Sidcot School Senior Welcome Handbook 2015/16
Transcription
Sidcot School Senior Welcome Handbook 2015/16
Sidcot School Senior Welcome Handbook 2015/16 Dear Parent We are delighted to be welcoming you and your child to Sidcot Senior School in September. Please share the following information with your child to ensure that the transition to life at Sidcot is as smooth as possible. This booklet contains lots of practical facts so it’s well worth a careful read to prepare your family for the start of a new adventure at Sidcot. The Admissions Office will be open during the summer holidays so if you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch on 01934 845212 or [email protected]. When September comes, we will do everything we can to ensure that your child settles in quickly so they can make the most of all the exciting opportunities on offer. In the meantime, have a good summer and I look forward to seeing you in September. With kind regards Yours sincerely Iain Kilpatrick Headmaster Welcome Handbook 2015/16 Contacts04 Drop off and pick up times 05 Every day drop off and pick up times 05 After School Activities 05 Prep/Homework05 Library05 Uniform06 Year Groups 06 School Transport 07 Senior School Tmetable 07 Lunch and Break 08 Lockers08 ID Cards 08 Specialist Tuition 08 Mobile Phones 09 Health Centre 09 The House System 09 How We Communicate With Parents 09 Reports and Parents’ Evening 10 Sickness/Absences10 Term Dates 10 School Events 10 SCPTA10 Additional Information For Specific Year Groups 11 Campus Map 12 Welcome Handbook 2015/16 Contacts Reception Office 01934 843102 [email protected] Postal Address Sidcot School Oakridge Lane Winscombe North Somerset BS25 1PD Websitewww.sidcot.org.uk Contacting members of staff directly It is possible to contact members of staff via email by using the following formula: [email protected] Headmaster Iain Kilpatrick [email protected] Deputy Head Matt Williams [email protected] Deputy Head (Academic) Russell Spooner [email protected] Year Heads Head of Sixth Form Head of Fifth Form Head of Fourth Form Head of Third Form Simon Allen Phil Lovett Rosie Bellinger Veronika Germain [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Heads of Faculty Science Jim Scott [email protected] MathematicsGraham [email protected] English & Learning Deirdre Cattermole [email protected] TechnologyNiel [email protected] Physical Education Rosie Bellinger [email protected] Humanities Karen Lovett [email protected] ArtsRoss [email protected] LanguagesJames [email protected] 04 Welcome Handbook 2015/16 First day of term drop off and pick up times The first day of term is Tuesday 8 September. Please arrive at the Meeting House (next to the School Health Centre by the main school car park) at 08:20 where Iain Kilpatrick, the Headmaster, senior staff and Heads of Years will be waiting to meet you. You will be able to choose your activities the week commencing Monday 14 September. Many are free but some are subject to an additional fee. On your first day you will be given your timetable and assigned to your tutor group. Your tutor should be your first point of contact and your Head of Year will always be available should you have any concerns. You will have the opportunity to complete your homework at school during ‘Prep’ sessions or at home. You will be issued with a ‘Homework Diary/Student Planner’ in which homework details will be written. Please look at these planners, ask your parents to initial them at the weekend as being seen and do use them as a means of communicating with your tutor. Arrangements for prep sessions from 17:00 to 18:00 will be in place from the start of term and you are welcome to stay at school to take part in the supervised session. You will receive a copy of the homework timetable at the start of term. Every day drop off and pick up times In the mornings you can be dropped off in the top playground by 08:30 (which is signposted as the ‘drop off point’). Registration occurs between 08:35 and 08:40 in the classroom that your tutor group is allocated to on the first day of term. The earliest pick up is at 15:40 when lessons end, except for Mondays when the earliest pick up is at 16:50 and Wednesdays when the earliest pick up is 16:00. Remember as day students, at no extra charge, you are welcome to stay at school to take part in activities from 16:00 – 16:50, prep at 17:00 and the evening meal. The evening meal times are staggered, Year 7, 12 and 13 eat at 17:45 and Years 8 to 11 at 18:00. The latest pick up for students is 18:30, except for Years 12 and 13 who are able to stay until 21:30. For our younger students we advise parents to collect you at the end of lessons in the first couple of weeks to ensure you don’t get over-tired as you adjust to life in the Senior School. After School Activities Sidcot has a wide range of activities in which to take part, including Sport, Music, Drama and Art to name but a few. You will find lots of things that will interest you and will help you become fully immersed in the life of the school. Day students are welcome to stay at school to take part in activities from 16:00 – 16:50. Prep/Homework Library The senior school library (Trevelyan Library) is open throughout the school day and Saturday mornings when the librarians are available to advise students; and in the evenings and other times during the weekend when boarding staff are on duty. There is a good stock of books for leisure reading and to support the school curriculum as well as newspapers, magazines and information on careers and further