Dollar Academy SENIOR SCHOOL HANDBOOK | 2026 - 2027
CONTACT US By Phone: 01259 742511 By Post: Dollar Academy, Mylne Avenue, Dollar FK14 7DU
For all General Enquiries | rector@dollaracademy.org.uk For all Admissions Enquiries | registrar@dollaracademy.org.uk For all Absences | not@dollaracademy.org.uk For all Administrative Enquiries | dollaracademy@dollaracademy.org.uk For all Prep School Enquiries | prep@dollaracademy.org.uk For all Junior School Enquiries | junior@dollaracademy.org.uk
CONTENTS Page 4
A Welcome From Our Rector & Deputy Rector
Page 8
2025/2026 Term Dates
Page 9
Senior School Day
Page 10
The Dining Hall
Page 14
Travelling to School
Page 19
Attendance & Behavioural Expectations
Page 20
School Uniform & Appearance
Page 25
Our Curriculum
Page 26
Learning
Page 35
Communication with Parents & Carers
Page 38
Our Co-Curriculum
Page 45
Guidance, Health & Wellbeing
Page 54
Mobile Phones
Page 56
Other Information Page 3
A welcome from our Rector Dollar is a world-class school, built on three solid values: Work Hard, Get Involved, and Be Kind. At the heart of our community are our pupils, some drawn into boarding from a diverse range of nationalities and others who are from the central belt of Scotland. All are inspired by a large, dedicated, and highly qualified staff team who nurture individual interests and enthusiasm. Of course, the whole business of operating an action-packed all-through day and boarding school requires careful planning, and I hope that the following pages will help families navigate the various ‘nuts and bolts’ of life at the Academy. If at any time you need more information, please do not hesitate to contact us directly. Ian Munro, Rector
Mr Ian Munro became the fourteenth Rector of Dollar Academy when he arrived in 2019. Prior to this, he held leadership positions at George Heriot’s (his alma mater), Gordonstoun and Shiplake College. He became the youngest serving Rector of an HMC school in the world when he was appointed by Kelvinside Academy, where he gained a reputation for innovation and imaginative educational development.
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A welcome from Vicky Mason I sincerely hope that this booklet helps all our pupils, parents and carers to navigate life in the Senior School at Dollar Academy. We have tried to cover as many details as possible within these pages, but it is impossible to capture everything so please do not hesitate to get in touch if there is a question that remains unanswered. The notes that follow are very much about the day-to-day workings of the school; they do not reflect the true breadth and vitality of everything on offer at Dollar. For that I would simply encourage pupils to get involved in as much as possible right from the very start. They will then be best placed to speak to the parts of school life that are more difficult to put into words. In addition to the information in this handbook, there is further information on the school website and in the policies found here.
Vicky Mason, Deputy Rector and Head of Senior School
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2026/27 Term Dates Our Term dates can be found here on our website. Church services are held on the final morning of term at the end of Terms 1 and 2, with the holidays starting at 12.20pm. At the end of term, bus times are adjusted accordingly. In Term 3 the academic session concludes with Prize Giving, which all pupils attend, finishing at 12.20pm. The Form VI Summer Celebration takes place on the evening of the final day of term. Term dates are published well in advance each year. Where possible, pupils should not miss school for holidays or other family events. If it does become necessary, parents/carers should write to the Rector or Mrs MacNish for Prep and Junior School pupils. The Academy aims always to remain open during normal school hours. Any variation from this due to bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances will be communicated widely.
A day in the Senior School 8.45am
Registration
8.55am
Senior School Assembly (Except Tuesday & Thursday)
9.05am
Period 1
10.10am
Period 2
11:10am
Break
11:30am
Period 3
12:30pm
Lunch
1.20pm
Period 4
2.25pm
Period 5
3.25pm
Classes End
3.40pm
Co-curricular Activities Begin
Pupils may enter the buildings at 8:35 AM. Only staff members and Form VI pupils are allowed to enter the school through the Bronze Doors.
