THE PASTORAL TEAM

The Form Tutor/Class Teacher

The form tutor is central to the pastoral care at BGS. They support and mentor the students in their care and will know them holistically. Implicit in our aims is the expectation that every teacher will accept responsibility for the development in each student, not only of the highest academic standards, but also of the confidence and self-esteem which comes from feeling valued as an individual within a community. The role of class teacher in the Junior School or form tutor in the Senior School is crucial to your daughter’s experience of school life, and she/he will normally be your first point of contact if you have any queries.

She/he will always be pleased to see parents to discuss any areas of concern that you may have. Please feel free to contact your daughter’s form tutor by telephone or email them directly (all email addresses can be found within the iSAMs Parent Portal) any time during the school year, if you have any matters which you wish to discuss with them. She/he will endeavour to call or email you back as soon as her/his teaching commitments allow, at the very latest within two working days. Meetings can be arranged at mutually convenient times.

Senior School Senior Tutors and Mentors

The Heads of Year and form tutors are aided by senior tutors who support the students as they progress through the School, giving additional layers of consistency and guidance. Students may also, at times, be assigned a staff Mentor to support them to manage specific aspects of school life.

Heads of Year

Heads of Year oversee the year groups and work with the form tutors to ensure student’s welfare. Parents are welcome to contact the Heads of Year directly if they have issues they wish to discuss.

In the Junior School there is a Head of Year for each year group and in the Senior School we have a Head of Years 7 and 8; a Head of Year 9: a Head of Years 10 and 11 and a Director of Sixth Form.

In the Senior School the Heads of Year are supported by pastoral officers who deal with pressing enquiries and requests from students and parents.

The Deputy Head - Pastoral, together with the Director of Sixth Form, oversee the Pastoral teams.

Website

Our website www.bedfordgirlsschool.co.uk is an excellent way of keeping abreast of all that is happening within the School. Up to date information and the School calendar can always be accessed online, along with the latest sports fixtures and results. It also provides an opportunity to read a wide variety of blogs from school trips, different subjects, departments, staff and our Headmistress.

We will also keep you up to date with daily news and events from around the School via our social media channels including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Our weekly newsletter, The Edit, which is sent to all parents, students and staff every Friday afternoon provides a round up of the week’s news and events and a reminder of the key dates for the following week. Each term, you will also receive a copy of our magazine, The Muse, giving you an insight into the ethos, inspiration and outcomes of a Bedford Girls’ School education. We also run a series of Curriculum Conversations each year where parents can find out more about our teaching and learning ethos. Details of these sessions are circulated at the beginning of each term.

iSAMS PARENT PORTAL AND APP

When your daughter starts at BGS, each parent will be issued with a dedicated log-in to access the iSAMS Parent Portal. Here you will be able to access information on your daughter’s timetable and school letters, progress reviews, school reports, fee and billing account information, House points and PTA information. Details will be communicated with you before your daughter joins.

Bgs Sports Portal

Details of all sports fixtures, team lists and sports results can be found on our dedicated sports portal on our website.

You access the Sports Portal through the drop down Portal list at the top of BGS website home page.

You can download all relevant sporting fixtures into your electronic calendars and find route maps to away games.

Team Sheet Secure Login: bgssocs16

Team lists are password protected, please use the following password to access team lists, these will be uploaded a few days prior to matches.

In the Junior School team sheets are also emailed to parents prior to a fixture.

DAY-TO-DAY JUNIOR SCHOOL COMMUNICATION

Student Planners

Junior School

Short messages will be relayed between home and school in their planners. Please check the planner each night as the teacher will check them each day for messages from home. Please sign them on a weekly basis.

A timetable of your daughter’s school day will be issued on the first day, so you and she will be aware of the days when games kit or any other essential pieces of equipment are required.

Junior School Google Classroom

Each class in the Junior School has a Google Classroom site. This is where teachers will share homework, notices and resources to support the work in the classroom.

SCHOOL REPORTS AND PARENTS’ EVENINGS

Throughout the year, parents in the Junior and Senior School will receive feedback on how their daughters are progressing. The table (on the next page) shows the timing and format of that feedback.

Year Autumn Spring Summer

Years 3 - 6

Parents’ Information Evening Parents’ Evening

Parents’ Evening School Report

Year 7

Parents’ Information Evening MidYIS Testing

Progress Review

Progress Review

Parents’ Evening

Progress Review

Year 8

Parents’ Evening Progress Review

2 x Progress Reviews

Progress Review

Year 9

Parents’ Information Evening

2 x Progress Reviews

GCSE Options/ Parents’ Evening

Progress Review

End of Year Assessments

Progress Review

Year 10

Parents’ Information Evening and Tutor Meetings

2 x Progress Reviews

Parents’ Evening

Progress Review

End of Year Assessments

Results Sheet

Parents’ Evening

Year 11

Lower Sixth

Progress Review Sixth Form Evening School Report

GCSE Mock Examinations

Results Sheet

Parents’ Evening

GCSE Examinations

ALIS Testing Parents’ Information Evening

Progress Review Parents’ Evening

Progress Review

UCAS Evening

A Level and IB School Reports

Internal Assessments

Results Sheet

Parents’ Evening

UCAS Predicted Grades

Upper Sixth Progress Review

UCAS Interviews School Report

Mock A Level and IB Examinations

Results Sheet

Parents’ Evening

A Level Synoptic Assessments

A Level and IB Examinations