education. Students can recommend books which the librarian will add to the library collection. The library catalogue (Eclipse.net) is available through every student’s user area and on Firefly and can be accessed via student’s mobile devices. The number of items a student can borrow at a time varies according to year group. These should be issued through the library desk by a librarian or staff on duty. Resources can be kept for three weeks and renewed if needed for a longer period. Welcome Handbook 2015/16 05 All resources should be returned to the librarian at the library desk. Students will be sent reminders of overdue items and will be charged for lost and non-returned stock. The librarians are happy to advise students on research, locating or acquiring resources, concerns on plagiarism linked to academic referencing, essay structure or reading for relaxation. The area above the library is the Sixth Form study area. Students in Years 7 to 11 are not allowed to go up or through this area. Sixth Form students moving through the Library to reach lockers and classrooms upstairs should remember that the library and 6th form study area are quiet working areas. Students disturbing the working environment will be asked to leave. The library is a communal space – valuables and study files should not be left unattended. The library team run a stationery shop for students for those occasions when they inevitably run out or lose pens, pencils, files and refill pads, calculators and other maths equipment. Stationery prices are very competitive and items are sold at a fraction above cost price. Students are able to add the cost of stationery items to the school bill. If you want to order any items at the beginning of term or would prefer your son or daughter not to add stationery to the school bill please contact the Librarian, Wendy Worley: [email protected] Literary events are a feature of the Library with author visits, an annual book fair, national writing competitions and awards as well as after school activities such as reading groups and Readers to Writers. 06 Welcome Handbook 2015/16 Uniform Details of items your child will require are available on our website www.sidcot.org.uk/ uniform and are based on their gender and year group. Downloadable booklets have been produced to give parents and students all the information about Sidcot’s uniform, dress code and possessions in school. If you have any queries, please email [email protected]. uk. All items of uniform and property must be clearly marked with your child’s name. All Sidcot School uniform can be bought online via our website at www.sidcot.org.uk/uniform. Alternatively, you can purchase uniform through our uniform stockist Deane & Sons of Cheddar. Deane & Sons Bath Street Cheddar Somerset BS27 3AA Telephone: 01934 742530 Email: [email protected] Open: 09:00 to 17:00 Monday to Friday (closed 13:00 to 14:00) / 09:00 to 16:00 Saturday (closed 13:00 to 14:00). Once term starts there is a uniform fitting service available every Wednesday morning from 09:00 to 12:30 (with extended opening hours at the beginning of the school year). Year groups At Sidcot, year groups are often referred to in the following way: Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Year 11 Year 12 Year 13 Third Form (3) Lower Fourth (L4) Upper Fourth (U4) Lower Fifth (L5) Upper Fifth (U5) Lower Sixth (L6) Upper Sixth (U6) School transport We currently operate a number of minibus services covering Bristol, Clevedon, Portishead, Burnham, Uphill, Wedmore, Worle and the Chew Valley. Every weekday two school buses run a return service from Bristol to Sidcot and one return service for Weston, Clevedon and Portishead. The return services depart Sidcot School at 17:00 on a Monday, 16:00 on a Tuesday and Friday and at 16:30 on a Wednesday and Thursday. Five bus services run weekday mornings from Burnham, Uphill, Wedmore, Worle and the Chew Valley. Our bus routes can be downloaded from our website: sidcot.org.uk/admissions/school-buses If you plan to use the bus service but haven’t already booked a space, please email [email protected] to check availability and book a space. If there is no availability on your required route, we are able to take names to put on waiting lists if this is acceptable. Senior School Timetable Staff briefing: Registration bell: 08.25 08.30 Registration: 08.35 – 08.40 PSHE: Meeting for Worship: Assembly: Long tutor period: 08.40 – 09.10 08.40 – 09.10 08.40 – 09.10 08.40 – 09.10 Lesson 1: Lesson 2: Break: Lesson 3: Lesson 4: 09.10 – 10.00 10.00 – 10.50 10.50 – 11.15 11.15 – 12.05 12.05 – 12.55 Lunch: 12.55 – 13.50 Afternoon registration: Lesson 5: Lesson 6: 13.50 – 13.55 14.00 – 14.50 14.50 – 15.40 Tea: Lesson 7: Earliest collection: 15.40 16.00 – 16.50 16.50 15.40 16.00 – 16.50 17.00 Activities: Private study/prep: Tue Wed Mon/Fri Thu Evening meal: Third Form (Y7) Boarders Fourth Form (Y8 & Y9) Fifth Form (Y10 & Y11) Sixth Form Senior day students must leave by: House roll call: Prep for boarders: Sixth Form day students leave by: 17.45 17.50 18.00 18.00 17.45 18.30 18.30 19.00 – 20.00 21.30 Whole school activities on Wednesday. Mon only Mon Tue – Fri Tue – Thu Welcome Handbook 2015/16 07 Lunch and break Specialist Tuition Break time is 10:50 to 11:15 every day with drinks and a snack provided in the Refectory. Lunch times are staggered by year group, the Refectory opens at 12:30 and closes at 13:45. The cost of lunch and break are included in the school fees. Food is cooked on site and there is a variety of choices from hot meals to