Our merit reward system takes the form of both house merit and individual merit awards. Merits can be gained for any of the following:

  • outstanding work
  • helpfulness
  • a job well done
  • representing the school
  • exceptional effort
  • improvement in work
  • seven signatures in a child’s reading diary

When a merit is awarded, a stamp is placed by the teacher on the corresponding book/piece of work and on the appropriate page of the pupil’s Home School Planner, initialled by the teacher. A sticker is also provided for the child to put on the relevant day in their planner. Merits count towards the pupil’s individual achievements and towards the house merit competition. Non-teaching members of staff also have stamps so that they can award merits.

House Merits

Merit totals are collected half termly and collated for the house merit competition. The cumulative total is then recorded on the house noticeboard, informing all pupils of the current scores in the house merit competition.

The house gaining the most merits will be awarded the 'Merit Shield' for that term, which will also include a record of previous winners. Each house will then begin from zero again in the following term.

Individual Merits

As merits are accumulated in their diary, each pupil can achieve the following awards:

  • As recognition for receiving five merit stamps, the pupil will receive a silver sticker in year group assembly and will be a ‘Silver Pupil’. This sticker will be stuck in their planner.
  • When a pupil has received five silver stickers in one term, they then become a ‘Gold Pupil’. For this achievement they will receive a gold sticker and a gold pupil badge, presented in a school assembly. This gold pupil badge can be worn for the following term.
  • Any pupil who reaches 50 merits in one term is awarded an ‘Excellence' badge .
  • A child who reaches 75 merits in a term will receive their 'Superstar' badge.
  • A child who reaches 100 merits in a term will receive an ‘Owl’ badge.
  • A child who reaches 125 merits in a term will receive an enamel 'Smiley Face' badge.
  • A child who reaches 150 merits in a term will receive a gold 5-point 'Star' badge.

Badges are handed out at the first time they are achieved in the school year and stickers are given on subsequent occasions. At the end of each term, all pupils revert back to a zero count of merits and have to start again, collecting merits and aiming for their first silver sticker.

Pupils who in the course of an academic year achieve two gold pupil badges in two out of three terms will be eligible for a ‘special treat’ at the end of the year. This is usually a day where those pupils are excused lessons and are taken out of the school on a visit to the beach.