We want every child thoroughly to enjoy his or her time at school; to feel valued as an individual, in an environment where their talents can prosper so that when the time comes to leave Amesbury, each child will do so with confidence high, skills sharpened and personalities rounded. Amesbury is academically ambitious, whilst taking care to maintain and nurture emotional resilience and strength.
More specifically we aim to:-
• Develop in every child the necessary skills, aptitudes and abilities to enable him/her to move on to senior school and beyond as an emotionally resilient, autonomous learner.
• Develop a caring community within the school by encouraging commitment, courtesy, co-operation, tolerance and compassion towards one another whilst understanding that each individual is a member of a wider community.
• Promote and nurture a close relationship between home and school in the partnership of education.
• Provide pupils with a model of how an excellent organisation is run, one in which there is a culture of high achievement, a willingness to adapt and a propensity for innovation.
• To create the circumstances in which all members of staff have the opportunity for personal development and feel able to make the fullest of contributions to school life.
• Fulfil our social and environmental responsibilities to society.
ARRIVAL, ABSENCE & COLLECTION
Arrival and collection times:
Reception 8.50 am registration - 3.30 pm pick up, drop off from 8.15 am
Y1-2 8.30 am registration - 3.45 pm pick up, drop off from 8.15 am
Y3-4 8.20 am registration - 3.45 pm pick up, drop off from 8.15 am
Y5-8 8.20 am registration - 4.45 pm pick up, drop off from 8.15 am
Access codes are emailed to parents at the beginning of each term. For more details on the Breakfast Club, please contact the School Office. Any pupil who misses registration by their class teacher should be signed in at the School Office by their parent, located in the main Lutyens building. The child should make their way promptly to their lesson.
All children in Reception are taken to Little Amesbury by their parents. Pre-Prep children are met by the class teacher outside the Lutyens Building.
To ensure the school day starts promptly in the Prep School parents may ‘drop & go’. If you need to speak with your child’s tutor please email them directly to make an appointment.
If your child will not be in school for any reason e.g. illness, please inform their tutor and the School Office via email: reception@amesburyschool.co.uk or telephone the main school number, using the dedicated line to report the absence.
In the Reception, Pre-Prep and Years 3 & 4, at the end of the school day, each child is dismissed by his/ her teacher when he/she has identified the known adult. Please make sure that your child knows who will be collecting them from school. If there are changes to this plan during the day, please telephone the School Office to let us know.
For pupils in Years 5 to 8 you can either meet your child in a pre-arranged car park or meet them on the ground floor of the Academic Block. Children may stay for supervised Prep which runs until 5:45pm. Parents should sign up with the School Office detailing their Prep requirements at the start of each half term. reception@amesburyschool.co.uk
On match days pupils are dismissed by the Games Department outside the Academic block and must be signed out accordingly.
In an emergency, or if you will be late collecting your child at the end of the school day, please notify the School Office. Pupils will be kept in the classroom for 15 minutes then taken to either the Early Years After School Care (ASC) facility located in the Pre-Nursery classroom, or After School Care located in the Lutyens building. If your child needs to be looked after in ASC there will be a charge.
For medical appointments or other pre-approved absences children must be signed out in the School Office by parents. If they return the same day they must be signed back in via the School Office. They will not be allowed to leave the school premises unless accompanied by a nominated adult.
AUTHORISED ABSENCE
The law does not allow the school to authorise a child’s absence from school for social reasons. Such absence is by definition unauthorised and we are obliged to record it as such.
BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL CARE (YEARS 1-4)
Amesbury aims to make wrap-around care nurturing and fun for children and practical and helpful to busy working parents.
For prep school children we offer a breakfast club every morning from 7.30 am until School Registration at 8.15 am held in the school dining hall.
For children in Year 1 upwards, after-school care runs every day from 3.30pm until the school closes at 6pm. The after-school care team aim to get children outside to free play in most weathers. High tea is provided at 4.30 pm, after which children can relax and watch television, play games, LEGO, read or enjoy crafting activities.
After-school care is charged in half-hour increments as children often use the service to wrap around the wealth of clubs and CCAs that they take part in every evening.
After-school care is run, managed by a dedicated team, and supported by our GAP students.
BILLING
For any matters related to billing please email finance@amesburyschool.co.uk
BREAKS
Reception children have regular supervised access to outdoor play and learning. In addition, they also have an outdoor playtime after lunch.
For the Pre-Prep and Prep Schools there is an outdoor playtime in the morning and at lunch time. Each area of the playground and the field is supervised by either a Teacher, a Teaching Assistant or a Gap Year student. The children are encouraged to play a wide variety of games. They are not, however, allowed to play games that are overly physical and likely to lead to injury.
In addition children that prefer quiet time during breaks can enjoy the library or Wellbeing Hub for quieter pursuits, and ‘chill time’. We are aware that, for some children, break times can be difficult, and the duty staff are briefed on any pastoral concerns and have a responsibility to look out for children who might be struggling socially.
For pupils in the Prep School, there is also a supervised workroom where children can go and catch up with their work. During wet weather each class has a ‘wet break’ box of games and activities to enjoy.
CAR PARKING & ACCESS
There are three car parks available at the School. The two car parks on Hazel Grove are accessed from the A3 Hindhead roundabout. The first of these is for use by the Pre-Prep families and is located next to the Early Years Building. The second car park is next to the Academic block. The ‘drop and go’ areas are clearly marked and should only be used for this purpose please.
The main car park is located opposite the cricket pitches with access via High Pitfold Lane. The gates are open 7.30-9.30am every morning. In the afternoons on Monday, Tuesday and Friday they are open between 3.006.30pm and on Wednesday and Thursday between 1.30-6.30pm. Outside of these hours, please press the control button, speak into the microphone and communicate with the School Office for access.