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The Dining Hall All of the latest dining hall information, including menus and prices, can be found on the school website here. The Dining Hall offers a wide variety of choice; in addition to a three-course hot meal, the Castle Hill Deli offers individually priced ‘lighter’ options including sandwiches, wraps, salads and soups to take away. There is also the Glendevon hot food takeaway counter and the ‘Horsebox’ located up at the main school, which offers a variety of snacks and light lunch options. Pupils may also bring packed lunches which they can take to the Dining Hall if they wish to eat indoors. Senior pupils in Form IV, V and VI, are allowed ‘downtown’ at lunchtime, to buy food from the shops in Dollar. Normal school expectations around behaviour apply. At morning break the Dining Hall is open for pupils in Senior School and sells a selection of hot and cold food. Pupils are also welcome to bring in their own breaktime snack. Senior pupils in Form IV, V and VI, are allowed to visit the shops in the town at breaktime. All Form I eat lunch in the Dining Hall for the first two terms; this includes those with a packed lunch. Lunch begins at the following times: 12.25pm – Form I 12.30pm – Form II-VI
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Payment in the Dining Hall Dollar operates a cashless catering system using finger-scanning technology; new pupils will be logged on early in the school term. Parents can top up their child’s account via ParentPay. The Bursar’s Office will be in touch with new parents about setting up an account. Please note that cash is not accepted at the checkouts.
Pupils should come to school with a reusable water bottle and there are various places around the school campus where this can be filled up throughout the day.
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Travelling to School By Bus If pupils come to school by bus, they will be dropped off outside the Dining Hall; they should then walk up the Heyworth path and avoid using the main drive for safety reasons. If pupils travel home after school by bus, they should board it outside the Dining Hall. Please note that the expectations around pupil behaviour in school also apply to pupils on buses to and from the school. For more information about bus services for our pupils, click here.
By Car The school grounds are very busy during the school day, and pupils, parents and carers are reminded that they should not drive into the grounds until after 5pm, and only then if absolutely necessary. The speed limit at all times is 10 mph. Parents are reminded that they should be considerate when parking in the vicinity of the school and be sensitive to the needs of residents of Back Road and the roads surrounding the Junior School. Please take care not to obstruct entrances to driveways or park on the double yellow lines. Please use the main Mylne Avenue car park wherever possible.
If you live in the village of Dollar please walk to school when/where possible. Where appropriate, drop-off and/or pick up your children from a location that is not directly outside the school gates. Please try to keep to an anti-clockwise flow of traffic around the roads immediately adjacent to the school. This unofficial one-way flow of traffic helps ease congestion, particularly on Back Road. Be courteous and thoughtful of local residents, other drivers and, in particular, pupils and families that are walking to/from school. Turn your engine off whilst waiting. Do not drive on to the school site to drop off or pick up your children. Try car sharing. The school uses the app, HomeRun, to help families coordinate car sharing. If pupils wish to drive a car to school they must request permission in writing from their Head of Year. A completed form is required before the pupil can start driving into school. This is also required for day pupils who wish to be driven by other pupils. Cars and motor-bikes brought to school must be parked in the Dining Hall car park. Pupils should not use a car or motor-bike during the school day, including morning break and the lunch interval. Please note that Boarders are not allowed in Day Pupils’ cars. If the school receives reports of a pupil driving irresponsibly, we may ban that pupil from driving to and from school on safety grounds. For further details about travelling to school by bus and car please click here.
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By Bike Pupils wishing to use bicycles to travel to school should adhere to the following expectations: Cyclists must operate with care for, and awareness of, pedestrians and other road users at all times and observe the 10 mph speed limit on the school grounds. Bikes can be used only for transport to and from school, at the start and end of the day. All bikes to be locked when in school and kept in designated places. Helmets should be worn at all times while riding. Lights and hi-vis clothing should be used at appropriate times.
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Attendance If a pupil misses registration, they must sign in at the School Office. If pupils are off school, parents or guardians should email the School Office on each day of absence on not@dollaracademy.org.uk or call 01259 742511. If pupils are returning after a serious illness or injury, they should also see the Nurses on their first day back. If pupils are absent from a class for any reason, it is their responsibility to find out what work has been done and what homework has been set, and to complete it before the next lesson. If pupils are likely to be off school for some time for medical reasons, their parents should maintain consistent contact with the Guidance Team (Head of Year and Assistant Head of Year) and the Nursing Centre.
Behavioural Expectations Dollar maintains high expectations of pupil behaviour with our overall aim being that pupils develop self-discipline. We take the opportunity to celebrate success and recognise those who exceed expectations. There are occasions when a pupil will make a poor behavioural choice and these will be managed in line with our Behaviour and Discipline Policy, which can be found on our website here.
