Starting Year 7 Additional Information forAdmission to Gillingham School - 2020

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Welcome to Gillingham School This booklet is designed for both students going into their

first year of secondary school and for their parents.

The School Day - Timings (Week 1 and Week 2)9:00-9:20am Registration/Assembly

9:20-10:20am Period 1

10:20-11:20am Period 2

11:20-11:35am Breaktime

11:40-12:35pm Period 3

12:35-1:35pm Lunch

1:35-2:30pm Period 4

2:30-3:30pm 3.30-3.40pm

Period 5Registration

One of the biggest changes pupils will have when joining Gillingham School is moving around the school from 9:00am until 3:40pm! In order to help students, they: • Have been shown around the school on

Induction Day• Have a map of the school in their diary• Will buddy up with others in their teaching and

tutor groups• Will have help from older students if they get

lost or have other concerns.

Welcome to Gillingham School in North Dorset, set in the heart of the beautiful Blackmore Vale.

Founded by benefactors in 1516, Gillingham School is proud and privilegedtoofferaqualityandenjoyable educational experience that is open to all young people from the town of Gillingham, its surrounding villages and indeed, toyoungpeoplefurtherafieldinDorset, Wiltshire and Somerset.

At Gillingham School, we recognise that children have many abilities, talents and personalities. Knowing that each studentisdifferentandthattheylearn in many ways, we aim to develop their abilities, raise their expectations and to provide the support that is necessary for success.Byofferingawiderangeof experiences to our students both in and out of the classroom, students will receive a broad spectrum of learning.

‘Docendo Discimus,’ our school motto, means ‘through teaching, we learn’ and this recognises that learning is a shared, life-long process. The partnerships between students, teachers and parents are vitally important in ensuring that all students aspire to achieve the best possible chances for their future.

Gillingham School, furthermore, is a friendly, welcoming and inspiring school. Characterised by good behaviour, respect towards each other and enthusiasm for new experiences, the positive ethos of Gillingham School has been a feature here for many years and we remain committed to sustaining this into the future.

It is our privilege as teachers to welcome children into our school and to encourage them to learn, grow, develop and mature into the young adults who will eventually leave us and thrive in the 21st century world. It is a delight when we meet former students some years later and hear how they have progressed and how Gillingham School helped them to achieve their goals.

I was delighted to have been appointed as Headteacher in September 2017.

Theuniqueandincrediblyspecialethos immediately resonated with me and I am thrilled to have become a part of the school.

Above all else, Gillingham is a very happy school and we expect our children to feel safe, secure andconfident.

Partnerships are very important to us: Gillingham School has a history of working closely with parents/carers and with all members of our local and wider community in order to provide the best possible education for our students. This is something that we pride ourselves on.

I look forward to welcoming you to our school.

Paul NicholsonHeadteacher

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Joining Secondary SchoolMaking FriendsThetransitionfromprimarytosecondaryschoolisoneofthemostsignificantchangesthatbothstudents and their parents will make. Whilst the experience is exciting, students may need some reassurance about joining.

New Year 7s may feel nervous about making new friends when joining secondary school, especially as there are more students in Year 7 than in Year 6 or possibly the entire primary school! However, while allthesenewfacesmayseemdauntingatfirst,itistheopportunitytoaddtoexistingcirclesoffriendsas well as retain the friends from primary school.

Therewillbelotsofguidancefromdifferentteachers.Yourtutorwillseeyouatthebeginningoftheday and will help you with any issues. The Head of Year 7 (Mr Gordon) and Assistant Year Heads will also be available. There will also be clubs, activities and trips to help you make new friends.

OrganisationStudentswillbeputinateachinggroupwhenjoiningYear7andwillhaveadifferentteacherforeachsubject and therefore, separate exercise books for each lesson. Space for these will be needed to keep them at home. It is a good idea for pupils to pack/unpack their bag every evening when arriving home, to then complete homework and then re-pack it ready for the next day.Pupilswillreceiveatimetableonthefirstdaywhichwillexplainwhereeachlessonis.Parents/Carerswill also be sent a copy of the timetable. Try to display it in a visible place. School homework diaries/planners will help organise the day.

The homework diary/planner will be used to:• Record important information about activities and events. • Record homework set by teachers and due dates. • Write in notes and personal reminders

Tutors will monitor it once a week, sign it and countersign positive notes or notes of concern.

