Our culture: Success, Nothing Less
At Blackpool Aspire Academy, we believe that every student deserves to learn in a calm, safe and welcoming environment. Our motto, Success, Nothing Less, reflects our ambition for every young person. We combine high expectations with strong relationships, consistent routines, recognition of achievement and appropriate support.
We call this our Golden Culture. As a trauma-informed academy, we teach and reinforce positive behaviour, listen to pupils, respond calmly and make reasonable adjustments where necessary. When standards are not met, our response is fair, proportionate and designed to help the pupil reflect, improve and return to successful learning.
Our three expectations are simple: Be Ready. Be Respectful. Be Safe.
What we expect from every student
| Our three shared behaviour expectations | ||
| Be Ready | Be Respectful | Be Safe |
| Arrive by 8.35am, attend every lesson on time, wear the correct uniform, bring equipment and complete Prep. | Follow reasonable instructions, use polite language, listen to others and allow everyone to learn. | Move calmly, respect personal space and property, report concerns and never threaten, intimidate or harm others. |
These expectations apply in lessons, Form time, corridors, stairwells, toilets, the canteen, during break and lunch, on Academy activities and, where appropriate, when pupils are representing Aspire outside school.
Gold STAR in lessons
Our Gold STAR routine helps pupils give their full attention and supports learning in every classroom:
- S – Sit up straight and be ready to learn.
- T – Track the speaker and listen carefully.
- A – Acknowledge and answer appropriately.
- R – Respect those around you.
Students follow seating plans, start the Go Task promptly, remain focused, complete work with care and wait to be dismissed by their teacher. Staff explain, model and practise these routines so that pupils know what success looks like.
Recognising and rewarding positive behaviour
We believe effort, kindness, improvement, excellent conduct and achievement should be recognised as consistently as behaviour concerns are addressed. Teachers and pastoral staff award achievement points on Class Charts, contact home with praise and celebrate success through assemblies and rewards.
| Our Golden Culture rewards | ||
| Golden recognition | What it celebrates | |
| Golden Ready Scholar | Punctuality, organisation, preparation and engagement. | |
| Golden Respectful Scholar | Courtesy, kindness, inclusion and consideration for others. | |
| Golden Safe Scholar | Responsible choices and care for physical and emotional safety. | |
| Golden Effort & Excellence | Outstanding effort, progress, resilience and academic excellence. | |
| Golden Ticket | Consistently doing the right thing; each ticket earns 50 achievement points on Class Charts. | |
Recognition includes daily achievement points and Golden Tickets, a weekly Golden Ticket draw, praise messages home, staff nominations for Hot Chocolate with the Headteacher or Deputy Headteacher, termly success assemblies, Awesome Awards and reward activities. Culture badges are awarded at 300, 500 and 750 points (bronze, silver and gold), and pupils can use eligible points in the Class Charts Shop.
Our behaviour ladder: C1 to C5
Adults normally begin with a calm verbal reminder and an opportunity to correct behaviour. If behaviour continues, or if an incident is sufficiently serious, staff record the appropriate level on Class Charts. A serious incident does not have to pass through every level first.
| Behaviour levels and usual responses | ||
| Level | What it means | Usual response |
| Verbal reminder/agreed reset | A minor concern which can be corrected straight away. | Clear reminder, explanation or brief supported reset; ordinarily no point or detention if corrected. |
| C1 · –1 point | Careless or low-level behaviour affecting routines or learning. | Recorded on Class Charts, with an expectation to correct it. Two C1s in one school day normally trigger a 20-minute lunchtime detention. |
| C2 · –2 points | Disruptive behaviour affecting teaching, learning or Academy routines. | Normally a 20-minute lunchtime detention; on-call support if needed. |
| C3 · –3 points | Persistent non-compliance, refusal of reasonable instructions or disrespect. | Normally a same-day detention, 3.00–3.45pm. Classroom removal may be appropriate. |
| C4 · –4 points | Serious offensive behaviour, high-level disruption, sustained defiance or an unauthorised walk-out creating disruption or risk. | Immediate review by Behaviour Team or on-call; normally a same-day detention, 3.00–4.30pm, and possible authorised internal removal or support. |
| C5 · –5 points | Serious, dangerous or safeguarding-related behaviour, including serious violence, credible threats or serious abuse. | Immediate response from the Behaviour Team and senior leaders to ensure safety. The student will normally complete one full school day in the Impact Unit, followed by an extended detention until 5.30pm. Any additional intervention or sanction will be determined following an individual review. Suspension is not automatic. |
All incidents are considered in their individual circumstances. The academy will consider the severity and impact of the behaviour, safeguarding, SEND, disability, health needs and any appropriate reasonable adjustments. Serious bullying, racist or other discriminatory abuse, sexual harassment and harmful sexual behaviour are addressed promptly, including through safeguarding procedures where required.