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School Uniform and Appearance For full details of our uniform requirements please click here. Our expectation is that pupils are well presented at all times whilst in school (including after the end of the school day) and when representing the school on trips.
Dress Code During the school day, pupils should be in school uniform as outlined in our uniform list. You should wear correct school uniform on all school occasions, with shirt tails tucked in, ties fully done up and top buttons fastened. Blazers should be worn to and from school and when walking around the campus. A navy-blue V neck jumper, navy cardigan or Dollar Academy brand mid-layer can be worn when the weather turns colder: no hoodies or fleeces. Whatever is worn under the shirt or blouse should not draw attention to itself. Kilts must be worn at a smart and respectful length. When training or representing the school in a sports fixture, pupils should wear Dollar Academy sports kit.
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Jewellery Jewellery must be minimal. The definition of minimal jewellery is: a maximum of one plain stud in each ear, no hooped earrings; anything worn around the neck should not be visible; one piece of jewellery on the wrist. No nose piercings are allowed. All jewellery must be removed for P.E and co-curricular sports.
Appearance We ask that all personal items, including items of clothing, are named clearly before coming into school. Once a term, all unnamed lost property will be on display, usually in the Library, at lunch time. After this display, any unclaimed lost property will be donated to Pre-Loved at Dollar. Uniform can be obtained from: House of Henderson | 6/8 Friars Street, Stirling FK8 1HB 01786 473681 | www.houseofhenderson.co.uk Stevensons | 21-23 High Street, Perth, PH1 5TJ 01738 637843 | www.stevensons.co.uk
Preloved at Dollar An excellent second hand shop ‘Preloved at Dollar’ is run by parents. Preloved at Dollar is located in the basement of the Prep School. For further information please click here.
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Our Curriculum Our school values underpin the experience of all Dollar Academy pupils:
Work hard.
Commit to your best — every task, every day.
Get involved.
Engage fully, contribute wholeheartedly.
Be kind.
Cultivate kindness through thoughtful actions and words.
It is true to say that we are extremely proud of our pupils and their academic achievements, which are consistently amongst the very best in the country. Firmly rooted in the Scottish tradition, we offer a broad and rigorous curriculum throughout the school which leads to SQA national qualifications at National 5 (over 2 years), Higher and Advanced Higher. To find out more about our curriculum and subject choices, please click here.
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Learning At Dollar we believe that every situation provides a learning opportunity. These experiences are not limited to the classroom; we want our young people to be selfreflective so that they guide their own learning. This could be learning about how to regulate emotions or behaviour; it could be about learning a new skill in a cocurricular activity and, of course, it relates to the development of skills and understanding in the classroom. It follows, therefore, that mistakes are a good thing! They sometimes provide the best learning opportunities. Pupils are judged not on the mistakes they make, but on how they respond. Everyone makes mistakes but the emphasis is on learning from these and not making the same mistake again.
Lessons Lessons vary in style and approach dependent on the age and stage of the learner and the topic being covered. One constant, however, is that they are engaging and fun. We focus on developing knowledge, skills and concepts that will prepare our young people for life after Dollar. Our expectation is that pupils actively engage in their lessons.
Homework At Dollar, we believe that homework provides a valuable opportunity for pupils to consolidate work covered in class already or to develop understanding prior to a topic being covered. In the Senior School, we offer as a rough guide the following allocations: Forms I and II: approximately one hour per night. Form III: approximately two hours per night. Form IV: approximately two and a half hours per night. Forms V and VI: as much time as it takes to complete the work (it is expected that pupils will often need to work at weekends).
Books & Materials Most textbooks and other learning materials for lessons are provided by the school, although more resources are available online. Pupils in the Senior School should provide their own calculator. If books on loan are not returned on the date required by the Head of a particular department or on the last day of session, the full cost of replacement will be charged to the end of term account.
The Library The Senior School library is a well-stocked resource area, and is open on weekdays during term time, and after school from 3.30pm to 5.00pm. Mrs Rambaut, the Librarian, will always be pleased to help you. The Library may also be used for study at lunchtime by Senior pupils.
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Calculators Pupils are expected to have and bring their own scientific calculator to the appropriate subject classes. The model of calculator we advise pupils to have is the Casio FX83 GT CW or Casio FX85 GT CW. Both are permitted in SQA examinations and can be easily purchased in shops and on Amazon.
