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- How can I keep myself healthy?
- How should I use my mobile phone?
- What should I do if I have questions about sex and relationships?
- What can I do if I am struggling with my work?
- What do I do if I need to talk to someone about my physical or mental health or if there is something going on that is making me unhappy or unsafe?
- Who can I talk to about LGBT+ issues?
- What can I do if I have seen or experienced bullying?
- How can I get more experiences to build up my CV?
- What is a safety plan, and how do I make one?
- Who should I contact if I have a safeguarding problem when school is closed, like on weekends, in the evening and holidays?
- Oxfordshire Summer contacts list
How can I keep myself healthy?
Physical and mental health are really important.
You should make sure you are eating healthily and doing regular exercise, as these are good for your mind and your body. You should also make sure that you are getting enough sleep.
Avoid unhealthy habits like smoking, as these are never good for you.
Read more about this on the Childline Website.
How should I use my mobile phone?
You are not allowed to use your mobile phone at school.
If you choose to use a mobile phone outside of school, make sure you are being careful online and do not send any personal information or images to other people. If anyone is being unkind to you, or behaving in an inappropriate way, it is important to tell an adult and remember you can block people if necessary.
Using mobile phones (or any other technology) before you go to bed can have a big impact on your sleep, so try not to use them in the hour before you go to sleep and keep phones well away from your bed.
Read more about this on the Childline Website.
What should I do if I have questions about sex and relationships?
School Health Nurses work in partnership with other agencies to offer support to school-aged children, young people and their families on many issues.
The School Health Nurse at The Bicester School is Ruth Locke. Talk to your pastoral manager or tutor if you would like to see the School Health Nurse.
School Health Nurse Parent Information
Information about our School Health Nurse
What can I do if I am struggling with my work?
If you are struggling with work, please ask for help!
Your teachers really want you to succeed and will be happy to give you advice and support. You should also make sure you are trying your best and that you have done all your work to the best of your ability.
If there is a specific reason why you are struggling with getting work done, please speak to your form tutor.
What do I do if I need to talk to someone about my physical or mental health or if there is something going on that is making me unhappy or unsafe?
It is vital that you look after your mental and physical health. If you are worried about either, you should ask for help.
You are welcome to talk to any member of staff at school, though we encourage you to talk to one of the following:
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- Your form tutor
- Your pastoral support manager
- Your head of year
- The school health nurse, Ruth Locke
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All members of staff at school will be happy to listen to you, although if a person is unable to see you at the moment you want them, please do speak to someone else.
We will do our best to respect your privacy and we will treat anything you tell us discreetly. However, if we do feel that you or someone else is unsafe, we do have to pass this on, usually to a member of the pastoral or safeguarding teams. We treat anything we are told sensitively and kindly and we will do our best to keep you informed of any decision we make.
Who can I talk to about LGBT+ issues?
Being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex or any non-straight identity is entirely normal. Many young people do “come out” at school. You are very welcome to discuss this at school with any member of staff.
From 2019 we have also run a regular LGBTQ+ support group, led by Mr Tridgell. Any student who identifies as LGBTQ+ is welcome to come along (and bring non-LGBTQ+ friends with them if they wish). We have a Year 7 & Year 8 group, a Year 9 & Year 10 group (both of which take place in HU02) and a Years 10-13 group (which takes place in Room 220 in the Sixth Form building). Some older students may attend the groups for younger students to provide additional support, though this is always pre-planned and supervised by Mr Tridgell. Dates for each term are shared via Form Tutors and displayed in form rooms. We have a clear code of conduct for the meetings which states that:
- The purpose of this group is to provide a safe place for LGBTQ+ students and their friends to socialise and have lunch together at least once every half-term.
- Students will be given the opportunity to ask questions, though we may not always be able to answer them.
- Our ground rules are:
- We are kind and respectful to each other.
- We do not ask people to share their gender identity or sexuality or tell people who they are.
- We obey usual school rules about language and behaviour.
- We respect everyone’s right to privacy.
- We do not talk about sex or romantic relationships.
The Bicester School is a tolerant and kind community, and any evidence of ill-treatment of LGBT+ people will be dealt with rigorously. If you would like to talk to someone about your experience, do speak to your form tutor or your pastoral support manager. Remember you are always welcome to attend the LGBTQ+ support group, where advice will also be given on who you can speak to.
What can I do if I have seen or experienced bullying?
You can report bullying anonymously using
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- the Whisper service (https://thebicesterschool.org.uk/speak-up-speak-out/)
- email address: report@thebicesterschool.org.uk
- Epraise:
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Any report of bullying will be taken seriously and investigated. You will be consulted about what happens. The school Anti-Bullying Protocol can be found here.
View our ALET Anti-Bullying Policy via this link.
How can I get more experiences to build up my CV?
Have a look at the Careers and Future Plans page on the school website for ideas, but you can also really help yourself by looking for work experience or by doing cultural activities outside of school. This can include reading and watching documentaries or going on trips and visits to places like Oxford and London to visit galleries or museums.
What is a safety plan, and how do I make one?
A safety plan is a way to help you to stay safe. All adults, young people and children who are experiencing or have experienced abuse in their relationships should have a safety plan even if the abuse has stopped.