Parents need to:• Monitoritforpositivenotesandnotesofconcernwrittenbyteachers,werequestthatparents

initial to show that they have seen them• Sign it once a week, preferably at a weekend.• Use it to help students organise themselves. • Use it to communicate with teachers

At the back of the diary are the absence pages, which we ask parents to sign when pupils are absent from school due to illness.

School Homework Diary/Planner

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School Uniform At Gillingham School, uniform is designed to encourage a smart and business like style appropriate toaneffectivelearningenvironment.Theschoolsdresscodeisintendedtoprovidetheopportunityfor collective pride in our school whilst providing a clear structure for students and parents/carers to follow. The overriding principle to the dress code is that uniform should be worn smartly at all times.

OurlocalsuppliersaretheNationalSchoolwearCentre,WineStreetinYeovilandSquiresofShaftesbury. However, as most items are of standard colour, they are all available from a variety of other retailers, e.g. ASDA, BHS etc. Ties and badges for blazers brought from a departmental store, can alsobepurchasedfromtheschooloffice.

Uniform can also be obtained from Marks and Spencer (www.marksandspencer.com - www.mandsyourschooluniform.com).Clickontothe’Kids’section,then’SchoolUniform’tofindourpageunder Devon, Dorset and Somerset. M&S will fund our school 10% of each purchase which we intend tospendonbreak-timeplay/sportsequipmentforourstudents.

All pupils must have –

• SchoolTie• Blueformalshirtwithcollar• AllstudentsinYears7-9wearanavyblueblazer• AllstudentsinYears10-11wearanavybluejumperorcardiganwiththeembroideredschool crest• Blacktailoredschooltrousersornavybluepleatedskirtwornknee-length.Noblackjeansor chinos• Darkcharcoal/blacksocksortights• Lowheeledblackleather/leather-typeschoolshoes,noblackcanvasortrainerstyleshoes.

Please note exclusions to our uniform policy:• Jeans,chinos,leggings,cargotrousers,croppedtrousers,skinny-fittrousers,mini-skirts,tight-fit skirts and hoodies are not acceptable• Canvasshoes,open-toedshoesorsandals,highorwedgedheeledshoesarenotacceptable Trainers, including leather sports’ shoes such as Nike or Adidas, are not acceptable• Whiteorcolouredsocksarenotacceptable

Note: Jewellery/ Earrings• Studentscanwearonesinglesmallstudearringonlyineachearlobe.However,thismustbe removed for PE lessons. No facial jewellery is allowed e.g. Nose studs, eyebrow piercings, tongue piercings etc. This also applies to rings, bracelets etc• Haircolourshouldbewithinthenaturalrange• Excessivemakeup,falseeyelashesandthewearingoffake/falsenailsandnailvarnishisalso not appropriate

This school uniform policy applies to all students until they reach the Sixth Form, which has its own professional expectations for dress

The school runs a uniform shop where surplus items donated by parents become available for re-sale.Iffamilieshavefinancialhardshipbeyondtheassistanceavailablefromthegovernmentfamilysupport, they can contact Tina Hull (07817957330) who runs the second hand uniform shop. Parents are able to call Tina directly between 8am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

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PE KitIt is essential that all students wear the correct kit for the activity they are taking part in. The following is a guide for the kit your child may need.

During the winter months it is vital your child is prepared for outdoor activities in weather which is often inclement and cold. Regrettably the wearing of a coat is not allowed and to ensure the safety of your child and other children, ALL jewellery must be removed.

Whilst additional kit is optional we do recommend the following;

Plain red sweatshirt or hoody, plain navy tracksuit bottoms/plain navy leggings (leggings to be worn with skort or shorts), base layers, hats and gloves - these items are optional for cold weather. No large logos or stripes please - we want to try reduce the pressure and indeed the cost of wearing expensive branded garments.

Activites – outdoor Kit

Football Trainers for astro and courtsRugby Bootsarerequiredifyourchild’scurriculuminvolvesrugbyCross-Country or football but they can also be used for cross-countryHockey White polo or t-shirt, plain navy shorts/skortHandball Long red socksNetball Reversible rugby top – only necessary for rugbyOutdoor Education Shin padsTennis Gum shieldAthleticsCricketRounders

Activities – indoor Kit

Gymnastics TrainersTrampolining White polo or t-shirtDance Short white socksBasketball Navy shorts/skortFitnessBadminton

A reminder that if you are excused from PE it is expected that you bring a note from a parent or guardian and bring kit (wrapping up warm in cold weather) as we feel you can still participate as an umpire or coach and we do not want your uniform getting wet and muddy.