Devices All pupils in the Senior School should have a laptop or tablet available to bring to school when required. We understand the importance of technology in preparing our pupils for the future, yet we are fiercely committed to preserving the rich traditions of face-to-face teaching and the development of social skills, critical thinking, and hands-on learning. Our approach to incorporating technology into the classroom has, therefore, been built on the principle that electronic devices are tools to augment our educational mission, not replace it. We believe in a balanced approach to education where technology serves to complement traditional teaching methods. This integration can allow teachers to employ a more diversified instructional strategy. There are a number of subject areas which in large parts have a requirement to deliver their curriculum using specialist devices (Art, Business Education, Computing, EDT & Music). These departments will continue to be resourced with specialist dedicated facilities. We have carefully considered a minimum specification for a device, which will facilitate the development of learning and teaching across the rest of the curriculum.
Each pupil in the senior school is entitled to 5 free copies of MS Office which they can download to any machine of their choice. The copy of Office is connected to their school email address - the Microsoft Office suite of applications is already frequently used across the curriculum.
Minimum Device Specifications: Laptop or small tablet (not a phone). Operating System (Android, Apple, Windows) with latest patches. Screen size: 10 inches minimum. Display: Full High Definition, Touch Screen with Active Stylus.* Keyboard. Battery life: 9 hours or more. WiFi Connectivity: 5GHz (desirable). Anti-virus software installed & up to date. *If your device does not have an active stylus, purchasing a small graphics tablet (<£30) will add the required functionality.
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Personal and Social Education (PSE) Personal and Social Education at Dollar Academy is organised around these key themes: Health and Wellbeing The Wider World and Relationships Sexual Health and Parenthood Pupils cover a diverse range of age appropriate topics in their weekly lessons in Form I to IV. All lessons are rooted in the Equalities Act of 2010, the UNCRC and the national curriculum benchmarks. Pupils in Form I to IV will also take part in year group presentations and workshops delivered by external charities and presenters throughout the academic session. Pupils are also supported with study skills relevant to their stage through the PSE programme. In the senior phase (Form V and VI), pupils do not receive timetabled PSE lessons, but have regular PSE presentations and workshops to prepare and support them with the transition to life beyond school.
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Support for Learning Full details on the Support for Learning department can be found here. The Support for Learning Department aims to equip pupils with skills and strategies which will help them to succeed independently and with confidence in their current and future learning. Individual Assessment Arrangements (IAA) are carried out in accordance with policy and guidelines issued by Qualifications Scotland. Further details can be obtained by contacting the schools Qualifications Coordinator, Ms Nozedar.
Work Experience Work experience is encouraged for all pupils, on an age and stage basis. The opportunity to learn about different industries and the associated skills and experiences is invaluable. We ask that wherever possible work experience does not remove pupils from lessons. Pupils in Form IV and V may have the opportunity to undertake work experience towards the end of Term 3, and Form VI pupils are encouraged to do so after they have finished their summer exams.
Careers Advice Heads of Year, or any member of the Senior Staff, will be willing to advise about careers. The school also holds a Futures Fair every second year.
Higher Education (UCAS) The UCAS process is led by Mrs Nozedar, Assistant Rector; however, all teachers work to help pupils in Form VI through the process of gaining a place at University or College, if that is their chosen route. At the beginning of Form VI, each pupil is assigned their Form VI Adviser who will liaise closely with them throughout the year to support UCAS applications, or indeed applications to college or work or university abroad. There is a UCAS parent / pupil evening at the start of the First Term at which more information regarding the application process is given. Pupils are ultimately responsible for researching their options, discussing them with staff and parents or guardians, visiting institutions and finally making decisions. There are deadlines that have to be met for Vet, Dental, Medicine and Oxford and Cambridge entries (usually mid-October) in addition to the UCAS deadline in midJanuary.
Open Days Pupils are encouraged to visit the higher education institutions to which they intend to apply but ideally, pupils should try to visit out of term time, so that they miss as little work in school as possible. Pupils will be given permission to visit institutions’ open days during the school day provided that the institutions are ones that are high in the order of preference.
