri 31 Mar 2023
Easter Break Mon 3 Apr 2023 Fri 14 April 2023
Summer Term 1 Mon 17 April 2023 Fri 26 May 2023
May Bank Holiday Mon 1 May 2023
Half Term Mon 29 May 2023 Fri 2 June 2023
INSET - Staff Only Mon 26 June 2023
Summer Term 2 Mon 5 June 2023 Thu 13 July 2023
Equipment Required
We want all of our children to make the most of the learning
opportunities on offer and this means being well equipped.
Each day your child should bring:
- The Bolder Academy bag: purchased from School Bells uniform
shop in Hounslow.
- Pencil case: including blue, black, green pens, pencils, a ruler,
a glue stick, a maths set, a scientific calculator, a rubber and a
sharpener.
- Reusable water bottle. Please no cans or ‘energy drinks’.
- Reading book.
Our Uniform
At Bolder Academy we want our students to be proud of their
school and to be ambassadors for it. Wearing the uniform is part
of this, as well as reducing anxieties about what they need to wear
to school on a daily basis.
It will be at the school’s discretion whether shoes and earrings
comply with our school uniform policy. We ask parents/carers to
respect and support the school’s decision.
Our uniform can be purchased from:
School Bells,
48 Bell Road,
Hounslow, TW3 3PB.
Telephone: 0208 577 6656
Website:
www.schoolbellsuniforms.co.uk/secondary-
schools/bolder-academy.html
Jewellery
Students may wear small, discreet ear studs. The earrings should be a
matching pair and only one earring may be worn in the lower lobe of
each ear. The earrings must be no larger than 0.5mm in size.
All earrings must be removed for games.
If, as a parent, you are allowing ear piercing we strongly urge that this
piercing is done during the summer holidays as this allows the piercings
to heal. The school will not accept the excuse that the hole will close up.
No other piercings are allowed. This includes nose studs.
Parents are asked to note that any additional jewellery will be
confiscated and returned only at the end of term, or on written request
from parents.
Haircuts
Hair colour should be natural and haircuts professional in look.
Make up
Make-up is not allowed.
This includes nail varnish, nail extensions, false or eyelash extensions,
tattoos, microblading etc.
Bolder Academy
skirt, not rolled
up
Main Uniform
Academy Uniform Item
Compulsory /
Optional
Sizes and Prices
Navy Academy Blazer Compulsory
Size 28” - 44”
£38.50 – £44.00
Academy Tie (Clip-On) Compulsory £7.00
Navy Academy V-Neck Jumper
(with logo)
Optional
Size 30” – 46”
£18.50 - £22.50
Plain White Shirts or Blouse Compulsory Can be purchased from any shop
Navy Skirt with Academy Trim Compulsory
24” - 36”
£26.00 - £34.50
Navy Girls’ Trousers
with Academy Logo
Compulsory
22” - 36”
£26.50 - £32.00
Navy Boys’ Trousers with
Academy Logo
Compulsory
26” - 36”
£20.00 - £25.00
White or black plain socks or
tights
Compulsory Can be purchased from any shop
Navy Rucksack with Academy
Logo
Compulsory £18.00
Plain black or dark blue outside
coat.
Compulsory Can be purchased from any shop
Plain Black Leather smart formal
shoes (no trainers, boots or
shoes that look like trainers)
Compulsory
Can be purchased from any shop
– please seek advise from the
school if shoe shops are selling
shoes that look like trainers and
branded as shoes.
Bolder Academy PE Kit
Academy Uniform Item
Compulsory /
Optional
Sizes and Prices
Navy/Gold Academy Rugby
Reversible Top
Optional
Size 26/28” – 46/48”
£22.00 - £26.50
Navy/Gold Academy Polo Top Compulsory
Size 26/28” – 46/48”
£13.50 - £16.50
Navy/Gold Academy Boys’ Shorts
Either shorts or
tracksuit bottoms
are compulsory
Size 24/26” – 36/38”
£11.00 - £13.50
Navy/Gold Academy Girls’ Shorts
Either shorts or
tracksuit bottoms
are compulsory
Size 22” – 38”
£16.50 - £19.50
Navy Academy Tracksuit Bottoms
Either shorts or
tracksuit bottoms
are compulsory
Size 24/26” – 36/38”
£18.50 - £22.00
Navy/Gold Football Socks Compulsory £6.50 - £7.50
Academy Quarter Zipped
Sweatshirt with Logo
Compulsory
Size 26/28” – 46/48”
£20.00 - £24.50
Football boots with plastic
moulded studs (no metal)
Compulsory
Can be purchased from any
shop
Trainers for PE lessons only Compulsory
Can be purchased from any
shop
Uniform Monitoring
Staff will closely monitor pupils to make sure they are in correct
uniform. They will give any pupils and families breaching the
uniform policy the opportunity to comply (eg: asking them to
change, asking parents/ carers to drop the correct uniform off).