Restrictions: Please do not park anywhere on the driveway, grass or on the playing field area, unless instructed to do so. Parents are also requested not to park in restricted areas such as the spaces in front of emergency access gates. These are clearly marked.
Please do not park on Hazel Grove under any circumstances. One car parked on Hazel Grove causes congestion for others. We, as a school, would like to be viewed as considerate neighbours by local residents and we appreciate your cooperation.
CATERING
The school menu is designed to be healthy and nutritious making things from scratch using fresh vegetables and good quality ingredients. Nearly all of our meat is supplied by Kaighin and Daughter in Grayshott. We use eggs and milk from Hookley Farm in Elstead. Our fruit and vegetables are supplied by Fresh Connect in Betchworth. All of our bread is supplied by Liphook bakery.
All dietary requirements are catered for, and the Amesbury kitchen is an “allergen aware zone”. Any food intolerence or allergies should be disclosed and discussed with Matron.
Whilst every effort is made to minimize risk, and controls in place, we cannot guarantee that all risks are eliminated.
We do theme days to incorporate into the menus throughout the year, special try it days, with “different foods”, always a roast on Tuesdays, and fish and chip Fridays. In Trinity term we have BBQ’S on the lawn.
On a typical roast day, we would go through 45 kilos of potatoes, 40 kilos of meat and 20 kilos of fresh vegetables. Daily we use, 2 boxes of Apples, 1 box bananas, 4 trays peaches, 8 kilos pears and 20 kiwis.
MORNING SNACK
Snacks are available mid-morning, with water available all through the day. Children in Reception are also given a snack in the late afternoon. Snacks include homemade banana loaf, cheese and crackers, fresh baguette, milk shake and biscuits.
LUNCH
Years 1 and 2 are joined by Reception class in the Dining room, to eat together. The tables are set up with cutlery, water and pudding, and they come through to the counter to collect their plates.
Years 3-8 follow in the dining room, and children can choose from a range of options including a meat dish, vegetarian dish, salad bar, pasta, jacket potato and beans, fresh vegetables, homemade soup, fresh whole fruit and homemade pudding.
LOW TEA
Low tea is served to all pupils in years 5-8 who are staying in school for prep. This includes sandwiches, toasted cheese rolls, waffles, hot potatoes etc.
MATCH TEA
These are served in the dining hall with opposition teams, and include pasta bake, sausage rolls, hot dogs, and also a chocolate biscuit or cake, fresh whole fruit and water.
BIRTHDAYS
Homemade birthday cakes are made for the class and are served in the dining room at snack time on the special day.
CHAPEL
Amesbury is founded on Christian beliefs and traditions. The position of the Chapel, located in the centre of the school grounds, is symbolic of its importance within the community. Through the weekly Chapel services, the children become familiar with the beliefs of the Christian faith.
The service reflects the Christian foundation of the school and usually includes a reading from the Bible, a short talk, a prayer and two hymns. The children often help to lead the service through readings and drama. The Chapel Service provides an opportunity for quiet reflection and worship and is considered to play an important role in the spiritual development of the children.
Choral Evensong is a special service, held once a term, for each of the Year Groups. Choral Evensong is more formal than the weekly chapel service and includes an anthem sung by either the Junior, Senior and/or Chapel Choir. It is a lovely occasion and parents are very welcome. Formal wear is required to be worn to school on that day and pupils are expected to attend the Evensong for their year group.
Harvest Festival is a whole school event and parents are warmly invited to attend. Children in Years 5 to 8 contribute to a programme of songs and prayers in a celebration of thanksgiving. The service is held in the Sports Hall towards the end of October. The children are encouraged to contribute an offering of food, preferably home grown or locally produced items, as this is consistent with the environmental message that we are trying to communicate to the children.
The Carol Service is a traditional Advent Service for children in Years 3 to 8. The service is held at Charterhouse School Chapel. Parents are warmly invited to attend.
The Easter Service is a whole school event, which parents are welcome to attend. The service is held in the Sports Hall.
All times and dates are published in the School Calendar, accessed via iSams parent portal.
CHARITIES
Through our charity work our aim is to develop a caring community within the school by encouraging commitment, courtesy, co-operation, tolerance and compassion towards one another whilst understanding that each individual is a member of a wider community. We believe in the importance of pupils understanding what ‘charity’ means and greatly involve them in the charity decision-making process.
We support a variety charities, the primary charity to support is selected by the school council.
In addition to financially supporting the charities, we believe it is important for our pupils to understand that charity is not only concerned with fundraising but is also concerned with the giving of time, skills and effort and the creation of a charitable spirit.
COMPLAINTS POLICY
The School Complaints Policy is available to view within the Policy Section of the website.
CURRICULUM
RECEPTION
Reception class follows the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum, which sets the standards that all early years providers must deliver. It is designed to ensure that children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe. It promotes teaching and learning to ensure children develop the broad knowledge and skills that provide the right foundation for good future progress through school and life.
There are seven areas of learning development that must shape the educational programme. All areas of learning are important and interconnected.
The seven areas of learning are:
Prime Areas
• Communication and Language
• Physical Development
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development Specific Areas
• Literacy
• Maths
• Understanding the World
• Visual Arts and Performing Arts (music, dance & drama)
All children experience exciting adult led and continuous provision in all the seven areas of learning. Each area of learning is implemented through planned, purposeful activities and play provision. Play is essential for children’s development, building their confidence as they learn by to explore, to think about problems and relate to others. Children learn by leading their own play and by taking part in play which is guided by adults.
The Children’s work is documented in learning journals and on tapestry. Each piece of work has learning objective and is marked with a star and with the next step set for each child.
Pre-Prep
In Key Stage 1, the curriculum progresses from the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum and is no longer structured around the seven areas of learning, although they will continue to form an integral part of your child’s development. The curriculum is taught through topics as in Reception. These topics will be communicated to you at the beginning of each term so that you can complement your child’s learning at home if you so choose.
