A new term!

Please join us on Thursday 5 September for our Open Evening. This will be a brilliant opportunity to meet the team and find out a little bit more about our pastoral and academic provision in Year 7 and the wider Prep school.

Weekly prep will continue, and Year 7 children should ensure that their presentation and effort is maintained, as in all class work expectations. Each prep should take no more 25-30 minutes, therefore if it is taking longer than this, please contact the relevant subject teacher to discuss.

Please encourage your child to work independently, and touch base with us if you have any concerns.

In addition, we expect the children to maintain focus on their weekly spellings and times tables by completing any activities and strategies set. Your children should continue to read aloud at home with an adult and bring a current reading book into school daily.

A Subject Topic & Skills Grid giving an overview of what the children will be covering this term will be sent on Friday 13th September.

As the children begin Year 7, parents will be giving thought to their child’s preparation for Senior School, and in particular considering how best to prepare them for success in their future Senior School. Although, for the majority, Senior School places are offered irrespective of Common Entrance performance, preparing and sitting the Common Entrance exams (or the scholarship alternatives if your child will apply for a Senior School scholarship) gives unparalleled preparation for your child’s future studies and unavoidable GCSE exams. This can be a daunting time for pupils, and parents, and we are here to help!

On the morning of Wednesday 25 September, Mrs Grace Partridge, together with our Educational Pathways Coach Mrs Lauren Martin, will be hosting an information session for parents of our Year 7 and 8 pupils. This will provide valuable hints and tips to get you through the coming years, and how you can help to prepare your child for success.

Situated in what was once our Chapel, at the top of the Staff Car Park, we have carved out some space specifically for our Upper Prep children (those in Years 7 & 8). Intended as an area for our older pupils to call their own, The Attic is a space where the Year 7 children can congregate before school and at other organised times. It includes a quiet area where Prep can be undertaken. The Attic is additional to the Year 7 & 8 form rooms, which will continue to be used for more formal pastoral get-togethers.

Housing the air hockey table, alongside comfortable seating, we’re confident that The Attic will help our Upper Prep pupils develop their sense of independence and responsibility. Upper Prep pupils should now ‘blob’ in and out of school independently, using their newly acquired pupil lanyards and the designated blobbing iPad situated in The Attic. Anyone arriving without time to blob at The Attic before briefing time (8:20am) should alert Mr Shaw / Mr Lindfield to the fact, so they can be ‘blobbed’ in the Year 7 form room instead.

Of course, staff will be in the vicinity of The Attic at all times pupils are on site, however with this new privilege comes the expectation that the Upper Prep pupils treat it with respect and maturity. This includes wearing their lanyards at all times when in school, and behaving sensibly whilst in The Attic. Pupils found to be abusing this privilege, or disrespecting school property or their peers, will be dealt with accordingly.

In Year 7 we operate a Leader Ladder, to reward pupils for living the Pennthorpe Purpose and to help prepare them for taking on more responsibilities as they mature.  Notable positions of leadership can be achieved in Year 7, as well as Year 8, with the appointment of Seniors, Prefects and ultimately Head Boy and Girl (more information about the leadership progression can be found here).

In determining who is ready for leadership responsibilities, all aspects of a child’s performance at school are taken into account, with points scored for duties undertaken, pluses awarded, Praise Postcards received, Heads’ Awards (and points lost for minuses and detentions).

As an incentive, we track progress using the Leader Ladder, which results in a treat at the end of each term in Year 7 for those achieving the required threshold. Treats have previously included roller skating at The Rec and trips to The Milk Churn for cheese on toast, so do encourage your child to ensure they meet the threshold to take part.

At morning briefing, Form Tutors will complete a quick ‘wellbeing’ check with the children using our familiar emoji structure. In Year 7 your child will be assigned to a member of the Year 7 Pastoral Team who will hold regular ‘Coaching’ sessions ,where informal discussions can take place regarding any matters relating to school and general wellbeing.

The Pennthorpe PSHEE/RSE curriculum will continue to be delivered in an age-appropriate manner during all pastoral slots on your child’s timetable. Please do contact in the first instance Form Tutors should you have any specific questions regarding curriculum content and/or feedback.

PSHCE and RSE Topics this half term:

Autumn 1: Economic wellbeing

Evaluating value for money; Debt, fraud and personal values around finance; Financial exploitation; how to manage influences over financial decisions; emotions related to finance.

Autumn 2: Healthy lifestyles

Physically and mentally healthy lifestyles; Healthy sleep habits; Dental health; Managing stress; Accessing health services; how to balance time; managing puberty.

Our bespoke RISE -Wellbeing scheme this term will focus on Positive Self and Positive Body Awareness.

One highlight of the Year 7 calendar is always our residential trip to Dorset, which takes place at the beginning of October. More detail and a kit list will follow shortly.