Stay Above the Line: daily and weekly thresholds
Our Stay Above the Line system identifies repeated disruption early. Each incident is recorded once at the highest applicable C level. Points build up during the school week, and separate daily thresholds can also trigger a response.
| Cumulative behaviour thresholds | ||
| Trigger | Normal response | |
| Two C1s in one day | 20-minute lunchtime detention; the two incidents remain recorded as C1s rather than being double-counted as C2. | |
| –3 points in one day | Same-day detention, 3.00–3.45pm. | |
| –4 points in one day | Removal to supervised Impact for the remainder of the school day, followed by detention, 3.00–4.30pm. | |
| –6 points in one school week | One full school day in Impact with meaningful curriculum work, followed by a separate detention to 5.30pm; parent contact, Cream Report and Hive tracking/intervention. | |
| –10 points in one school week | Immediate senior-leader review, normally one additional full day in Impact followed by detention to 5.30pm, with a family meeting, Green Report and strengthened intervention. | |
Before a threshold consequence is confirmed, staff check records and consider safeguarding, welfare, SEND and any necessary adjustments. Repeated incidents lead to a wider review of the reasons for the behaviour and the support that may help. No points threshold automatically leads to suspension or permanent exclusion.
Detentions: a clear guide for families
Aspire may use supervised lunchtime, same-day and after-school detentions in accordance with its published policy. Parents and carers will normally be informed of after-school detention arrangements as soon as practicable. Safety, travel, medical needs, caring responsibilities and other relevant circumstances are considered.
| Published detention times | ||
| Detention | Time | Typical reason |
| Lunchtime | 20 minutes | C2, two C1s in one day, some social-time incidents or a first in-class food/chewing-gum breach. |
| Standard after school | 3.00–3.45pm | C3, –3 points in one day or an unjustified missed lunchtime detention. |
| Extended after school | 3.00–4.30pm | C4, –4 points in one day or another individually authorised serious incident. |
| Senior extended | 3.00–5.30pm | Weekly –6/–10 thresholds, deliberate internal truancy, an unjustified missed after-school detention or certain serious incidents when authorised. |
A missed lunchtime detention without a valid reason will normally become a same-day 3.00–3.45pm detention. An unjustified missed after-school detention will normally become a 3.00–5.30pm senior detention on the next school day. Staff investigate reasons for non-attendance before imposing an additional consequence.
Pupils will always have reasonable access to food, drinking water, toilets, medication and medical assistance. A detention will not proceed where it would create a reasonable safety concern.
Attendance, punctuality and the Ready Room
Every pupil is expected to arrive at Aspire by 8.35am. Late arrivals are recorded and checked, and the Ready Room provides a supervised space for pupils arriving from 9.00am to receive work, support and help returning to lessons.
| Late-arrival procedures | ||
| Arrival time | Normal route | Usual consequence for unauthorised lateness |
| 8.36am to before 9.00am | Late Gate; then Form or lessons. | 20-minute lunchtime detention. |
| 9.00am to 11.00am | Ready Room; readiness or catch-up work and return at an appropriate transition. | Same-day punctuality detention, 3.00–4.00pm. |
| After 11.00am | Attendance Office or Ready Room; welfare check and meaningful education. | Same-day senior extended punctuality detention, 3.00–5.30pm. |
Two unauthorised arrivals between 8.36am and 9.00am in one school week will normally trigger a Friday 3.00–4.00pm detention, replacing rather than doubling the second incident’s consequence. Two arrivals from 9.00am onwards in a week will normally lead to a two-hour senior Friday detention, subject to an individual review and safety checks. Persistent lateness leads to work with families to address the causes as well as proportionate consequences.
Mobile phones and smart devices: Out, Off and Away
Aspire is a mobile phone-free academy during the school day. Pupils may use their phones while waiting outside before the morning line-up starts. At line-up, anyone who has brought a phone must complete the supervised Out, Off and Away routine:
- OUT – Take out the phone and present it to a member of staff
- OFF – Switch it off completely in front of staff; silent, vibrate and aeroplane modes do not count
- AWAY – Put it in the closed school bag, not in a pocket, and keep it switched off and out of sight until leaving through the Academy exit
This applies throughout Form time, lessons, transitions, break, lunchtime, assemblies and after-school supervised activities unless staff have expressly authorised an exception. Smartwatches, wireless earbuds and similar personal devices are included. Families who need to contact their child during the school day should contact the Academy Office.