Literacy and Numeracy are still taught as separate subjects and they consolidate and develop the work taught in the Foundation Stage.
There will be a curriculum based Q & A evening for parents at the start of the Michaelmas Term. Dates will be featured in the School Calendar.
Prep
Year 3 and 4
In Year 3 and 4, the curriculum develops from the work done in Year 1 and 2. The essential skills of literacy and numeracy are still the central focus, with the addition of subject specialist teaching in Geography, History, RS, Science, Computing and French. Lessons are formally segmented into subjects and a timetable of lessons is published. The children move to different classrooms depending on the subject. There will be a Curriculum based Q & A evening for Parents at the start of the Michaelmas Term. Dates will feature in the School Calendar.
Year 5 and 6
The curriculum in Year 5 develops and progresses from the foundations laid in Year 3 and 4. The children are now taught in nearly all cases, by subject specialists for all lessons and move around the school to their classrooms rather than being based in one form room.
In Year 5, all pupils are prepared for 11+ Entrance Examinations and in Year 6, preparations start in the Michaelmas Term for pre-assessment tests for their 13+ Senior Schools. They are all prepared in Verbal and NonVerbal reasoning, English, Maths and Science (where appropriate). They will also continue with all their other subjects.
Year 7 and 8
In Year 7, the children will start the Prep School Baccalaureate (PSB). Full details of the PSB will be provided to you in a separate document. PSB information evenings are held by the Head and Head of PSB during the year, this includes PSBQ projects where senior schools are invited in to assess the children’s projects.
Throughout the year all children are assessed to see if they are on target. They will have formal examinations in the Michaelmas and Trinity Terms.
CURRICULUM- SCHOLARSHIPS
Amesbury School’s Gifted and Talented Program is an initiative designed to nurture the academic excellence of our most capable students. At the start of each academic year, the Deputy Head Academic identifies and places students on the gifted and talented register. To support these students and other, we employ several targeted strategies. Firstly, our Scholarship Program selects Year 7 and 8 students for specialised scholarship lessons in most academic subjects. In Maths and English one lesson a week is dedicated towards scholarship for those students, as well as additional sessions during Prep times or lunch breaks for other subjects. These scholars undertake various mock exams over the two years to prepare for their senior school scholarship exams. Secondly, we implement setting, with top sets established for Maths from Year 4-8, English from Year 5-8, and French in Year 7 and 8. Additionally, our Academic Colours system recognises outstanding achievement, where each Head of Department nominates 3-5 top students each term in their subject. Progress tests are taken and data collected throughout the year, to inform instructional decisions and setting placements, ensuring each child’s needs are meticulously met.
COMMUNICATION
Calendars
Parents can keep up to date on scheduled school events via the iSams Parent Portal.
Wednesday Weekly Email and Friday Newsletter
Important information and items requiring a parent response are published in a ‘Wednesday Weekly’ email. Details of what has taken place at the school that week as well as some forward looking information is published in the Amesbury Newsletter which is distributed via iSams each Friday.
Contacting Staff
All members of staff have access to email and voicemail. If an issue arises please use email to inform the class teacher that you need to speak with them, and then do so by telephone or face to face. Please do not use email to discuss contentious issues. You should expect to have a response to any query within 48 hours (during school hours) from the class teacher even if it is just an acknowledgement.
Email and Text Messages
We will use your mobile phone information and your email address supplied to us to send any urgent communications. Please ensure your details are kept up to date on the Parent Portal.
Parents’ Evening
Parents’ Evenings will be held during the year and dates will be shown in the school calendar. Parents’ Evening appointments are booked online. You will receive an email to advise you when you can make your appointment. The pastoral tutor/class teacher event takes place in person, whilst the more academically focused evening takes place virtually.
Parent Portal - website
This is the area to access information relating to your child’s academic life. e.g. school reports (end of Michaelmas and Trinity terms). The Amesbury Parent Portal is accessed through a secure system. You will be provided with a username and password. You will be able to access school correspondence such as the school calendar and term dates. As your child progresses through the school you will be able to access other information such as reports and timetable etc. If you have any questions or need technical support please email portalfeedback@amesburyschool.co.uk
Pastoral Care and Contact
Pastoral Care and Contact - Any pastoral concerns should be directed to the class teacher in the first instance who will communicate with the Head of Section and then if appropriate, Michael Armitage (Deputy Headmaster).
Sport Updates
All sport updates can be found in the Parent Area of Amesbury’s website under ‘Amesbury Sport’ ( via SOCS).
Social Media
Facebook: Our Facebook page is ‘Amesbury School’ or @amesburyschoolhindhead
We also have an Old Amesburian (OA) page for those pupils who have left the school to still keep in touch, along with a dedicated OA website to keep past pupils even more connected. @oldamesburians
Instagram: Our Instagram account is @AmesburySchool.
CURRICULUM EVENINGS
Curriculum evenings are held for Years 3-8 only, at the beginning of our Michaelmas term. Curriculum maps are published termly on the iSams parent portal.
There are various curriculum based informative events for parents taking place throughout the academic year, the details of which can be found in the School Calendar.
CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
The Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs) that are available to children from Reception through to Year 8 take place before, during and after the school day. Information on Co-Curricular Activities, including fees, are supplied in an additional booklet. Application and withdrawal forms are available from the School Office and within the Parent Area of the School website. Please contact co-curricular@amesburyschool.co.uk for further information.
FRIENDS OF AMESBURY
Whilst your child is making new friends at school, the Friends of Amesbury (FOA) offers an opportunity for you to do the same!
