Parents' Handbook 2023/24

PARENTS’ HANDBOOK

2023 - 2024

Welcome toAshfold

We are delighted that you have chosen Ashfold for your child and we are looking forward to welcoming you and your family.

This booklet is designed to provide you with information you may need before your child joins the School. It also contains lots of practical information that will continue to be useful after your child starts at Ashfold.

If you have any questions that are not answered by this booklet, please do contact our Registrar, Fiona Grainge, on 01844 238237 or registrar@ashfoldschool.co.uk and she will be very happy to help. Our Admissions Office is open throughout the year, including the school holidays.

Induction Morning for New Children and Parents

Our induction morning will be held on Wednesday 5th July. Your child will be invited to join their class for the morning, whilst parents enjoy a series of short meetings, drinks and an informal tour of the school showing the ‘unseen’ areas such as drop off areas etc.

Dates for your Diary

You will receive invitations to a number of social and information events at the start of the Autumn term, to meet other families and help you settle into the school community.

Our Key Dates page for parents can be found in the Parents’ Area section of our website.

The Parents’ Area is password protected and Fiona Grainge will send you the login details. (Note this password is different to the one for the Parent Portal issued from our IT Department).

QUICK GUIDE TO ASHFOLD

Ashfold Year Groups

Your child will be placed in a year group according to his/her age on 1 September 2023.

School Website

Please take time to explore our website (www.ashfoldschool.co.uk) which gives an overview of the School and contains lots of useful information for parents, such as the latest version of the Parents’ Handbook, in the Information Hub under the Information section on our website.

School Policies

Our school policies are reviewed regularly. The most important policies can be found in the About Us section of our website.

YOUR CHILD’S FIRST DAY

New Pre-Prep Children (Pre-Prep 1, Pre-Prep 2, Prep-Prep 3 & Pre-Prep 4)

Staff will be on hand to welcome you outside the Pre-Prep Building from 8.15am onwards. We will help you and your child settle in and explain the routine.

Registration will take place at 8.30am. If your child is attending a morning only session in Pre-Prep I, the day ends after lunch at 12.45pm. Please refer to the table on page 12 for collection times.

All Pre-Prep children will need:

• A named book bag – children can attach one or two key rings to personalise their bag, if they wish.

• A school coat and wellington boots – these should be kept in school at all times.

Children in Pre-Prep 1, Pre-Prep 2 and Pre-Prep 3 will also need their PE kit stored in a green kit bag. Please bring this to the classroom on the first day – we will show the children where to hang their bags. We also recommend that children in Pre-Prep 1 have a spare set of PE kit in their kit bag in case of accidents.

Children in Pre-Prep 4 will also need:

• PE kit and Games kit stored in a kit bag. Please bring this to the classroom on the first day – we will show the children where to store their kit in the changing rooms in the Sports Hall. Thereafter, they should take their kit to the changing rooms in the Sports Hall every Monday before registration.

• A small named pencil case containing HB pencils, coloured pencils, a pencil sharpener, rubber and 15cm ruler.

New Junior Children (Forms 1 & 2)

Please accompany your son or daughter to the Saloon, where you will be greeted by Fiona Grainge and your child’s Buddy, who will take your child to their Form Room and help them settle in. On subsequent days, please drop your child by the entrance to the Junior Department, Creedo’s Porch, and let them come into class by themselves.

Registration will take place at 8.15am and please refer to the table on page 12 for collection times.

All children in Form 1 will need:

• A named school book bag or rucksack.

• A named pencil case containing HB pencils, coloured pencils, a pencil sharpener, rubber and 30cm ruler, a set of coloured fine liners and an ink pen (we recommend the Lamy ABC fountain pen) with blue ink cartridges.

• A school coat, wellington boots and pair of trainers for break time – these should be kept in school at all times.

• PE kit and Games kit – which will be taken to the changing room during the morning, by your son or daughter accompanied by their Buddy.

New Senior Children (Forms 3 - 6)

Please accompany your son or daughter to the Saloon, where you will be greeted by Fiona Grainge and your child’s Buddy. On subsequent days, please let them make their own way into class.