| Mobile phone consequences | ||
| Confirmed breach during the academic year | Usual consequence | Device return |
| First – outside a lesson | 20-minute lunchtime detention. | Pupil collects at the end of the day or after their authorised activity. |
| First – in a lesson | Recorded as a mobile phone violation. As the incident occurred during a lesson and disrupted learning, –3 behaviour points will count towards the weekly –6 Stay Above the Line threshold. A same-day detention from 3.00pm to 3.45pm will apply. | Pupil collects at the end of their detention or authorised activity. |
| Second – any combination | Detention, 3.00–4.30pm, with Head of Year review. | Parent, carer or authorised adult collects. |
| Third | Normally one full day in Impact, detention to 5.30pm, senior review and formal device ban. | Parent, carer or authorised adult collects. |
| Further breach during a ban / serious misuse | Senior review and individually determined response; serious misuse may be treated as C4/C5 and referred to safeguarding. | Arranged by a senior leader. |
Following a third routine breach, a formal device ban will normally last for the remainder of the academic year, subject to review. Medical, disability, safeguarding and exceptional arrangements will be considered; a pupil who needs a phone for travel safety may be required to hand it in for secure storage on arrival. An authorised adult may collect a confiscated device where parent collection is required.
Uniform, PE kit and the Standards Room
Our uniform shows pride in belonging to Aspire. On normal uniform days, pupils must arrive wearing the correct white shirt, purple Academy tie and compulsory blazer, together with the other items specified in our Uniform Policy. Coats, jewellery, footwear and appearance must also meet the published standards. On PE days, pupils must wear the approved PE kit. Where something is missing or incorrect, the Standards Room will normally help pupils resolve it promptly with loaned items where available, so that they can return to learning. The weekly Standards Room process is:
| Standards Room procedure | ||
| Visit during one school week | Usual response | |
| First | Item provided where available, reminder and record; ordinarily no detention. | |
| Second | Item provided where available and 20-minute lunchtime detention. | |
| Third | Item provided where available and same-day detention, 3.00–3.45pm; parent/carer informed. | |
| Further | Head of Year/Behaviour Team review and contact home; support plan or further proportionate response if necessary. | |
In 2026–27, pupils in Years 7 and 8 must wear one approved Aspire-branded PE lower garment. Pupils in Years 9–11 may wear approved Aspire PE bottoms or permitted plain black, unbranded sports bottoms. The compulsory Aspire-branded PE-bottom requirement extends to Years 7–9 from September 2027, Years 7–10 from September 2028 and all year groups from September 2029.
The school-crested Aspire PE quarter-zip is optional. Pupils who do not wear it must wear the Academy blazer over their approved PE kit when arriving and moving around the Academy. Plain unbranded quarter-zips and hoodies are not approved alternatives.
A minor uniform error is not automatically a high-level behaviour offence. Persistent, deliberate refusal to follow reasonable instructions about uniform may be addressed separately. Families facing financial or medical difficulties should contact the Head of Year or Standards Room so that support or a reasonable adjustment can be agreed.
Equipment, Prep and everyday readiness
All pupils are expected to arrive fully equipped. Form Tutors carry out a daily check of the essential items, with basic equipment supplied where necessary to allow pupils to learn.
- Black handwriting pen and a spare black pen
- Green pen, pencil, highlighter and ruler
- Prep booklet and Golden Knowledge Organiser
- Current timetable, plus any specialist equipment required for that day
An initial missing-equipment incident in a school week is normally recorded with a reminder and no detention. The second incident normally leads to a 20-minute lunchtime detention; the third normally leads to a 3.00–3.45pm detention. A daily check counts as one equipment incident, even where several items are missing. Repeated concerns are reviewed with parents, and support is available if cost, organisation, SEND or another barrier is involved.
Prep: our daily academic commitment
Prep is set each school night as part of our daily learning routines and should be completed fully, neatly and on paper, using the Golden Knowledge Organiser where appropriate. Pupils submit Prep to their Form Tutor each morning. Missing, incomplete or poorly completed Prep will normally lead to a same-day 3.00–4.00pm Prep detention, subject to individual circumstances and reasonable adjustments. Photographs or parental notes do not normally replace the completed paper work.
Parents can support good habits by checking their child’s bag each evening, reviewing Prep and encouraging retrieval practice or self-quizzing using the Golden Knowledge Organiser.
Conduct around the Academy and at social times
We expect pupils to move calmly and purposefully through corridors and stairwells, follow staff directions, respect others’ space, keep the site tidy and follow the canteen and line-up routines. Pupils must attend their timetabled lessons and go directly to their next supervised location.
For a lower-level unstructured-time incident, staff may use a reminder or a supervised lunchtime consequence. Two recorded unstructured-time incidents in one school week will normally trigger a 3.00–4.30pm after-school detention and, where appropriate, up to three supervised lunchtime sessions. These decisions are reviewed individually.
Deliberately avoiding a lesson is internal truancy and will normally lead to a 3.00–5.30pm senior detention after the circumstances have been checked. Walking out of a lesson without permission is normally recorded as C4, with a 3.00–4.30pm detention. Immediate safeguarding and welfare checks take priority when a pupil cannot be located.