The group is responsible for welcoming and supporting new families, and for fostering a sense of community in the school principally by holding social events throughout the year. The committee is made up of two representatives from each year group (known as Class Reps) and they meet every half term. Reps are in their role for a calendar year and the Chair rotates every two years. All Amesbury parents are automatically offered the opportunity to connect with the FOA; your Class Rep will keep you up-to-date with any events and information about the FOA throughout the year. FAO organises many fun activities for just parents (Amesfest), or the whole family (annual camp out and children’s festival fun in the school’s grounds). When we organise these events we sometimes build in an element of fundraising to enable the school to buy some specialist items for the children.
Before your child starts school:
• School will provide you with the class rep contact details. Due to GDPR your details cannot be given to Class Reps. Please reach out to them directly, they will loop you into communications. They can then welcome you and your child to the school and will try to arrange for you to meet some of the other children and parents in the year group. Your Class Reps will also invite you to join the year group WhatsApp or email groups.
• Your Rep will be a great source of informal know-how about the school – particularly useful during the Summer Holidays when the school is closed!
When your child starts school:
• Your Class Reps guide you through your first year with reminders and information where necessary, such as uniform requirements for particular events.
• Each term, your Class Reps will organise a coffee morning and often an evening social event for your year group, so that you begin to get to know everyone.
• The school will hold a coffee morning at school after drop-off, once a term for each year group. Members of the Common Room will attend, to allow parents to communicate with the team in an informal setting.
While your child is at school:
• You can volunteer to be a Class Rep, get involved in social events or to help in another way – it’s a great way to meet new people and support the school.
• You can come along to our whole school social events – sometimes with your child and sometimes without.
• You can advertise to the parent body in our regular Amesbury Ads – you can sell musical instruments, bikes etc. that you no longer need, and for marketing your own business.
FUTURE SCHOOLS
Our pupils leave for a wide range of day and boarding schools in the immediate area and beyond. We begin the Future Schools process in Year 4, with individual parent meetings with the Head, with input from the whole Common Room. In 2023, pupils left the school for over 21 different senior schools, reflecting their individuality and the independence of Amesbury.
GOVERNING BODY
Amesbury is governed by a governing body consisting of a Chairman and up to fourteen fellow governors. There is a broad mix of skills and experience but with a strong emphasis on Business, Finance and Education. Full details and biographies are on Amesbury’s website.
HOLIDAY CLUB - RECEPTION
Amesbury offers 48 weeks a year care for your child while they are in Reception, this class is mixed with other children across Little Amesbury (aged 2-5 approximately). This involves three school terms (Michaelmas, Lent, Trinity) and then the Early Years Holiday Club (additional cost) running during the school holidays and halfterms.
The Early Years Holiday Club has a break in the Christmas week, Easter bank holiday and for the last two weeks in August in the Summer Holidays. The dates of these breaks are released when the school’s term dates are finalised. Term dates can be found on the school website and the school calendar.
You need to book your child in for Early Years Holiday Club sessions if you require them to be cared for during Half Term or in the school holidays. Booking forms are emailed to parents via the Wednesday Weekly email but are also available on the Parent Portal and Amesbury website under Holiday Courses or from the Finance Office. Please contact the Finance Office for further information. It is not necessary for school uniform to be worn to Early Years Holiday Club.
HOLIDAY CLUB - YEARS 1-4
Amesbury’s holiday club is available to children in Years 1 – 4 and operates during the main school holidays subject to demand. Officially we can cater for up to 16 children.
Amesbury also offer holiday tennis camps at every holiday and half term, run and operated by lead tennis coach Andy Warry. These are suitable for children from age 4-16.
Outdoor Amesbury offers limited forest school camps from age 4-7.
There are multi-sports camps and Amesbury partners with ‘Ultimate Activity Camps’ in the main school holidays.
HOME LEARNING EXPECTATIONS
Children really benefit when parents are actively involved in their education. The following outlines the expectation for home learning throughout the years at Amesbury.
Reception
Although children need to relax and play at the end of a busy day, we give the children the opportunity to consolidate and share their learning with their parents through different activities.
In Reception, they take home daily phonic activities to practise reading, writing and using each new letter sound. When children are ready, usually towards the end of the Michaelmas Term, we send home reading books, alongside sets of ‘tricky words’ to learn by sight.
Pre-Prep
Homework is kept to a minimum at Key Stage 1 as we believe that children are young for such a short time and should be encouraged to play and enjoy life as much as possible. They are therefore expected to read daily and are given weekly spellings as well as a simple maths/English/topic related task.
Preparatory
Years 3-4: As the children move into the Prep school, they continue to work on daily reading and weekly spelling tasks. They are also given a weekly piece of Maths mental arithmetic to complete.
Years 5-6: Typically in Years 5 and 6, the children are given Prep (or homework) tasks in English, Maths and Science each week. They may also be given smaller tasks in other subjects.
Years 7-8: With the children being of Senior School age, the demands on their time increase as they become more independent. Weekly English, Maths and Science continues to be set, as well as some prep tasks from other areas of the curriculum, for example French or Geography. For subjects beyond the ‘core’ it is typical for tasks to be completed over a week.
HOUSE SYSTEM
There are two houses at Amesbury, Henwood (Green) and Lawson (Blue). Children are allocated a house when they join Amesbury. Siblings will be in the same house, and where possible children will stay in the same house all the way through. However, depending on changes in the pupil demography we do revisit house allocation at Reception, Year 3 and Year 7.
The houses compete for the Bison Trophy and the various elements of the House Competitions reflect the overall curriculum of the school and include academic, artistic and sporting activities. Parents are welcome to support House competitions when space allows i.e. outdoor sporting competitions, house athletics.
ISAMS
iSams is the management information system the school uses for the registration of children and communication with parents. When you join the school you will be sent an email inviting you to activate your parent portal account. This is the source of vital communication with the school about your child, the calendar, trips and events and finance matters.