Registration will take place at 8.15am and please refer to the table on page 12 for collection times.

Children in Forms 3 & 4 will need:

• A named school rucksack.

• A named pencil case containing HB pencils, coloured pencils, a pencil sharpener, rubber, 30cm ruler, a set of coloured fine liners and an ink pen with blue cartridges.

• PE kit and Games kit – please drop this off in the changing rooms in the Sports Hall before registration.

• A school coat, wellington boots and pair of trainers for break time – these should be kept in school at all times.

Children in Forms 5 & 6 will need:

• A named rucksack or bag.

• A named pencil case containing HB pencils, coloured pencils, a pencil sharpener, rubber, 30cm ruler, a set of coloured fine liners and an ink pen with blue cartridges.

• A named CASIO Fx-83Gt Plus Scientific Calculator (or similar).

• PE kit and Games kit – which will be taken to the changing room during the morning, by your son or daughter accompanied by their Buddy.

• A school coat, wellington boots and pair of trainers for break time – these should be kept in school at all times.

YOUR CHILD’S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

The School Surgery

The Surgery is open daily, Monday to Friday, 8.00am – 6.00pm and is situated on the ground floor of the Mansion, near the Bursary. Our Matron, Abigail Roffey, and our Assistant Matron, Rachael Vosper-Brown, deal with any medical issues and dietary requirements and provide first aid treatment for all children. They are available at all times during the school day and look after unwell or injured children until their parents/carers are able to collect them.

If your child requires medication during the school day or while they are boarding, please visit the Surgery so that you can sign a consent form and hand in the medicines. If your child requires medication during boarding hours, this will be administered by our Houseparent, Amelia Franklin.

Please ensure that you keep Matrons informed of any new medical issues or any changes to current treatment or medication. This allows us to maintain up to date health records and enables us to take an active interest in your child’s health.

The Matrons are always happy to chat about any issue, large or small. Please feel free to contact them on 01844 238237 or matron@ashfoldschool.co.uk

Absence from School/Off Games

Illness and unplanned absence

If your child is ill, please let us know each morning that they are off school by emailing absences@ashfoldschool.co.uk.

If your child is signed up for boarding and/or evening activities but will not be attending, please let us know by emailing absences@ashfoldschool.co.uk.

Planned absence

Please make any requests for planned absence to the Deputy Head, by emailing absences@ashfoldschool.co.uk.

Off Games

If your child needs to be ‘Off Games’, please let us know by emailing absences@ashfoldschool.co.uk and do pop into Surgery if you wish to speak to Matron.

School Food

All our meals are freshly prepared, using locally sourced produce where possible and home-cooked by our catering staff. Our weekly lunch menus can be found in the Information section of our website. At lunchtime, we provide three options and choices can be made by completing our Lunch Menu Form, in the Information Hub (Forms for Parents) under the Information section of our website and returning it to Reception at the start of term.

Anti-bullying Policy

Bullying is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in any form at Ashfold. A copy of our Anti-Bullying Policy can be found in the About Us section of our website.

COMMUNICATIONS

Who to contact after your child has started at Ashfold

Your child’s Form Teacher or Tutor has overall responsibility for his/her welfare and development and is your first port-of-call for any queries. If you wish to contact other members of staff, you will find email addresses for all teaching staff and key support staff in the Staff Directory in the About Us section of our website. If you have any general queries or are unsure of the best person to contact, please contact Reception on 01844 238237 or reception@ashfoldschool.co.uk.

Parent Contact Details

It is essential that we are able to contact you during the school day. Please notify Reception on reception@ashfoldschool.co.uk as soon as possible if you change your address, home telephone or mobile numbers.

School Website

Under the Parents’ Area tab, on our school website, you will find the following details - Sports Fixtures, Key Dates, Weekly Mailing, FASTI and Staff Contact Details. This is a password protected area and Fiona Grainge will send the password to you before the start of term.

Weekly Mailing

Our Weekly Mailing contains letters to parents, bulletins and other important information. You will receive a link to the latest mailing via email every Friday during term.

