FAQs
- Is there a school nurse who can dispense pain or other medication?
No and we do not hold painkillers or any other medication at reception.
2. What happens if my child is sick or gets injured whilst in school?
Students need to inform their teacher who will then provide the student with a permission slip to call home. The student must go to the reception area to call home and get permission from their parent/guardian to leave school.
If we feel that the student needs urgent attention, we will contact parents/guardians and subsequently, and call the ambulance, if necessary.
3. What is the procedure for informing the school of absences?
Parents/guardians must provide a written note or an email to enquiries@westsideschoolgibraltar.com with information on the student’s absence. Please include the student's full name, class and the form tutor's name.
Students are to hand in written notes to the form tutor and emails will be forwarded to the child's form tutor to update the register accordingly.
4. Can students get homework whilst absent from school?
Short absence:
We will not be able to provide work specifically for short absences, we recommend the following steps:
Encourage Students to review any materials on Google Classroom that are already posted and regularly check in for any updates.
Upon their return, it will be essential for the student to liaise with their peers and teachers to ensure they catch up on missed work promptly.
Long absence due to illness:
School is to be notified and arrangements would be made.
Holidays during school time:
We must advise parents/guardians that holidays will be marked as unauthorised and may well result in the Department of Education being notified if it means that the pupil’s overall attendance falls under 85%. We always prioritise the continuity of a pupil's education and strongly advise against taking any absences during term time.
We will not be able to provide work specifically for the pupil during their absence. We strongly recommend the following steps if parents/guardians remove their child from school for any period of time:
Encourage the pupil to review any materials on Google Classroom that are already posted and regularly check in for any updates.
Upon their return, it will be essential for the pupil to liaise with their peers and teachers to ensure they catch up on missed work promptly.
5. What if my child has left their lunch behind, can I deliver it or can they go out of school to get some lunch?
Students who stay in for lunch are not allowed to leave school. Food has to be brought to school; no takeaway deliveries are accepted in school.
6. What does my child need to do if they have a medical appointment during school time?
Your child will need to bring a note to school or send an email with details of the appointment and the form tutor will give them a permission slip to leave school.
7. What can my child do if they cannot open their locker?
The caretakers have a lock cutter to open locks, so students need to speak with the caretakers who will cut the lock for them.
8. What if my child is too sick to go to school but they are going to miss an important deadline?
The school must be notified ASAP by email and this information will be forwarded to the relevant subject teachers.
9. Are there any extra curricular activities the school provides?
Students have school clubs available at lunchtimes and after school, please see the link Clubs 23/24.
10. How do I arrange to meet one of my child's teachers to discuss their progress?
Send an email request and this will be forwarded to the year coordinator who will either create a progress report for your child or contact you directly.
11. If my child needs to take medication at school, what should we do?
Westside School does not provide medication.
School policy states that we are not allowed to administer medication. The student would need to bring a letter to the form tutor which gives permission for the student to take the necessary medication.
12. Counselling?
Students can access and complete the self-referral and the drop-in request forms online by clicking on the links below. Drop-ins are one-off appointments for a one-off chat. Self-referrals are a request for short to long-term counselling.:
Self-referral forms:
Drop-in request forms:
We also encourage students to speak to their tutor, head of year or even the secretaries if they feel they would be more comfortable with them. They can help your child locate the online self referral form and help them fill it in if need be.
13. Can something be brought to school?
Parents/guardians can bring work, books, equipment or cooking ingredients into school. They need to be in a clearly labelled bag and will be left for the student to collect from the table just outside the reception desk. Please note that this area cannot be monitored consistently and so we do not accept liability for any items left.
14. What is the mobile phone usage policy at Westside?
Parents can contact their children through the school secretary at +350 200 74300 or email enquiries@westsideschoolgibraltar.com.
A phone is available in the reception area for students to call home if needed.
Please note that students are not allowed to use their mobile phones during school hours, and parents should avoid attempting to contact their child via mobile phones during this time to prevent any disruptions or potential consequences.
15. How do students of the school access the library facilities?
The library is open to all students before and after school:
Monday to Thursday 08:45-16:30 and Friday 08:45-16:15
Library cards are needed for access during break and lunchtimes, as there is limited capacity. Years 7-11 students requesting cards will need to be recommended by their English teachers.
Years 12 & 13 do not need library cards, and can access the library during their free periods, in addition to before/after school, break and lunchtime.
Use of first floor study/reference area and computers:
Years 12 & 13 - open access.
Year 11 - before/after school, break & lunch (with library cards).
Years 7 to 10 - are only allowed to access the non-fiction books on this floor, and use the computers in exceptional circumstances for educational purposes, with a note/email from their teacher.
Printing - printing facilities available, for educational purposes. 10p black and white, 20p colour.
Lending books - students do not need library cards to check books out, they only need library cards for break/lunchtime access. Students can check out up to 3 books at a time, for a period of 2 weeks. If they require more time on these books, they may renew the books for a further 2 weeks, providing no one has placed a reserve/hold on that book.
If a book is lost by a student, we will send a bill home with them for the amount that book was worth.