LEARNING SUPPORT DEPARTMENT
We have a well-established learning support department with an excellent team of Helen Arkell trained specialist assistant and teachers.
Learning support takes a variety of forms from a) simply ensuring that the general classroom practice of teachers is supportive of children with additional needs, via scaffolding, b) inclusive in-class support c) ‘little and often’ support in reading, phonics, and basic skills in maths, and finally d) small group or individual learning support with tailored multisensory lessons.
Learning support is overseen by the SENCo with a PG.Cert. NASENCo qualification (2022). The purpose of the SENCo’s role is to identify needs in literacy and numeracy, in conjunction with the Heads of English and Maths, Heads of Section, Form Tutors and subject teachers; allocate appropriate resources and oversee the timetabling of learning support lessons, ensure integration and inclusion in the wider curriculum, and to monitor and evaluate pupil, and departmental progress.
All children in the school are carefully monitored and new pupils who enter the school with an Educational Psychologist’s, Specialist Assessor’s or other outside agency’s report will be provided with an appropriate programme of support which addresses their learning needs, as identified by the outside professional and is agreed with parents.
Learning support one-to-one and small group lessons will be charged as an additional cost and invoiced in arrears as per the schedule of school fees.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Digital Vision - To champion the use of digital tools to educate and empower pupils for life in the 21st century.
Amesbury recognises that our pupils are growing up in a digital world. We therefore believe that their school life and the way that they learn should reflect that. Amesbury aims to model a balance of using digital tools and resources alongside more traditional ways to learn so that our pupils acquire lifelong learning habits and the ability to use digital tools effectively.
In practice that means that digital devices are available to all pupils in their classrooms as learning tools alongside the pens, pencils, exercise and textbooks. Pupils in Early Years and pre-prep have iPads in their classrooms, Years 3 and 4 have banks of laptops and iPads and pupils in Years 5 and above are loaned a 1:1 laptop which they use to support their learning in school and at home.
Pupils in EYFS to Year 4 use Purple Mash as their main creativity tool. Purple Mash is a suite of apps that make creating output a straightforward activity so that pupils can learn about the possibilities of digital tools without being required to master the complexities. They also use a range of other age-appropriate apps to broaden their experience and challenge them to reapply skills in different environments.
From Year 5 pupils use the Microsoft 365 cloud platform. All pupils have Amesbury accounts which can be used anytime, anywhere, on any device. They use Teams and have digital notebooks in all their lessons. Alongside the standard Microsoft tools, they also use apps such as Flip to create video responses to lessons, Wakelet to create and share banks of digital resources and Genially or Thinkglink to bring images to life with informational hotspots. All pupils can use a range of digital learning tools to ensure that they can access resources, exploring their own learning preferences and finding tools that suit them. They can personalise the page setup; dictate, type or write; use audio recordings, drawings or photographs; and listen to the text as well as reading it; making choices appropriate for them at that time, in that subject.
Across the school we promote age-appropriate digital communication and collaboration so pupils can work with others within and beyond school, learning teamwork and taking joint responsibility for outcomes.
All pupil activities, whether at home or at school, take place within a safe, filtered and monitored environment. This allows pupils to explore, knowing that mistakes are learning opportunities that help them to become discerning users of technology. They are encouraged to recognise the huge benefits of the internet whilst also being aware of the risks and being able to manage them.
Our overriding aim with all our use of digital devices and tools is to empower our pupils and equip them with the skills and understanding to learn, work and live in the 21st century.
IT LAPTOP LOAN
From Year 5 your child will be issued with a school laptop on a loan basis. This is a necessary piece of school equipment and your child will be expected to bring this to school daily, fully charged and ready for use. To complement the laptop, please provide wired in-ear headphones with a microphone. The terms and conditions of the loan were outlined in the parental contract - and are summarised below:
This device is provided on a long-term loan, for the duration of the academic year, but remains the property of Amesbury.
It is expected that all reasonable care will be taken of the item in accordance with the following guidelines:
• When in transit outside of school, if travelling by car, the device is stored out of sight.
• All essential software will be installed by the school.
• The laptop must remain in its carry case when being transported.
• The laptop is not to be defaced. The asset tracking and name labels must not be removed.
• The Amesbury IT department may occasionally ask for access to the device to perform maintenance.
The laptop comes with a comprehensive warranty that covers breakage through faulty components and the school’s insurance policy covers theft of the device whilst on the school premises. There is an excess charge of £100 should the laptop become damaged and require repair. The full cost of a replacement device will be levied should the device be lost whilst not on the school premises or be damaged beyond the point of repair. In these instances, we will add the amount to your next invoice once the repairs are complete or replacement sourced. The device will be returned at the end of the academic year.
LIBRARY
Reception
Each class has dedicated library and story times in which to explore the books. In addition, the children in Reception are encouraged at each visit to select a book from the Pre-Prep Library to take home and share on a weekly basis.
Pre-Prep
Pupils in Years 1 and 2 have exclusive use of their own library. The books on these shelves will engage, delight, fascinate and entertain children.
Children at this age still enjoy the role of storytelling through pictures and there is a large selection of storybooks to explore. However, the transition into Years 1 and 2 is not just a practical one. During this time the children are evolving as readers. There is a large volume of fiction titles that reflect this natural progression in becoming emergent and developing readers, vital for this learning stage. A variety of fiction for more confident readers is also available.
Continuity ensures that the children have dedicated library time and are able to select books of their choice. The non-fiction titles mirror the topic work that is studied at these levels and the children browse these to aid and support their work in class. Again, children are encouraged to borrow books from the library to take home to share, or read independently.
In addition, children from EYFS and KS1 have a weekly library slot in our Prep School Library, Austen’s, where they can enjoy storytelling with their teachers.