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EssentialEquipment• A set of mathematical

equipment(protractor,compass)

• Ascientificcalculator-werecommend Casio FX Model FX-83GT+

• Ear phones (£1.10 - Library)• English Dictionary • Pencils• Colouring Pencils• Eraser• Ruler

• Pens• Sharpener• Glue stick All these items can be bought from the School Library throughout the year.

General Information

Arrangements are made for every new Year 7 student to have a locker should they choose to have one when starting school in September. A deposit of £5.00 is payable and will be returned when the key is returned at the end of Year 11. The deposit is paid to tutors and the keys are given to the student with the lockerdetails.Weaimforstudentstohaveaccesstolockerswithinthefirstfewweeksofbeingatschool.

Personal items are left in the lockers at a student’s own risk. We cannot guarantee the safety of the item. If youhaveanyquestions,pleasedonothesitatetocontactKellyLeveratklever@gillingham-dorset.co.uk.

Lockers

Printing & Purchasing FoodA card is issued to each student to permit printing from the computers. A certain amount of money is allocated per student. Its use will be explained in ICT lessons.

Studentswillhavethechoiceofeithercash,datacardortheuseofbiometrics(fingerprintrecognitiontechnology) to buy food from the School Canteen. The card will need to be registered online and money can be topped up online. If the card is lost, there will be a replacement charge and a new one will be issued. Free School Meals will be automatically put on the card each day. This amount must be spent on the day and not be carried over. You will be informed about this in September.

Forgotten Items and Lost Property Ifstudentsdolosesomething,staffwillencouragethemtolookforit.TheLostPropertyOfficeisopeneverydaybetween1pmand2pminZ2.

TheSchoolOfficereceivesanenormousamountofforgottenPEkit,lunches,designfolders,moneyetc throughout the course of every school day. Pupils should be fully prepared for the school day - we would appreciate parents help to encourage this.

The school’s website and our social media pages (Twitter and Facebook) are good ways to access the latest information about the school, such as recent events, snow closures and term dates.

https://www.gillingham-dorset.co.uk Twitter: @Gill_SchoolFacebook: Search Gillingham School

Website

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General Information for Parents/Carers

The new GCSE exams rely on students retaining a large breadth of prescribed knowledge. Alongside this, is the need to embed a range of examination skills which take time to master as students progress through school. Year 7 and 8 home learning will focus on encouraging and developing the necessary learning habits that will help students learn, and commit to memory, key knowledge and skills over time. Students will, therefore, always have home learning that they should be doing and this should takenomorethanonehourpernight.Studentswillbetaught,overtime,howtoreviseefficientlyandeffectivelyineachsubjectarea.• Students are expected to regularly revise the content from their lessons to consolidate their

knowledgeandunderstanding.Teacherswilltestwhethertheyhavebeeneffectivelyreviewingtheirwork,andcommittingclassroomlearningtomemory,throughregularlowstakestestsandquizzesin class.

• Inmanysubjects,studentswillbesethomelearningaroundidentifiedkeyassignmentsthatwillenable them to develop and embed key skills.

• InMaths,therewillbeidentifiedandspecificweeklyhomelearning.• Students should be reading for pleasure outside of school to develop their range of vocabulary and

to encourage a love of learning. They should be encouraged to read around the topics being covered in the lessons to broaden their knowledge and understanding.

• We would encourage a breadth of home learning which might include visits to museums, galleries, concerts, theatrical performances, representation in local sports teams, trips away from home and other valuable educational opportunities.

• Students should also spend some time each day listening to and reading the news to make links with lessons in school.

• TheyshouldalsostarttobeinquisitiveaboutfuturecareersprogressionpathwaysbyexploringtheUNIFrog website - https://www.unifrog.org.

• There are a range of excellent resources available to assist students with their home learning. These include: GCSEPod (https://www.gcsepod.com), BBC Newsround (https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround), memorise, GCSE Bitesize (https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/levels/z98jmp3), Corbett Maths (https://corbettmaths.com/), our school website (https://www.gillingham-dorset.co.uk/).