In Years 5 – 8 pupils must have their own fully stocked pencil case, including the following items:

• Pencils
• Rubber
• Pencil Sharpener
• Blue Fountain or Handwriting Pen (not biro)
• Purple pen (a purple biro is fine – children will use this to refine and perfect their work)
• 30cm ruler
• Coloured pencils
• Glue stick

Children should also have their charged laptop with them in school each day.

A reminder that mobile phones are not allowed in school. If you child needs to bring one for their journey to and from school (which must be pre-agreed if travel is on the school minibus), mobiles must be left at the Front Office for the duration of the school day.

Drop off is at 8:15am on the Terrace or in the Drop off zone, for briefing at 8:20am. Children arriving earlier should be booked in for breakfast from 7:30am or may head to The Attic from 8:00am. Children should not enter the Clock Block earlier than 8:15am.  Formal lessons commence at 8:30am.

Pick up is at 5:00pm at the front of school, unless your child is staying for Prep when pick up will be 6:00pm at the front of school. Please note that pick up is at the earlier time of 4:00pm on Wednesdays, unless there is a match scheduled. All children must ‘blob out’ with the member of staff on duty before they leave the school site.

If you would like your child to join us for breakfast, or stay beyond 5:00pm for Hobbies or After School Supervision / Supper Club, please book this via the Portal, or contact extendedday@pennthorpe.com for assistance.

As well as your pocket-sized diary, parents can also view the Autumn Term calendar via the website and Parent Portal.

Please do have a look through and pop important dates in your diary.  Of course, sometimes plans need to be updated, and so any changes will be updated on our electronic calendar and communicated to you as soon as possible.

The key events for our Year 7 parents include:

• Parents are invited to our Prep Open Evening on Thursday 5 September between 7:00-8:30pm.
• Individual & Sibling Pupil Photographs are scheduled for Tuesday 24 September.
• We will be hosting a Common Entrance & Scholarship Pathways Information Session for Year 7 & 8 Parents on Wednesday 25 September at 8:30am.
• Year 7 Residential Trip to Dorset departs on Monday 30 September, returning on Friday 4 October.
• We will be hosting a PSHEE & RSE Tea & Talk for Years 5 – 8 Parents on Friday 4 October at 8:30am.
• There will be a Pupil Wellbeing Tea & Talk for Parents on Thursday 10 October.
• Our Whole School Remembrance Service will be held on Monday 11 November at 10:30am.
• Our Carol Service in the Chapel @ Christ’s Hospital for Families of Pupils in Year 1 – 8 is on Tuesday 10 December.
• Carols Around the Tree takes places on Thursday 12 December at 4:00pm.
• Friday 13 December is the end of term with school finishing for Year 7 children at 12:00pm.

Children can wear either summer or winter uniform until half term, after which all children should switch to winter uniform.

Please make sure your child’s uniform is labelled with their name, as it does make it a lot easier to reunite lost items with their owners.

Children are expected to wear smart uniform each day:

• All children should wear their blazers coming to and from school.
• Clean black school shoes (if a child needs to wear trainers, for example where their school shoes have been misplaced, please make the form teacher aware)
• Shirts need to be long enough to tuck in.
• Earrings – one plain stud only. No hoops. The child needs to be able to take the earrings out independently for PE and Games lessons.
• No necklaces.
• Plain wristwatch, no smartwatches to be worn.
• All shoulder length hair tied up with a plain hairband or small school coloured scrunchie or headband.

Whilst the sun is shining, please apply sun cream to your child at home, before the beginning of their session as we will be outside as much as possible. We cannot provide sun cream in school so it is essential that children bring this in themselves.

All PE and Games kit should be brought in to school on a Monday morning and should be taken home for washing at the end of each week. All children require a mouthguard and shin pads for lessons, as well as competitive matches. They will not be allowed to participate in lessons or matches without these items, as this poses significant risk to the children. Children should also have a towel in school.

The Year 7 Team will be conducting a complete kit check at the beginning of term. It is important that the children understand the importance of looking after and organising their own property. Please support this at home, by ensuring your child uses their independence and organisational skills to ensure they have what they need in school each day and take care of their belongings (especially their charged laptops!).

If you have any uniform requirements, please place an order via our website here. You can also book an appointment at the Uniform Shop by contacting uniform@pennthorpe.com or drop in during the times below:

• Monday 8:30am – 9:30am
• Tuesday 3:30pm – 4:30pm
• Wednesday 3:30pm – 4:30pm
• Thursday CLOSED
• Friday 8:30am – 9:30am

For the first half of the Autumn Term the girls will be switching to hockey and boys will be switching to football. A full kit list is available here, and all branded items can be ordered through Blueblood

Girls:

• Games kit
• Shin Pads
• Gum shield

Boys:

• Games kit
• Shin pads
• Boots

Please do not park in the drop-off lanes at the front of school if you are coming past the gates to drop your child into school, or collect them from one of the school buildings. These lanes are intended for dropping-off only!

Instead, please park up in the car park, or find a safe place to park on the neighbouring roads (being considerate of our neighbours, especially with regards parking near to junctions or driveways).