Prep
Within Austen’s Library there is a wide selection of both recent and classic books for children to borrow, ranging from the latest picture books through to older read novels for Year 7 and 8, with everything in between! We also boast a wide range of non-fiction books, some of which are linked to the National Curriculum, thus providing opportunities for wider reading around a topic, and others have been selected to spark an interest in a new subject area. The school also subscribes to a number of magazines and children are able to visit the library during break and lunchtimes and browse these periodicals. Pupil librarians enjoy their role in helping to run the library and are on hand, with members of staff, to support children with their book choices.
LOST PROPERTY
We encourage children to look after their possessions and there are structures and systems in place to help them to do this. Inevitably, however, within a community the size of Amesbury items do, from time to time, go missing. If your son/daughter has lost an item, please encourage him/her to think through his/her movements and to check in the lost property boxes that are located outside the Medical Centre or changing rooms. Should a named item be found unclaimed, the Medical Centre will email parents directly. If the item cannot be traced, please inform your Child’s Tutor who will then take appropriate steps to coordinate a school search. For this process to work, it is essential that all items brought to school are clearly named.
MEDICAL CENTRE
Amesbury has a well provisioned medical centre, run by our Head of Mental Health and Wellbeing, Mrs Jo Clark. Working alongside her is Mrs Anna Brown; both are Registered Nurses and are also paediatric and adult first aid trained. Any medical concerns that arise during the school day are dealt with promptly and once assessed, pupils may return to lessons or if needed, parents will be contacted to collect them to go home or to see a GP or to hospital. It is important to note that the role of the school nurse is not to diagnose or comment on or alter prescribed medication or treatment plans. Whenever a medical condition requires collaborative care, the nurses will happily engage to ensure appropriate support to specialist medical teams.
When a pupil is enrolled, a medical questionnaire must be completed before their first day starting at the school. This form is sent by the admissions office and must be completed in full, with details or any medical information, food/dietary allergies or requirement plus all medication needs. Updates or changes should then be emailed to medical@amesburyschool.co.uk to be noted on their medical record thereafter.
Amesbury operates an electronic medical email alert system for treatment that is carried out in the medical centre. This includes details of treatment given and is particularly relevant where an injury includes concussion risk or the need for pain relief and follow up care. The school nurses may need to speak directly to a parent or a guardian to discuss care during the school day and will then telephone. It is therefore imperative that contact details are kept up to date at all times.
Should a pupil require prescription medication during school hours it must be submitted in its original packaging, accompanied by a consent form that can be collected from the school office. During off-site trips or residentials, medication will then be signed over to the duty first aider for that trip. This extends to boarding for the older year groups.
If a pupil requires emergency medication such as inhalers or Adrenaline Auto Injectors (AAIs), they must be handed to the medical centre and will be kept in the accessible emergency medication store. They will then be taken on all trips and fixtures and inhalers will be collected ahead of sporting events by the Games Department staff.
MINI BUSES
Services currently run on routes from Farnham, Guildford, Petersfield, Godalming and Haslemere. For latest information on routes and booking please contact reception@amesburyschool.co.uk.
PERFORMING ARTS
Performing Arts is at the heart of Amesbury and its continuing success lies in developing a culture where every child feels at home onstage expressing themselves through the medium of music, drama and dance. The ultimate aim being that they are confident to express ideas or their point of view. It is taught throughout the curriculum from Reception – Year 8 with an extensive co-curricular programme running alongside it. We strive to find performing opportunities for all Amesburians and as such, each year group performs an annual show. Performing Arts is not a bolt-on at Amesbury – it is an integral part of the curriculum and is delivered by specialist teachers.
What this enables us to do is not only to focus on developing skills in all three disciplines but also allows us to teach all children about the process of putting on a production. Through rehearsal and performance etiquette in line with our school values, our children learn to understand leadership, risk-taking, collaboration, respect and perseverance and are recognised for achievements in these fields. Creativity is at the forefront of everything we do and children take an active role in devising productions through scriptwriting, composition and choreography.
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO
We do allow parents to photograph and/or video their children at events/matches etc. However, parents are advised to have child protection issues at the forefront of their mind when doing so.
No photographs or videos should be placed in the public domain, nor should there be any way in which the names/addresses of pupils can be associated with such photographs. Also, please be conscious of the wider audience’s desire to watch a production.
The School’s policy on Taking, Using & Storing of Images is available on our website. You are required to sign the permission form on joining Amesbury.
POLICIES
All of the school policies can be found on Amesbury’s website, they are regularly updated.
REPORTS
Full reports are written at the end of the Michaelmas and Trinity terms. They are available through the Parent Portal.
SAFEGUARDING
The Safeguarding Policy is available on the school website under the School Policy section within the Parent Area. The Safeguarding Team at Amesbury are:
• Jill Tait-Harris, Safeguarding and Child Protection Governor
• Michael Armitage, Deputy Head – Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
• Nick Randall, Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL)
• Jo Clark, Head of Mental Health and Wellbeing
• Tony Sharps, E-Safety Officer
• Lucy Noe, Head of Section
• Sam Hopwood, Head of Pre-Prep
• Lucy Ashton, Head of Section
• Michelle Thurley, Head of Little Amesbury
REWARDS & SANCTIONS
Pre-Prep
Children in Pre-Prep are rewarded through verbal praise, a class ‘marble jar’ and sometimes stickers. Class Charters are designed to reinforce positive behaviour, and if they are not adhered to, the behaviour will be discussed with the children by the class teacher.
Prep
The reward system applies to children in Years 3-8. The following skills/attitudes have been identified as important in the pupils’ development. However, not all these skills are equally appropriate/important to children in Year 3:
• Collaboration
• Commitment
• Community
• Curiosity
• Leadership
• Perseverance
These skills/attitudes are rewarded through the platform as house points.
• Reflection
• Research
• Risk Taking
Parents are able to review and monitor house points and so are able to support the school in their child’s development.