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Communication We believe in working in partnership with parents and carers, as this achieves the best outcomes for the young person in question. There are formal opportunities for feedback, for example Parents’ Evenings, Information Events and Reports, but there is also the opportunity for ad hoc meetings that fall outside these. We encourage open, honest and respectful conversations focused on the development of the pupil. A member of staff may get in touch with a parent to discuss a concern or issue, but equally a parent is welcome to get in touch with the school. If a parent does not know who to get in touch with, they should direct their enquiry to the School Office who will be able to help them.
Reports Throughout the year, parents and carers will receive formal reports about their child. These will provide information about what their child is doing well in addition to where further improvements can be made.
School Calendar School activities and events are listed on the online SOCS calendar available here. You can sync this online calendar to your personal/family calendar if you wish.
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MySchoolPortal Parents and carers will have access to MySchoolPortal where all information about their child will be available in one place. The School Office will be in touch with new families about how to set up their account. Parents will be able to access their child’s reports, information letters, forms, parents’ evening information, homework overview, co-curricular commitments and trips and tours information through MySchoolPortal.
Parents’ Evenings In the Senior School, each year group has at least one Parents’ Evening each academic session. These take place online and full details of Parents’ Evenings are given before the event. The dates of Parents’ Evenings are listed in the school calendar. For some of the senior year groups we encourage the pupils to also be present, as we believe it is important for pupils to take ownership of their learning.
Contact Details It is essential that you ensure any changes to addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses and emergency contact details are updated via MySchoolPortal.
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Fortunas The Dollar Academy magazine Fortunas is published twice a year. This is available for the whole community to enjoy. There is no charge for this magazine; however, you must opt-in to receive a hard copy. This option will be shared with new parents in October. View Fortunas here: https://dollaracademy.org.uk/fortunas
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Our Co-curriculum For full details of all our co-curricular activities available please click here. We encourage all our pupils to become involved in co-curricular activities, but they are not compulsory. Full details will be published online via MySchoolPortal which will be updated at the start of term and pupils will be able to see the activities on offer at the ‘Co-curricular Fair’ held in the first few weeks of Term 1. Senior School pupils will be given log in details to the SOCS Co-Curricular platform and can sign up for activities themselves. To login to SOCS please click here. It is possible to juggle quite a few activities and there are many available. Pupils should remember that to be fair to the others in the group and the staff responsible, once a commitment is made loyalty, and continuous support are necessary.
Sports Competitive fixtures against a variety of schools, either on Saturday mornings or midweek, are a valuable part of the sports programme at Dollar and we encourage parents to come and support.
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Trips & Tours A central part of our educational offering are trips and tours that act to enhance our pupils’ development. These can vary broadly from one day local trips to twoweek long international trips. Our aim is to provide as great a breadth of experiences as possible. Wherever possible we aim to make trips and tours affordable, whilst also recognising that overseas trips are rarely cheap.
Music & Drama Productions Performance is an essential part of musical and dramatic life at Dollar. Whilst subject to change, a likely programme for the year is as follows: First Term: Form VI play, Christmas Concert, Prep School Nativity. Second Term: Junior 1 Musical Cantata, Prep 5 Show in a Week, the Spring Term Concert and Musician of the Year. Third Term: Form I, II and III Play, Senior School Musical, Junior 2 Musical. Once committed to a production, a pupil is expected to attend all rehearsals as required.
Instrumental Tuition Full details of Individual Instrumental Tuition and how to apply for lessons, can be found here. Information on Piping & Drumming Tuition can be found here.
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Sports Weekend The weekend prior to the last week of session is our annual Sports Weekend. This starts with the Prep School Sports Day on Thursday, Junior School Sports Day on the Friday and the Senior School Sports Day on the Saturday afternoon. Additionally, on the Sunday, the CCF hold their Passing Out Parade, followed by a display from the Pipe Bands. In the afternoon, there is the Dollar Dog Show, the Aquathon and the Celebration of Sport. The Boarding Houses also run other events over the course of the weekend for the boarding community.
Colours & Internationalists’ Awards Colours are one of the many ways we celebrate pupil success at Dollar. They are one of the most prestigious internal awards that the Academy can make to a pupil and as such they are hard to achieve. We award half and full Sporting and Cultural Colours to pupils in Form IV, V and VI for excelling in various areas of school life. For full details and criteria for when and how the awards will be presented to pupils, please click here.