The Hoot

Our weekly newsletter, ‘The Hoot’, is emailed to parents every Friday afternoon and is full of photos, videos and exciting news of everything going on in and out of the school. The Hoot is also found on the website under the News tab. Parents are encouraged to send in content to jaqui.bursnall@ashfoldschool.co.uk.

Social Media

We invite you to join our Ashfold Community on social media and follow our daily stories on Facebook (@AshfoldSchool), Twitter (@AshfoldSchool) and Instagram (@AshfoldSchool).

Parent Portal

The Parent Portal can be accessed via the link at the top of the home page of our website. The email address that you have provided will be used to generate your password for the Parent Portal. You will receive login details from our IT Department after your child starts at Ashfold and will then be able to check your contact details and access your child’s school reports.

Pupil Portal

The Pupil Portal contains learning resources for children in Form 1 upwards and can be accessed via the home page of our website. Your child will be responsible for using his/her own password. We regularly remind children not to share their passwords, except with their parents. Children in Forms 1 and 2 may need your support initially but we expect that by Form 3, children will be self-sufficient at accessing and using the online resources. The Portal also enables children in Form 1 upwards to access their school-managed email. For safeguarding, all messages in and out of their accounts are collected for review and email use is strictly limited to school matters. The accounts are restricted to accept pupil and teacher email and whitelisted services (e.g. resetting their own Vocab Express password) only. The pupil portal also enables pupils in Forms 3-6 to access their prep and revision materials on the school’s Microsoft Teams sites.

Ashfold Parents’ Committee (APC)

Our Parents’ Committee has a representative in each year group who helps new families settle into life at Ashfold. Your APC representative will be in touch with you shortly and will be happy to answer any questions you may have. The names of all the Form Representatives can be found in the Community section of our website. APC also organises social events throughout the year for Ashfold parents so please do keep an eye out for their events in our weekly mailing. APC use an online system called Classlist, which will enable parents to contact other parents in their child’s year group safely and securely and to keep up to date with events organised by Form Reps and APC. You will receive more information from the APC about Classlist over the summer.

Buddies

All children joining Forms 1– 6 will be allocated a Buddy (a child in their Form) who will be responsible for looking after them when they first arrive at the School.

Houses

Your child will join one of our three Houses: Dragons, Gryphons and Lions. We will write to you confirming their House. Please note that siblings usually join the same House. There are many inter-House competitions during the year covering all aspects of school life. Children can earn Merits for their Houses by participating in these and other events. At the end of each term, the House with the most Merits wins the prestigious House Challenge Cup. In Forms 1 – 6 there is a House Feast on the evening of the first Friday of the following term for the winning house. In the Pre-Prep, children celebrate with a House Treat during the first House Assembly of term.

CALENDAR AND EVENTS

School Calendar

The school calendar is known as the Fasti. You will receive a printed copy of the Fasti at the start of each term and a digital copy can be found in the Parents’ Area of our website.

There is also a Key Dates section on the website which is updated regularly and can be found in the Parents’ Area of our website.

Term dates and key dates for parents can be found at the front of the Fasti, please note that these are accurate at the time of printing.

Sports Fixtures

Children in Forms 1 - 6 play competitive matches against local schools. Children in Forms 1 - 2 play matches on Tuesday afternoons and Forms 3 – 6 play matches on Wednesday afternoons.

Our ethos is to involve everyone so that each child has the opportunity to represent the School. We welcome your support at school fixtures and at sports events throughout the year.

Information about forthcoming fixtures can be found on SOCS on the Sports Fixtures tab in the Parents’ Area on our website.

Just click on an individual fixture for the venue, directions and any additional notes. You can also add the SOCS website link to your smartphone.

We post team sheets on SOCS and on the noticeboard outside the Staff Room by 5pm on Mondays.

SCHOOL UNIFORM

Our school uniform is supplied by Svensons. To order, please go to: www.stevensons.co.uk

Once you have signed up for an account, you will be able to search for Ashfold Specific items of clothing, including our sports kit, which is supplied by PlayerLayer. Both school uniform and sports kit can be ordered from this supplier.