Uniform in this case relates to
clothes, make up, jewellery, nails,
hair colour, shoes.
Breaches of our uniform policy will be dealt with as a disciplinary
matter. Students may be provided with uniform to change into, if
the school
has spare stock, asked to remove non-uniform items,
be sent home to change and / or be dealt with via the
school’s
behaviour systems and processes.
Lost Property
All uniform items (including bags and PE kit) must be clearly
labelled. Custom labels with your child’s name can be purchased
cheaply. The Academy cannot accept responsibility for lost
property.
Lost property can be collected from the school office by students.
Parents/carers can come into the Academy to look through the
lost property by prior arrangement.
Lost property not claimed will be disposed of at the end of each
term.
Valuable Items and Mobile Phones
We stress that students should not bring money, electronic devices
such as iPods and iPads, computer games, jewellery or items of
special sentimental value into the Academy.
The Academy unfortunately cannot be held responsible for loss,
damage or theft of personal property whilst on the premises,
including mobile phones.
Mobile phones must be switched off and stored in students’ bags
when in the Academy. Students must not use their mobile phone
or take it out of their bag during the day unless specifically asked
to do so by a member of staff.
Mobile phones will be confiscated if seen, heard or used
during the day without staff authorisation.
A named, adult contact is required to collect confiscated phones,
iPods, iPads and valuables. These can be collected from the main
office on the following day. If a phone is confiscated on a Friday, it
can be collected on the following Monday (the next Academy Day).
If a named contact is not able to collect these items, the student
can collect the items after five days.
If there is a repeated occurrence where a mobile phone has been
seen, heard or used, then the phone will be confiscated until the
end of the half term. Parents/families will need to make alternative
means to contact their child.
ParentMail
We use ParentMail as our key method of communication between
school and home. Students will need an account to:
• Pay for any food or drink from our café.
• Pay for any trips or activities.
• Report daily absences and all appointments.
• Parent consultation booking.
Students will be registered using biometrics on the system to
enable them to use the cashless café.
We recommend that the ParentMail app is downloaded to your
phone from Google Play or App Store. Registration instructions
with a link to the app will be sent to you when your child joins
Bolder.
Application for Free School Meals
We encourage all of our parents/carers to see whether they are
entitled to claim free school meals. Your child will benefit from
additional funding for trips and visits.
To see if you are eligible please search:
London Borough of Hounslow - Free School Meals
.
The Student Planner and the Timetable
The student planner is a fantastic link between staff,
parents/carers and students, so it is essential that it is brought into
the Academy every day. Planners are used for the following:
- For students to record all homework and activities.
- For staff to write comments.
- For parent/carers to write notes or share information.
Homework
Students use their Daily Planner to record homework tasks. These
are also shared by teachers and students on Satchel One
, our
homework support software.
Parents/carers can support their child by downloading Satchel One
from Google Play or App Store. Login details will be shared when
your child joins the school.
Behaviour, Support and Care
We have exceptionally high expectations of our students in terms
of conduct inside and outside of the Academy. We expect all our
parents/carers to support our high standards.
We know that a close working partnership of students, parents/
carers and staff will ensure excellent behaviour, learning and
success.
Bullying will not be tolerated. Any incident will be dealt with swiftly,
effectively and sensitively.
If online bullying occurs outside of school hours, this will be
referred to the police.
Our students’ physical, mental health and well-being are
important. Through our extensive Personal, Social, Health and
Citizenship Education students will have many opportunities to
explore how to keep themselves well.
Rewards
We believe students’ work and excellent conduct should be
recognised and rewarded.
We have a rewards system where students are praised for class
and homework and for demonstrating our values of being kind,
strong or brave.