Home Learning at Gillingham School - Years 7 & 8

PickingUpandDroppingOffPupilsForsafetyreasons,parentswhobringtheirchildrentoschoolbycararerequestedNOT TO USE the Hardings Lane approach to school. With 15 coaches coming and going and usually several parked cars, Hardings Lane is potentially extremely dangerous and we wish to keep the road as clear as possible for the prompt and safe movement of the coaches. We would be very grateful if parents would set down and pick up at the School Lane entrance. Between 8:25am and 3:40pm, there is a large number of pedestriansandstaffvehiclesusingtheschooldriveandextratrafficatthesetimes.

Absences Wekindlyrequestthatparentsleaveashortmessageonourabsencevoicemailline(01747822222andpress1)onthefirstdayoftheirchild’sabsenceoremailstudentabsences@gillingham-dorset.co.uk. We would also ask that parents complete the absence page in their child’s homework diary on return asarecordfortheirtutor.Werequestthatallabsencesaresupportedbywrittencommunicationfromparents. Only allow days at home for a genuine illness and try to avoid absences in school time.

Please do NOT take your son/daughter on holiday during school time. We are working under very strict guidelines over this matter and can only grant leave of absence for exceptional circumstances. The cost of holidays and booking holidays without checking term dates are not exceptional circumstances and leave of absence will not be given. We thank parents for their support in this very important area.

Medical ConditionsShould any medical conditions arise or change for your child/children - could you please notify the schoolofficeassoonaspossiblesothatrecordscanbeupdated.

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TransportSchooltransportisprovidedandrunbyCountyCouncils.Ifyouhaveanyqueriesabouttheprovisionof transport or the day to day running of the buses, please contact your County Council department - Dorset 01305224545, Wiltshire 01225713455 or South West Coaches on 01935 475872. If you live in Wincanton, Templecombe, Horsington, Lydlinch, Stalbridge, Bruton, Bayford or Henstridge, please contact Mrs Felton on 01747 822222 or email jfelton@gillingham-dorset.co.uk

Important ReminderPlease be aware that the school buses provided by the County Council are only available for the students who live within the catchment area of the school or by special agreement with the County Council. Children who attend Gillingham School from outside the catchment area are not guaranteed a place on a bus or a free bus pass. Parents are advised to make their own arrangements for transport into and out of school unless they fall into the category above.

Any children who go home for tea or sleepovers with friends are not allowed to travel with their friends on school transport. We are not permitted to give out temporary bus passes without direct agreement from the County. The school buses are only insured and allowed to transport those children who are eligibleandhavebeenissuedwithpassesallowingthemtotravelonspecifiedroutes.

South Western Railway Scholars Educational Season ticketsIf you would like to know about the scheme for Educational Season tickets for the train, please email Mrs Clayton on mclayton@gillingham-dorset.co.uk for details.

ParentMailWe use Parent Mail as a paperless way of sending information home via email; for example, the school newsletter or year-group notices. You will be given information in early September about how to register for ParentMail and we would then expect to send home information using this system. In the unlikely event that parents do not have access to emails, paper copies can be sent home.

There is also a Mobile App for ‘Parent Mail’ which can be used to pick up important messages and make school payments. Search for ‘Parent Mail’ on your device’s App Store to download.

Pay+ for ParentMail has been launched. This online payment service is available through the app and willallowyoutopayforschoolitemsquicklyandeasilyonyoursmartphone,tabletorcomputer.We will inform you about items you need to pay through Parentmail, and you will be able to pay electronically using credit or debit cards as well as Paypal and PayPoint.

Ifyoudonotwishtomakepaymentsonline,youcanofcoursecontinuetomakecashandchequepayments. Please note, your bank statement will display either the school name or ParentMail, depending on your payment method. If you need any additional information or assistance, pleaseuse the help site: www.parentmail.co.uk/help/parenthelp or please contact Mrs Clayton in the schoolFinanceOffice- mclayton@gillingham-dorset.co.uk.

Headteacher P Nicholson BEdDeputy Headteachers K Barker BSc, M Lavis BSc, S Turnbull MA

Hardings Lane, Gillingham, Dorset, SP8 4QP Tel: 01747 822222Email: office@gillingham-dorset.co.uk Fax: 01747 825263www.gillingham-dorset.co.uk

Gillingham School1516-2016

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