Charities Committee Each session, a new Charities Committee made up of Form VI pupils is selected. The Committee is responsible for the running of a number of events throughout the course of each session to raise money for nominated charities. In recent years we have raised significant sums for CHAS, DEBRA, Macmillan Cancer Research, Children in Need, Homestart, Ocean Youth Trust, the Terrence Higgins Trust, Alzheimer’s Scotland, the Uphill Trust, Barnardo’s, Aberlour, The Gate and the British Lung Foundation. The Committee is also heavily involved in the administration of the Sponsored Walk which takes place in the local hills once every two years. Enormous sums of money are raised for local, national and international charities.
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Guidance, Health & Wellbeing For full details please click here. The school is committed to the principles of Child Protection, with a policy based on The Children’s Charter, The Children and Young Persons Act (2014) Scotland, The Scottish government’s ‘Getting It Right For Every Child’ (GIRFEC) legislation (2022), The National Guidance for Child Protection (2021), The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1992), as well as on many years of experience. In this context, there may be occasions when a pupil’s confidentiality is respected and information is not shared or passed on to parents (although every effort will be made to encourage the pupil to discuss a sensitive issue with their parents).
The Child Protection Co-ordinator and Named Person is Miss Langley, who is assisted by Mrs MacNish in the Prep & Junior School and by Mr Baird, Mrs Baird and Mr Chant in the Senior School and Boarding Community.
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If pupils or parents have concerns about life at Dollar Academy, they should feel free to raise them with any member of staff with whom they feel comfortable (who can be identified by wearing a lanyard) – they are not restricted to members of staff who have been given particular responsibility for pupils (like Class Teachers, Form Tutors, Houseparents or Heads of Year). Pupils could also phone: Childline | 0800 1111. The Care Inspectorate (for boarders) | 01382 207288. The National Child Protection Helpline | 0800 022 3222.
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Form Tutor Groups and HOYS In the Senior School, Form Tutors meet with their form group each morning before lessons and are a vital part of our pastoral care systems. Form Tutors are responsible for monitoring the day-to-day routines of the pupils in their group, encouraging curricular, co-curricular and personal progress, and offering support whenever it is needed. The Head of Year, helped by the Assistant Head(s) of Year, has overall responsibility for the welfare, progress, conduct and support of the pupils in the year group and responds to the needs of individuals by encouraging, motivating, praising achievement and putting in place a range of strategies designed to help overcome any difficulties that pupils may encounter. Heads and Assistant Heads of Year are the first points of contact for parents if they wish to discuss any aspect of schooling or welfare. Matters of concern can also be raised with the relevant member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT). The Head of Year liaises with the member of the Senior Leadership Team with responsibility for their year group: Mrs MacNish for Prep, Junior and Form I pupils, Mr Baird for Form II, Miss Langley for Forms III and IV, Mr Baird for Form V and Miss Langley/Mr Chant for Form VI. SLT members will often become involved in issues of more serious concern. In these cases, there may be input from the Child Protection Co-ordinator; the Deputy Rector and/or the Rector.
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FORM I HEAD OF YEAR
FORM II HEAD OF YEAR
FORM III HEAD OF YEAR
MRS PAM WEBSTER
MR MARTIN HOSE
MR MATT BAUER
FORM IV HEAD OF YEAR
FORM V HEAD OF YEAR
FORM VI HEAD OF YEAR
MRS KAYLEIGH CAINE
MISS JILLY MCCORD
MR FRASER MUIRHEAD Page 49
Mrs Mackie is Dollar’s Pupil Counsellor. She is available to help any pupil who needs further support, and she will be pleased to discuss matters of concern with any pupil who approaches her. Mrs Mackie can be found in the English Department. Pupils are welcome to speak to any member of staff about any matter that concerns or troubles them, but no member of staff can promise to keep something secret. Information may need to be shared because of a possible risk to the pupil or someone else. Members of staff will ensure that only those who need to know are informed, and that all sensitive information will be treated very carefully.
The School Nurses are Karen Finnie and Krissy Scott, and they will be happy to help any pupil who needs attention. If pupils are feeling unwell during the school day, or are hurt in any way, they can visit the Nursing Centre before school, at break-time, lunchtime or after school. If necessary, they may be seen at other times, with a teacher’s permission. If a pupil feels that they need to go home, they should visit the Nursing Centre to be signed out first. The Nurses are based at: Nursing Centre, Mylne House, 3 Academy Place. The Nursing Centre is open from 8.30am to 5.00pm Monday - Friday.