Eating food or chewing gum and drinking anything other than plain water in standard classrooms is not permitted. For repeated in-class breaches within a week, the usual consequences progress from a 20-minute lunchtime detention to 3.00–3.45pm and then 3.00–4.30pm. Food and drinks should be consumed in the designated areas. Energy drinks and other prohibited items are not permitted.
Toilets, health and welfare
Pupils should normally use the toilets before school, at their allocated break and lunchtime, and at permitted transition times. They should use the designated open toilet, move directly there and back, respect privacy and return promptly to learning.
We also recognise that some pupils have urgent, medical, menstrual, SEND, disability-related or other genuine welfare needs. Urgent access to an available toilet will not be refused. Pupils may be supported by an agreed toilet pass or an individual arrangement, and requests will be handled discreetly. A recorded toilet visit is not, by itself, a negative behaviour point or sanction.
Pupils needing first aid, medication, safeguarding support or an agreed regulation break will be directed to the appropriate staff. Such needs are considered separately from disciplinary matters.
Support, intervention and successful reintegration
Our approach is not simply to issue a sanction and move on. We look for the reasons behind repeated behaviour, provide appropriate support and work with pupils and parents to secure sustained improvement.
Impact: reset, refocus and re-engage
Impact is a supervised, time-limited provision used when removal from mainstream lessons is necessary and authorised. Pupils continue meaningful curriculum work, receive appropriate welfare provision and take part in reflection or reintegration activities. A brief regulation break or an agreed SEND Step-Out is not the same as formal disciplinary removal.
The Hive
The Hive provides targeted, non-punitive intervention for pupils who need additional support with behaviour, emotional awareness, self-regulation and relationships. Typically, a placement lasts six weeks. Staff assess starting points, plan tailored sessions and use strategies such as Colours of Mind, Help Understanding Others, The Brain and Behaviour, and asking for help. Follow-up check-ins and classroom strategies help pupils maintain progress. Specific educational workshops may also address incidents involving prejudice, bullying or sexual harassment.
Report cards and pastoral monitoring
| Graduated report-card support | ||
| Report | Usually monitored by | Purpose |
| Cream | Form Tutor | Early monitoring, commonly following a –6 week; normally five school days. |
| Green | Head of Year | More intensive monitoring, often after –10 points or continued concerns; normally ten school days. |
| Blue | SLT Link | Senior oversight when improvement is insufficient or behaviour is serious; normally ten school days. |
| Orange | Deputy Headteacher | Support and reintegration, including following suspension; normally ten school days. |
| Red | Headteacher or nominated senior leader | Highest level of personalised monitoring and support; normally ten school days. |
Report cards have personalised targets, daily feedback, recognition of improvement and regular parent/carer involvement. A pupil’s progress is reviewed; a failure to meet targets does not automatically produce a particular sanction.
Inclusion, safeguarding and serious incidents
Every pupil has the right to learn in safety and to be treated with dignity. We maintain high expectations for all while recognising that pupils with SEND, disabilities, medical conditions, mental-health needs or other vulnerabilities may require adapted communication, support, reasonable adjustments or a personalised behaviour plan.
We challenge bullying, racism, discriminatory language, sexual harassment, harmful sexual behaviour, threats and violence. These concerns may require immediate protective action, referral to the Designated Safeguarding Lead and targeted education or support for pupils affected. Serious incidents are assessed individually rather than by an automatic sanction.
Suspension or permanent exclusion is a serious decision that may only be made by the Headteacher or formally acting Headteacher, under the current statutory procedure. Internal removal, off-site direction and pupil movement are distinct arrangements and must not be misrepresented as automatic alternatives or punishment. The academy will support a pupil’s return to education through appropriate reintegration planning.
Working together with parents and carers
Families play a central role in helping children meet Aspire’s expectations. We ask parents and carers to support punctuality and attendance, check uniform, equipment and Prep, reinforce respectful behaviour, discuss achievement and behaviour information with their child, and work with the Academy when concerns emerge.
In return, we will celebrate success, communicate concerns appropriately, listen to relevant family circumstances, make reasonable adjustments where required and work with pupils and families to agree effective support.
If you are concerned about your child’s behaviour, an issued consequence, uniform or equipment costs, or support needs, please contact the relevant Form Tutor or Head of Year in the first instance. You can also contact the Academy Office on 01253 353155 or at admin@aspire.fcat.org.uk. Concerns and complaints can be raised through the Academy’s published procedures.
This webpage is a parent-friendly guide. For the full rules, individual circumstances, statutory procedures and detailed guidance, please consult the Aspire Academy Behaviour Policy 2026–27 and related policies on our Policies, Systems and Information page: https://blackpoolaspireacademy.co.uk/information/policies