Arriving At School (Drop Off)
We encourage children and parents, where possible, to walk, scoot or cycle to school but recognise that this is not always practicable.
There are secure bike and scooter racks located at both Rupert Road and Newton Grove but the school cannot take responsibility for bikes and scooters while they are on school property. We recommend that bikes and scooters are clearly named and identifiable.
2 Rupert Road
| Form | Arrival | Registration | Departure |
| Nursery | 8.30-8.50am or
12.00 – 12.15pm |
8.55am | 12.15-12.15pm
(or 3.30-3.40pm) |
| Lower 1 and
Form 1 |
8.30-8.50m | 8.55am | 3.30- 3.40pm |
Children are expected to arrive at and depart from school on time. The school operates staggered arrival and departure times as follows: All children based here should arrive at the side gate on Rupert Road between the times shown above.
Parents who come to school by car should park in Rupert Road or in a nearby residential road – not on Bath Road.
A member of staff will be in attendance at the gate at arrival and departure times and there are CCTV cameras at both entrances to aid security.
16 Newton Grove
The school operates staggered arrival and departure times as follows:
| Form | Arrival | Registration | Departure |
| Form 2, 3 & 4 | 8.25-8.40am | 8.450am | 3.45-3.55pm |
| Form 5 & 6 | 8.25-8.40am | 8.45am | 3.55-4.00pm |
In the mornings we always have a member of staff at the back gate and also inside the lower ground floor cloakroom. Children arriving at school earlier than 8.30am should come to the front door.
The School Day
As well as a morning break and lunchtime break the children have some sort of physical activity in their timetable almost every day. All the children have a break at mid-morning, but the break times vary from class to class.
At break, each form is taken into the playground and is supervised by a playground supervisor. Either before or after lunch each class has a further break with at least half an hour of playtime. Nursery and Reception children also have an afternoon break.
The timetable is constructed very carefully to allow an appropriate balance of subjects. Mathematics and English are taught every day. There is some additional support available for children who do not have English as their first language.
School day – Nursery and Reception (EYFS)
At the start of each day children in the Nursery and Reception work on their Montessori apparatus and basic skills. This may take place in the outdoor classroom.
Children always spend time in the morning acquiring and developing language, literacy and mathematics skills. During the week they will also have topic based lessons, PE, music, computing, eurhythmics and French.
On several occasions each week the children are arranged in ability sets for phonics lessons. Each day of the week differs as we have many specialist teachers who come in to take lessons at different times.
At break, each form is taken into the playground and is supervised by a teacher. In the afternoons the teaching is less structured and the children enjoy outdoor learning and creative activities.
School day – Forms 1 and 2 (KS1)
Generally, the first two hours for all children are devoted to acquiring and developing language, literacy and numeracy skills as outlined in the National Curriculum. The children may be organised within their form according to their ability in different subjects.
On several occasions each week the children are arranged in ability sets for the phonics lessons. They may be taught with children from a different year group. Each day of the week differs, as we have many specialist teachers who come in to take lessons at different times.
In the afternoons the teaching focuses on other curriculum subjects, often directed at the whole class rather than in small groups or individually.
School Day – Forms 3, 4, 5 and 6 (KS2)
Registration is at 8:45am so that lessons can begin promptly at 8:50am.
The children will engage in a variety of lessons during the day, some of which are taught by specialist teachers.
For music, art and PE, this may mean walking or taking the minibus to another site.
For English and maths, the children are generally split into three smaller groups, so the children may have these lessons with an additional teacher other than their class teacher.
Assemblies
Assembly for Form 1 to Form 6 is held every Friday. Assembly for the Nursery and Reception is held every Friday at Rupert Road.
On these occasions we recognise each week one or two children in each form who have achieved excellence in some aspect of school life. The children who have been selected by their teachers are invited to stand in front of the school whilst a short description of their achievement is read out. Lower School children (Lower 1, Form 1 and 2) are given a “leaf” to take home. Upper school children (Form 3 and above) are given a certificate to take home.
Assemblies are also held at 9.00am on Monday mornings for the Upper School and on Wednesday mornings for the Lower School. Children must be in school by 8.45am at the latest on these days in order that assembly can start on time.
The children participate in the assembly in various ways and members of staff take an assembly on a rota system. The emphasis is based on health, wealth and SMSC – Spiritual, Moral, Social, and Cultural development.
In the Lower school assembly we also congratulate those children who are celebrating birthdays that week or who have won a reading award. Parents are occasionally invited to attend assemblies.