When a pupil returns after a prolonged absence due to illness or injury, they should visit the Nursing Centre so that support can be put in place to manage their return.
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Medicines Only items such as an asthma inhaler or an “Epipen”, if required, should be carried by pupils during the day. Over-the-counter medicines can be dispensed by the Nurses. Medication for the day should be discussed with the Nurses. Medicines for occasional use (e.g. for migraine) can be kept at the Nursing Centre. Boarders should hand medicines over to their Houseparents. Medical Information Every year parents and carers are asked to complete a short pro forma with details of their children’s health, for return to the School Office. This should be completed whether or not there has been a change in circumstances: it is our best way of ensuring that we have up to date information. Medical information about pupils will remain confidential; however will be shared with staff as necessary, with pupil/parental consent. Infectious Diseases Parents are asked not to send their children to school if they are suffering from an infectious illness. The school should be informed if a pupil has been suffering from such a condition during a holiday, or has been in an area of the world where such illnesses are endemic. If a child is suffering from diarrhoea and/or vomiting they should remain off school for 48 hours after their last episode. For all Healthcare Policies, please click here.
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Mobile Phones This guidance is currently under review and will be updated for all parents and pupils shortly. We recognise the positive impact mobile technology can have on our lives; equally we know that when misused it can lead to significant issues. At Dollar, our approach to mobile phones is rooted in our holistic educational values and our aim to prepare our pupils for the world that awaits them when they leave school. This is a world where they will have to be able to use mobile technology in a responsible manner. Thus, we allow pupils to have limited access to their phones so they can develop self-discipline. Senior School pupils are not allowed to have their mobile phones in lessons. Upon entering a classroom each pupil is required to deposit their phone in the pouches at the front of the classroom; they can collect them at the end of the lesson. There are certain areas where pupils are allowed to use their phone responsibly on school site.
These areas are clearly indicated by signs. If a pupil is caught misusing their mobile, they will have it confiscated. You can view our full Mobile Phone Policy on our website here, which allows pupils to see where mobile phones can be used.
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All adults have a responsibility to help young people navigate life with technology. We know that at home it can be difficult for parents and carers to help their child manage their screen time. To help, as a school we make the following recommendations: Parents should carefully consider whether or not to purchase a smart phone for their child. Parents may feel a basic model is more suitable. Many apps and games are designed to be addictive. Parents should set clear, fair time limits, especially for 'reel' style apps, by putting restrictions on the device or having agreed use times at home. Parents should maintain open conversations with their child about online activities, including sitting with their child and checking their phone together. When discussing phone use boundaries, parents should focus on the phone's nature as the issue, not the choices of the child or parent. We advise that there should be no devices at the dinner table and that the whole family should leave devices downstairs overnight.
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Other Information Visitors Visitors (including parents and carers) to the school are required to sign in at Reception, where they are given a visitor badge. The only exception to this is if family members are coming on school site to support a pupil performance/match. While pupils are encouraged to offer guidance to visitors around the school, they should also notify staff if they see strangers who give cause for concern.
Lockers Pupils are able to book a locker for the year. Information on this is available from the School Office.
Lost Property Any lost property is taken to the School Office. If a pupil is missing something, they should inquire here. Once a term, lost property is laid out on the tables in the Library.
Dogs Parents and pupils are reminded that dogs should be kept on leads in the school grounds, and should not be allowed to foul any school area. Dogs should not be brought into either the Prep or the Junior School playgrounds.
CCTV CCTV cameras are in operation around the site to enhance the safety and security of pupils, staff and property. Our CCTV policy can be found in the policies section of the website here.
Boarding There is a separate Boarding Handbook. More information about boarding can also be found here.
Dollar Academy Parents’ Association (DAPA) DAPA’s main role is to support the school by welcoming new families to the Dollar Academy community and by supporting at large events. DAPA meets twice a term, with the AGM (to which all Dollar Academy parents and carers are welcome) taking place in Term 3. If you would like more information about DAPA, click here.
Thank you for reading the Dollar Academy Parent and Pupil Handbook. We hope this information has been helpful. If you have any questions that have not been covered by this handbook, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our school office.
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The Dollar Academy Parent and Pupil Handbook For all general enquires, please contact our school office at dollaracademy@dollaracademy.org.uk or 01259 742511. Find out more at www.dollaracademy.org.uk.