Uniform lists can be found on the School Uniform page in the Information section of our website. Please ensure that all items of uniform are clearly named.

Our Second-hand Uniform Shop is located through Clock Court (to the left of the Mansion) and is run by the Ashfold Parents Committee (APC). The Shop will be open at certain times during the summer holidays and during term time from 8.00 – 9.00am, on Mondays and Thursdays.

Please check the School Uniform page in the Information section of our website for holiday opening times or contact Fiona Grainge if you would like to book a time to visit the Shop.

Sports Kit

Pre-Prep 1 – Pre-Prep 3: Children should keep their PE kit in their green bags and store the bags on their pegs in the Pre-Prep Building.

Pre-Prep 4 - Form 6: Children should store their PE and Games kit in the Sports Hall changing rooms. Each child has a named locker for their kit.

Mouth-guards should be stored in a carry case and left in the pocket of your child’s kit bag.

Rugby/football boots should be stored in the boot rack in the changing rooms (Pre-Prep 4, Form 1 and Form 2 boys) and the boot rack located to the right of the entrance to the Sports Hall (Forms 3 – 6 boys).

ALL SPORTS KIT MUST BE CLEARLY NAMED.

Lost Property

Lost property is kept in wicker baskets under the oak table outside the Staff Room. Please contact Matron first and then your child’s Form Teacher or Tutor if your child has lost anything.

THE SCHOOL DAY

The School Day

Pre-Prep: Staff are on hand to supervise children from 8.15am. The school day starts with registration at 8.30am. If you arrive late for school, please report to Matron in the Surgery before accompanying your child to their classroom.

Forms 1 - 6: Staff are on hand to supervise children from 8.00am. The school day starts with registration at 8.15am. Any child arriving late for school must report to Matron in the Surgery before going to their classroom.

Collection times vary according to year groups:

Form

Pre-Prep 1

Pre-Prep 2 & 3

Pre-Prep 4

Forms 1 & 2

Forms 3-6

Collection Time

12.45pm (Morning session ends after lunch)

3.15pm (Full day ends)

3.15pm

Optional activities ending at 4.15pm

4.15pm (Mon & Tues)

3.15pm (Wed, Thurs & Fri)

Optional activities Wed, Thurs & Fri ending at 4.15pm

4.30pm* / 5.20pm (Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri)

3:25pm (Wed)

5.20pm* / 6.00pm (Mon, Tues, Thurs)

5:20pm (Fri)

Notes

Parents can choose to pick children up at the times marked*. 5.20pm finish on a Friday (No Prep) for Forms 3-6. Form 1 and 2 may have matches on Tuesdays. Collection times also vary on match days. Please check the team sheets in SOCS on the Sports Fixtures page on the website or on your smartphone for estimated pick-up times after matches. An outline of the school day for each year group can be found in the Information section of our website.

SAFE Drop-off and Pick-up

The speed limit on site is 10mph. Please observe this limit and help us keep your children safe.

Drop-off

To ease congestion in the mornings, we encourage Pre-Prep parents to park on the entrance drive and Forms 1 – 6 parents to park on the exit drive.

• Pre-Prep Parents: Please park and walk your children over to the Pre-Prep Building.

• Forms 1 – 6 Parents: Once you and your child are familiar with the morning routine, we strongly encourage you to use the Drop-off Zone. Please do not park in front of the School, around the Oval, at the ends of the Mansion wings, on the Drop-off Zone, or in the Staff Car Park.

Pick-up

Please collect your child from the following pick-up points:

• Pre-Prep 1 – Pre-Prep 4: Pre-Prep Building

• Forms 1 – 3: Creedo’s Porch

• Forms 4 – 6: Either Mansion Wing

If you are running late for pick-up or are held up for any reason, please call us on 01844 238237 and collect your child from Reception.