salads, soup and sandwiches with dietary options being available. Sidcot is committed to using produce that is organic, fairtrade and locally sourced wherever possible. We offer specialist tuition in a wide range of subjects and activities including Music, Drama, Sports and Fencing. Learning Support is available for those with a desire for booster lessons or with specific learning needs. If you would like or need specialist tuition please contact the relevant Department Head to organise and book the lessons for the following term. Assemblies and Meeting for Worship Students meet every Wednesday during term time for a Quaker Meeting. This is a time when all staff and students of whatever faith share a period of quiet reflection, a rare opportunity in today’s world. There are two further assemblies during the week, on a Monday and Friday morning. Lockers You will be allocated a locker to store books and kit and will need a padlock for it – a ‘key’ type or combination. Please send a spare, labelled key to be kept in school or inform your tutor of the combination numbers. ID Cards All students have a photo ID card which must be carried at all times. During the first week of term your tutor will arrange for you to have your photo taken, following which your card will be issued. On the first day of term your tutor will give you a pin code to enable you to access the different faculty buildings until you receive your ID card. At the beginning of term your parents/guardian will be emailed Wise Pay login details. This will enable them to transfer money onto your ID card so that you can use it in The Hub to buy drinks and food rather than have to carry cash with you. The Hub is open at various times throughout the day and is the equivalent to a school tuck shop. 08 Welcome Handbook 2015/16 The Music Department can arrange individual and group music lessons for students. Lessons are organised on a rota to ensure that students do not miss the same lesson each week. The school retains specialist music teachers to deliver these lessons and therefore a full term’s notice, in writing, to the Director of Music, ([email protected]), must be given when lessons are no longer required. Lessons are payable in advance to Sidcot School. Please be aware that lessons will not start until the first payment has been received by the Finance Department. The annual cost of 30 lessons will be split into 3 equal instalments payable on the first day of each term. Parents are advised that best efforts will be made to ensure that their child receives 30 lessons during the course of the academic year. Lessons missed through school trips will, whenever possible be rescheduled. Lessons missed with no notification to the peripatetic teacher or due to pupil sickness will not be rescheduled. 30 minute individual lessons (average 10 per term) cost £175 per term. Payments can be made by BACS to account name, Sidcot School, Lloyds Bank account number 00639248 and sort code 30/91/84. Please give your child’s name, followed by the word MUSIC as the payment reference. Please also email [email protected] with your child’s name, choice of instrument/s and year group. Your email is confirmation of your commitment to 30 lessons for your child. All other additional lessons, including Learning Support, will be charged in arrears at the end of each term. The hourly rate for all individual lessons is £35. The hourly rate for group lessons is £19. Mobile Phones You are permitted to bring your mobile phone to school but it should be switched off during lessons unless permission is given. Health Centre The Health Centre is open Monday-Friday from 08:00 until 18:00. If you feel unwell during the school day, you will be able to see a nurse at the Health Centre. The House System All students and staff at Sidcot Junior School and Senior School are assigned to a House when they join our school community. The House system helps students to build friendships across the year groups and provides a focus for school events and activities throughout the year. There are four Houses: • • • • North House (yellow). East House (blue). South House (green). West House (red). Each House has two House Captains from Year 12 and two Junior Captains from Year 6. There are also two Vice Captains from Year 11 and House reps from Years 7 to 10, so plenty of opportunity to get involved! You will be assigned to a House – siblings are in the same Houses. You will be sent a welcome note from your Head of House. House Points The system operates in all years and is designed to encourage pupils’ effort, to give some immediate reward and to give form tutors an opportunity to monitor progress. House points can be awarded for: • • • • Excellent effort. Academic achievement. Club/activity (commitment, effort etc.). Other. How we communicate with parents We make every effort to keep parents up to date with useful dates and information as well as news of what is happening at school. Below is a summary of the different elements and how to access them. It is very important that you provide us with your email address. The email address we have for you is the one given during the enrolment process. If you are unsure what email address we hold for you please call Reception on 01934 843102 or email [email protected]. Weekly news There is a Senior School newsletter which is a weekly summary of all that has happened across the school. The newsletter includes a message from the Head, as well as news about trips and visiting speakers, performances and achievements from different departments. It