Low Level Disruption (Year 3-8)
Amesbury School believes that positive relationships are the key to positive behaviour.
Children will be awarded House Points to reward effort in class and positive behaviour towards others.
We have high expectations of children’s’ behaviour and appropriate sanctions in line with the behaviour policy will be applied for the following:
• Anti-social behaviour
• Appearance
• Distracting learning
• Repetitive issue
SPEECH DAY
• Unkind behaviour
This takes place on the Saturday of the last week of the Trinity Term and is publicised in the School Calendar. All pupils in Year 3-8 attend. They are required to wear formal wear. The dress code for Parents is formal.
SCHOOL UNIFORM
Amesbury’s uniform (excluding sports kit) has been completely refreshed.
We advise new parents to obtain the new uniform from www.schoolblazer.com, we have a dedicated booklet online explaining the various combinations of uniform for different year groups that is fully illustrated and regularly updated.
The school uniform shop holds stock of some items which are not discontinued e.g. blue school coats, tartan.
SPORTS KIT
The sport kit is available to buy through a dedicated Amesbury online shop which can be accessed directly via www.serious-stuff.com. The password is TEAMAMESBURY
Certain items such as the Amesbury locker bag, black and white games socks, Amesbury name tapes and draw string bags will be available to purchase through the school uniform shop ‘AS Uniform’ and they are marked on the kit list with a double asterisk These can be accessed by emailing m.marriott@amesburyschool.co.uk
* - Purchase from Amesbury online shop
** - Purchase from AS Uniform
Please see the Uniform section of the Parent Area of the website for specific year group uniform requirements.
We have also supplies of second hand sports uniform which can be obtained by emailing: shu@amesburyschool.co.uk
SPORT
Reception
Reception has two half hour sessions a week; one of PE and one of Games. All these take place with a member of the Physical Education Department.
Pre-Prep
Pupils in Year 1 & 2 have one hour of PE and one hour of Games each week with a member of the Physical Education Department.
Prep
All children at Amesbury are actively involved in sports fixtures against other schools from Years 3 onwards.
Matches take place each Wednesday (Years 5-8) and Thursday (Years 3-4) afternoons and all children will be involved in these. Our selection policy states that teams are selected on sporting merit (ability), when a pupil is in between teams a rotation is applied in order to maximize participation. We also have a ‘sport for all’ approach. This means we aim to field all boys and girls each week on fixtures when possible. There are exceptional circumstances when this cannot happen when matching numbers of other schools. All have the opportunity to move up across teams should they display continuous progress and their skill demonstrates that they are ready to compete at a higher level, this is based not just solely on match performance but in games lessons as well.
Within our Sports section found on the Parent Area of our website you will be able to find information on all sporting fixtures, team sheets and sporting venues.
Should there be any last minute changes to match venues or times, this will be communicated to parents via a text message. Match reports will be posted on the school’s website each week.
Match Teas
It is School Policy that children representing Amesbury in school sports teams are required to attend Match Tea, for both Home and Away fixtures. May we take this opportunity to explain why Match Teas are so important.
The match itself is only one part of the educational experience. It is also vital that pupils learn how to respond appropriately to the result. Sitting down opposite an opponent, whether you have won or lost and learning to enjoy their company is important; learning to be modest in victory and gracious in defeat matters.
It is for these reasons that we ask parents:
• Not to request for children to miss tea on match days unless it is absolutely necessary.
• Not to enter the dining room until the children have been excused. It is in effect a ‘lesson’ in progress.
Spectators
We are lucky to enjoy lots of parental support on the touchline, and most of the time it is loud, hugely enthusiastic and frequently very humorous. However, three key points:
• Encourage all players, irrespective of their ability, and for whichever team they play.
• Respect the umpire’s or referee’s decisions.
• Please leave the coaches to coach.
ABOVE ALL, please remember that this is not professional sport. They are young children and they are learning. Winning is not the be all and end all of fixtures.
Collection after matches
For safety reasons, the Games Department has been instructed to only excuse pupils from the Academic Block unless a parent has signed them out from the away venue. Under no circumstances are children allowed to walk to the car parks to be dismissed.
We very much look forward to seeing you all on the side-lines.
Please inform the School Office if your child is being collected by another parent.
SCHOOL COUNCIL
The School Council plays an important role in school life at Amesbury. As well as providing leadership opportunities for children, particularly in Year 7 and 8, it enables pupils to take an active part in school decisionmaking. It reinforces the principle that children have rights, including the right to have their opinions taken into account in decisions that concern them. It provides a forum through which pupils play an active part in democratic and electoral processes.
The School Council is chaired by the Head Boy and Head Girl and includes two children (one boy, one girl) from each Year Group (Years 3-7), The Head of House Competition and Head of Pupil Personal Development oversee the School Council.
We believe the School Council provides an opportunity for pupils to develop important life skills. This is done through active listening, learning to show empathy, acceptance of different opinions, learning to find consensus and compromise and also initiating and taking responsibility for specific projects. The School Council also provides an opportunity for the children to experience what it is like to engage in a democratic process.
Part of the School Council’s responsibility is to develop the charities programme. During the year there are various charity events including assemblies and year group charity challenges, culminating in Charity Day at the end of Trinity term.