Wrap-around Care (WAC)

We provide wrap-around care from 7.30am to 6.00pm, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. On Wednesdays it runs from 7.30am to 5.00pm and on Fridays it runs from 7.30am to 5.20pm. Full details can be found in the Information section of our website. Junior children (Forms I & 2) may attend After school club, after Junior activities from 5.20pm until 6.00pm. Please note that on Wednesdays, After-school Club ends at 5.00pm for both Pre-Prep children and for children in Forms 1-6. There is no wrap-around care available for PP1 or PP2 children after 5pm and wrap-around care is not available for rising 3 year olds.

Places can be booked in advance or on an ad hoc basis. To book, please use the WAC Booking Form in the Information Hub (Forms for Parents) under the Information section of our website and return it to Reception.

BOARDING (FORMS 2 – 6)

Boarding is a happy extension of Ashfold school life and we offer occasional, flexi and weekly boarding for pupils from age 8 to 13. If your child would like to board and would like more information, please contact our Houseparent, Amelia Franklin and view the Boarding at Ashfold Booklet on the Boarding page, in the School Life section on our website.

ACTIVITIES

We have a wide range of activities available across the whole school which are chosen on a termly basis. Details will be given to the parents at the start of term so selections can be made.

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC LESSONS (FORMS 1 – 6)

Ashfold has a thriving Music Department and we want all children to have the opportunity to enjoy music to the best of their ability. We offer individual singing lessons and instrumental music lessons in the following instruments: violin, viola, cello, piano, harp, flute, clarinet, oboe, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, French horn, guitar (both classical and modern), percussion and drums.

Individual music lessons are given weekly on a cycle of 30 throughout the academic year, charged at 10 lessons per term. Occasionally it may not be possible to fit in the full allocation of lessons exactly as above in each individual term but the full 30 will be given during the course of the academic year. Lessons are rotated which means missing a different subject lesson each week.

If you are interested in your child taking individual singing or instrumental lessons or have any queries, please contact Fiona Russ (fiona.russ@ashfoldschool.co.uk). If you would like to book individual singing or instrumental lessons, please complete the Individual Music Tuition Form in the Information Hub (Forms for Parents) under the Information section on our website and return it to Reception.

LAMDA (FORMS 1 – 6)

The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) is the oldest drama school in the UK and offers practical exams in communications and performance subjects. Ashfold is an official LAMDA exam centre which means that our children can take their exams in familiar surroundings.

We offer individual drama lessons and our LAMDA programme includes Verse and Prose, Acting and Musical Theatre.

If you are interested in your child taking individual drama lessons or you have any queries, please contact our Head of English, Freya Gye on freya.gye@ashfoldschool.co.uk. If you would like to book individual drama lessons, please complete the LAMDA Tuition Form in the Information Hub (Forms for Parents) under the Information section of our website and return it to Reception.

EQUESTRIAN

Ashfold’s Equestrian Team continues to grow and flourish. Children may join the Equestrian Team provided that they have their own horse/pony and transport. Please note that parents are required to attend competitions with their children.

If you are interested in your child joining the Equestrian Team or have any queries, please contact our Head of Equestrian, Sarah Morley, on sarah.morley@ashfoldschool.co.uk.

FEES

School fees and charges for the academic year 2023/24 can be found in the Admissions section of our website. Fee accounts are issued prior to the start of each term and fees are payable termly in advance.

We will send you information about payment options, our Fees Refund Scheme and Pupils

Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (all pupils are automatically covered by the insurance) with your first fee account.

For further information about fees, including childcare schemes, please contact our Finance Manager, Julie Hewitt, on 01844 238237 or finance@ashfoldschool.co.uk. Please note that the Bursary is open throughout the year, including the school holidays.

START OF YEAR CHECK LIST

Please return the following forms to the Registrar by 20th September 2023:

• Ashfold Consents

• Image Consents

• New Parents’ Questionnaire (new families only)

The Registrar also requires 2 types of ID for your child/children as new regulations mean that we have to now see this.

Lunch Menu Options

At lunchtime, we provide three different meal options. Choices can be made by completing our Lunch Menu Form, in Information/Information Hub/Forms for Parents on our website and returning it to Reception at the start of term.

Additional Forms

If required, the following booking forms can also be found under Information/Information Hub/ Forms for Parents:

• Wrap Around Care (WAC)

• Music and Lamda