We also reward students throughout the year. Such awards may
include celebratory afternoons, off-site visits and certificates.
Sky Support for our Students
We are delighted to work closely with Sky, our neighbours.
A wide-range of activities for all the young people who join the
Academy are available. These activities are an integral part of our
extended day.
Film making projects, sports taster days, using the cinema,
learning to code and linking up with Sky Academy are just a few of
the exciting ways that our students are going to benefit.
Attendance and Punctuality
Full attendance and good punctuality are key to achievement in
school. We consider them vital to providing equal opportunities
for all students, ensuring access to the full curriculum and
achieving both academic and social success.
All students should aim for 100% attendance and punctuality, and
achieve at least 96%, which is in line with government
expectations.
Punctuality
Students should arrive at the Academy no later than 8.40am for
registration at 8.45am. Students arriving late will be asked to
make up the time.
Absence and Illness
If a student is unable to attend Bolder due to illness or has an
appointment, please report via the ParentMail App ‘absences’
section or email Child.Absence@bolderacademy.co.uk
by 8am on
each day of absence. Please provide details of your child’s name,
form and the reason for absence.
Any absence for holidays during term time will not be authorised
and may result in a Fixed Penalty Notice and a referral to social
services (Education Welfare).
Dental / Medical Appointments
Parents/carers must book appointments outside of normal
Academy hours whenever possible. Appointments should be
reported via the ParentMail App ‘absences’ section.
Students who need to leave the Academy for a dental/medical
appointment must bring an appointment letter from a
parent/carer before permission can be granted. The note must be
shown to the main office or can be emailed to
Child.Absence@bolderacademy.co.uk Students must sign out
before they leave the Academy, and sign in on their return.
Evidence must be provided to support any absence for medical
reasons/appointments; this can be given in the form of a signed
appointment card, a photocopy of a prescription, a letter from
your doctor, dated text/email message or hospital referral letter.
Medication and Allergies
Please inform us of any allergies and / or medication being taken
by students and any medical problems. Staff at the Academy will
not administer medication, this will be the responsibility of
students/parents/carers.
If medication is necessary during the day, students may be allowed
to self-medicate with close guidance of parents/carers. A form
giving permission will need to be completed.
In the event of illness or an accident in the Academy,
parents/carers will be contacted at the earliest possible
opportunity.
Emergency Procedures
It is essential that we have a minimum of two correct addresses,
email addresses and contact telephone numbers where we can
quickly make contact in the event of an emergency.
Child Protection – Safeguarding
We are committed to ensuring that all our children are well cared
for, safe and protected.
Parents/carers should be aware that with suspected abuse, we will
refer these incidents to Child Protection agencies.
If a child feels they are being bullied they should report it
immediately to a member of staff verbally or by using our
dedicated email address: reportbullying@bolderacademy.co.uk
Responsible Internet Use
The Home School Agreement statement and our IT policy will help
protect students, staff and the Academy.
We are aware that students and families engage with social media.
However, many Apps have age limits and are not suitable for our
students. We encourage our students and families to use social
media responsibly. If social media is misused outside of the school
day this is the responsibility of parents/carers - not the school. The
Academy will refer such incidents onto the community police
officer.
Communication
We promote a strong sense of community which will acknowledge
and respect all students, parents/carers. Strong and effective
communication is the Bolder way.
As part of our drive to develop an environmentally friendly school we
will be communicating electronically, via ParentMail, using email, text
and the Bolder Academy website.
You can also follow us on Facebook and @BolderLondon on Twitter
where we will provide general updates about the Academy.
Contacting the Academy
The Pastoral Manager is the first point of contact for you and your
child for any conversations about settling in, relationships etc.
The class teacher is the first contact point for any questions about
a particular subject. Staff can be contact using first name initial
surname@bolderacademy.co.uk
They will oversee social,
personal and academic progress and be available to discuss any
concerns you have regarding your child.
Please remember that teachers spend most of their days teaching
and therefore, we aim to get back to you within 2 working days.
Useful Contacts
General queries: office@bolderacademy.co.uk
Absence notification: Via the Iris ParentMail App
Bolder Telephone: 0203 963 0806
Website: www.bolderacademy.co.uk
What could we
achieve if we
were all just a
little bit Bolder?
V5 16.09.2022