STRUCTURE OF THE SCHOOL DAY
Reception
7.30am – 8.00am Reception Breakfast Club in the Dining Hall
8.15am – 8.50am (optional) Magic mile / exercise time
8.45am – 9.00am Registration
9.00am – 10.15am Morning session
10.15am – 10.30am Break
10.30am – 12.00pm Second morning session
12.00pm – 1.30pm Lunch and break time
1.30pm – 3.00pm Afternoon session
3.00pm – 3.30pm Storytime and snack
3.30pm Pick up or After School Care until 6pm
Years 1 & 2
7.30am – 8.00am Breakfast Club in the Dining Hall (optional)
8.00am – 8.15am Pupils to classroom
8.30am – 9.30am Registration & Lesson 1
9.30am – 10.30am Lesson 2
10.30am – 11.00am Break
11.00am – 12.00pm Lesson 3
12.00pm – 1.00pm Lunch and break
1.00pm – 1.30pm Lesson 4
1.30pm – 2.30pm Lesson 5
2.30pm – 3.30pm Lesson 6
3.30pm – 3.45pm Story Time
3.45pm Pick up
3.45pm – 6.00pm After School Care (optional)
Years 3 & 4
7.30am – 8.00am Breakfast Club in the Dining Hall (optional)
8.00am Academic Block doors open
8.00am – 8.15am Pupils to classroom
8.25am – 8.30am Tutor Registration
8.30am – 9.30am Lesson 1
9.30am – 10.30am Lesson 2
10.30am – 11am Break
11.00am – 12.00pm Lesson 3
12.00pm – 12.45pm Lesson 4
12.45pm – 2.00pm Lunch and break
2.00pm – 2.30pm Tutor Time / Assembly
2.30pm – 3.30pm Lesson 5
3.30pm – 3.45pm Tutor Time
3.45pm Pick up
3.45pm – 6.00pm After School Care (optional)
Please note the school closes at 6.00pm.
Years 5 - 8
7.30am – 8.00am Breakfast Club in the Dining Hall (optional)
3.30pm – 4.30pm Lesson 6 4.30pm – 4.45pm Tutor Time
4.45pm – 5.00pm Low Tea (if staying for prep)
5.00pm – 5.45pm Prep (optional)
SCHOOL FEES EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 2024
Please see Amesbury’s website for the fullest detail on fees and other charges which may apply
www.amesburyschool.co.uk/admissions/fees
RECEPTION AND PRE PREP
Reception
Year 1
Year 2
£4,500 per term
£4,545 per term
£4,545 per term
PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5 – 8
£6,015 per term
£6,410 per term
£6,945 per term
SIBLING DISCOUNT AND OTHER DISCOUNTS
For new families from September 2024 where two or more children from a single family attend Amesbury at the same time, a sibling discount scheme offers a 5% reduction in the day fee for the second child and a 10% reduction in the day fee for the third and any further child. Where a child has a parent who themselves attended Amesbury for a minimum of four years, a discount of 10% of the day fee is applied. Where a child has a parent who is a current serving member of the armed forces, a discount of 10% of the day fee is applied.
SEN LESSONS
SEN individual lessons will be charged as an additional cost at the rate of £32.50 per hour and invoiced in arrears. Group lessons are charged at £14.25 per hour.
BURSARIES:
AMESBURY FOUNDATION
The Amesbury Foundation fund is a restricted fund in the Trust’s accounts, devoted to providing means-tested Bursaries to those who could not otherwise afford an Amesbury education for their child. Applications should be made to the bursar.
AFTER SCHOOL CARE COSTS
Charged at £3.75 per half hour for regular bookings.
BREAKFAST CLUB COSTS
Daily charge with or without breakfast £5.00.
TRANSITION
From Reception up into Year 2 children are in an allocated class cohort and they remain in that same class until the end of Year 2. The classes are mixed at the end of Year 2 on entry into Year 3, where they join a tutor group. Under normal circumstances, this continues into Year 4.
Adjustments are made as they join Year 5 and then children remain in these groups but with different Tutors in Year 6. When children reach Year 7 they remain in their Tutor Groups with the same Tutor for the last two years of their time at Amesbury. The children enjoy the stability of being in the same class for two years, but by changing classes every two years, the year group remains just that, ‘a year group’ as opposed to separate groups within the same year.
TRIPS
School trips form an integral part of topic work. Prior to such a visit you will be sent a letter and consent form to sign via the school website. It is essential that permission is given before pupils are able to take part in any school trip. Such trips usually incur a charge, which is put on the end of term invoice. The leadership trip in Year 7/8 is included in budgets and the Year 8 trip is heavily subsidised.
MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Amesbury integrates pastoral and wellbeing support into every aspect of school life, working closely with parents as a team around the child. We have a dedicated Head of Mental Health and Wellbeing, Mrs Clark, who runs the schools’ wellbeing support programme. Our provision of care includes small group or individually tailored pupil support sessions, peer mentoring across the school, staff mental health training and regular parent talks on a wide range of topics. Pupils may need additional support for a number of reasons and having a dedicated member of staff available, means we can provide focused support in a timely and individually tailored manner. Mrs Clark works closely with all our teaching staff and each Head of Section- supporting the Deputy Head Pastoral and the school clinical psychologist who visits weekly.
The Wellbeing Hub is part of school life, it is there to ensure that every member of the school community receives robust pastoral, social and emotional support. The Wellbeing Hub prioritises mental and physical health. It includes three essential components: The Wellbeing Hub itself: A nurturing environment where students engage in wellbeing activities, seek guidance, and connect with peers. The Hub Garden: A tranquil outdoor space designed for relaxation, reflection, and rejuvenation and finally the Medical Centre: A dedicated space equipped to address health needs promptly and effectively.
Amesbury School is a trailblazer in the provision of mental health and wellbeing support to primary-school-aged children, being one of the first independent prep schools in the county to establish this dedicated function. In addition to addressing the root cause of isolated worries and concerns, the school focuses on equipping children with essential tools for managing their feelings at an early age and building resilience through whole character development. Pupils who are receiving additional mental health or wellbeing support may engage in activities such as sensory gardening, ARTiculate, pet therapy, walk and talks, peer mentoring sessions, drop-in social clubs and arts/crafts.
www.amesburyschool.co.uk
Hazel Grove, Hindhead, Surrey, GU26 6BL, 01428 604322