is usually emailed to you on a Friday. You can request for the newsletter to be sent to a number of different email addresses per family by contacting [email protected]. SIMS InTouch – Email From time to time your parents will receive emails from us which have an @capita address. This is a system which allows us to target certain groups of parents with electronic communications. This includes permission letters, reports and alerts. Welcome Handbook 2015/16 09 School Calendar Term Dates Your child will be given a printed School Calendar in booklet form. Parents will receive an electronic version of this by email. As some dates can change, we also provide a live feed to our School Calendar which you can receive via your computer or mobile device by visiting www.sidcot.org.uk/livecalfeed Autumn Term 2015 Reports and Parents’ Evening Term begins Half term begins Half term ends Term ends 12 noon The effort and achievement of each student is closely monitored through the year and we have developed a system whereby parents receive regular reports via email as well as the opportunity to come to a parents’ evening. For non–examined Years 7 to 10 parents receive five grade reports, one full report, and are invited to one parents’ evening per year. For Year 11, parents receive four grade reports, one full report, and are invited to one parents’ evening and one options consultation evening per year. For Years 12 and 13, parents receive four grade reports, one full report, and are invited to one parents’ evening per year. Parent Evening Booking System The school has an easy to use online parent appointment booking system. This allows parents to choose their own appointment times with teachers. As the date of the parent evening approaches parents will be emailed with details about how to log on to this system. Sickness/absences Your parent/guardian should contact Reception on 01934 843102 if you are unable to come into school and they will let the relevant teaching staff know. 10 Welcome Handbook 2015/16 Term begins Half term begins Half term ends Term ends 12 noon Tuesday 8 September Friday 16 October Sunday 1 November Friday 18 December Spring Term 2016 Tuesday 12 January Friday 12 February Sunday 21 February Friday 18 March Summer Term 2016 Term begins Half term begins Half term ends Term ends 12 noon Tuesday 5 April Friday 27 May Sunday 5 June Friday 8 July School Events Throughout the school year you will be invited to a variety of school events such as the Boundary Walk, a hog roast in the Autumn Term, a fireworks display, skittles evenings, a rounders match, the Garden Party and others. A couple of upcoming dates for your diary: • Wednesday 9 September, 14:00 – 15:40 Whole school Boundary Walk – meet at Tom’s Field, at the top of Newcombe Lane. • Friday 11 September, 18:00 – 21:00 Staff and parents whole school Hog Roast (adult only event) – Junior School Amphitheatre. SCPTA The SCPTA (Sidcot Community Parent Teacher Association) hold monthly meetings and help to organise a variety of social events during the school year. Pete Mercer is the Chair of the Senior School PTA and would be delighted to hear from parents who would like to get involved. You can contact him on [email protected]. Additionalinformation for specific year groups For those joining in Third Form (Year 7) Parents and guardians are invited to an informal gathering on Thursday 17 September from 16:00 to 17:00 in the Old Library. This is an opportunity to meet other Year 7 parents as well as tutors, teachers, the Head of Year as well as the Headmaster. Please could your parents let the Head of Year 7, Veronika Germain, know whether or not they are able to attend on [email protected]. For those joining in Lower Fourth (Year 8) • Foreign Language Options – You will have the choice of two foreign languages (from French, German or Spanish). It is advantageous if the languages chosen have been previously studied. Please email [email protected] with your full name, your two language choices (French, German or Spanish) and the number of years you have studied the languages for. • Year 8 Camp - In September there is a Year 8 camp to help you get to know everyone as soon as possible. For those joining in the Sixth Form (Year 12) The joy of this stage of your education is that you will be studying subjects you have chosen, allowing you to study in greater depth those subjects that interest you most. Outside the classroom you can get involved in all sorts of sports – team games as well as individual. There are musical and drama productions, the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, charity projects, dance classes, trips abroad, photography and Sixth Formers play leading roles in all these activities and many more. At regular intervals events are organised which require formal dress. Formal dress for Sixth Formers is also expected on Fridays. All Sixth Form boys are therefore required to have a suit. Sixth Form girls are required to have either a skirt suit or trouser suit for these occasions. A dress can be worn, with a jacket. For those joining in Upper Fourth (Year 9) • Foreign Language Options – You will have the choice of two foreign languages (from French, German or Spanish). It is advantageous if the languages chosen have been previously studied. Please email [email protected] with your full name, your two language choices (French, German or Spanish) and the number of years you have studied the languages for. • In the Summer Term there is a Year 9 camp that is popular with everyone. Welcome Handbook 2015/16 11