Parent Handbook 2021/2022 by Dorothy Stringer School

Parent Handbook 2021/2022

CONTENTS Crammed full of helpful stuff

Within these pages you will find everything you need to know to get you child started at Dorothy Stringer 2

A Message from the Headteacher

First Day Information

Learning Gateway & Parent News

Health & Happiness

How Parents Can Help

How to Succeed at Stringer

Learning Behaviours

Attitude to Learning

10 Your Child’s Progress 11 Attendance 12 Attend & Achieve 13 School Closure 14 Transport to School 15 School Trips 16 Canteen 17 Uniform Guidelines 18 School Uniform 19 Uniform Shops 20 Fundraising 21 My Information 22 Online Payment Systems & Useful Contacts 21

A Message from the Headteacher

Welcome

so nice to have you here Welcome to Dorothy Stringer It is a real pleasure to welcome you as parents to the Dorothy Stringer community. We hope that this Parent Handbook will help us develop an effective partnership between home and school by involving you in your child’s learning. We understand the importance of involving parents in a student’s education and the positive impact this can have on learning. We absolutely believe that student learning and progress is our core purpose. However, we are equally determined that students will have the skills and attributes to live and work in the global society of tomorrow, and will be confident in their morals and values in order to lead good lives. With the Stringer Learning Gateway (SLG), it is now possible to better engage parents in the learning process and to harness your enthusiasm and time to support your child’s learning. Every parents’ evening we hold a survey inviting your views and feedback. Parents’ voices have stimulated many of the improvements we have made in recent years. There are also social events run by the parent fundraising group and a host of concerts, productions and celebrations embedded in the school calendar, which we hope that you will get involved in. We will do our utmost to motivate and support your child; our philosophy is rooted in the knowledge that children need to be safe and happy in order to achieve their very best. We ask that you encourage your child to take part in all of the fantastic extra-curricular opportunities that the school has to offer. The more they put into school life, the more they will get out. I look forward to getting to know your children and offer you our commitment to ensure we do our best to challenge, motivate and inspire them. We look forward to working with you over the coming years and hope your child has a positive and memorable experience during their time at Dorothy Stringer whilst also achieving their full academic potential. Matt Hillier Headteacher

First Day Information

On their first day at Dorothy Stringer school Year 7s will be the only Year group in school, they will be supported by a group of Year 10 Peer Mentors. The first day is an opportunity for students to settle in to life at Dorothy Stringer doing a range of transition and getting to know each other activities in their form groups. They will be given a tour of the school and will have two subject lessons period 4 and 5. Below is a checklist of items the students will be given on their first day by their form tutors: • • • •

Parent Calendar * Student Planner Locker Key Canteen/Gate Card

We would also like to take this opportunity to ask parents and students to download the SaferSchools App. Parent Access Code: 7675 Year 7 Student Access Code: 3447

Below is a checklist of all the equipment that students must bring to school for their lessons: • • • •

School bag Pencil case Student Planner Pens (blue or black, highlighters and a green pen) • Pencil • Eraser

• • • • • • •

Pencil Sharpener Ruler (at least 15cm long) Protractor Pair of compasses Scientific calculator Drama shorts/leggings Glue stick

We also strongly advise that students bring a water bottle with them to school every day, we have water filling stations for them to fill bottles up at break and lunch time. *One free copy per child, you can buy additional calendars via the school shop on the website.

Learning Gateway & Parent News

Learning Gateway and Parent News At Dorothy Stringer we have something called the ‘Stringer Learning Gateway’ (SLG). Students and parents can access information about student timetables, behaviour and achievement points, daily notices, attendance and most importantly lots of learning resources. There is also an online home learning diary so that you and your child can check what home learning has been set and when it is due in. You will also be able to see your child’s class teachers’ names and contact details, report their absence and much more.

My Work and Files Year 6 Page My Children at a glance School Calendar Extra Curricular Timetable My School Contacts Report Absence

Exams Information Once the Acceptable Use Policy has been signed, parents will be issued with a username and password to access the GCSE Targets school’s computer network. When you have both username and password you will be able to go to the school website ( www.dorothy-stringer.co.uk ) and click on the Learning Gateway. You will then be prompted to log on and will be able to see your child’s information; if you are having difficulties logging in please click on the Help icon on the website. When emailing the school about your child please always include their full name and tutor group.

Teams/Office 365: All students have access to Office 365 which includes Teams, our online learning provision. News: Mr Hillier sends a weekly news update to our parents and carers and we have an online newsletter for each year group on the SLG. It’s an opportunity to share news, celebrate achievements and let you know what is happening in our school community. Each term we produce an e-zine Stringer Press: https://public.dorothy-stringer.co.uk/ds/Pages/stringer_press.aspx School Comms We do also send some emails out where the information is relevant to smaller specific groups. You will need to add the schoolcomms email address to your contacts otherwise important emails may be sent to your junk folder. Twitter: You can follow @DorothyStringer on twitter for updates and whole school announcements. Instagram: dorothystringerschool, stringerhistory, ds_art_department, dramadorothystringer, dorothystringerpe

Health & Happiness

HEALTH AND HAPPINESS Health and Happiness We co-operate closely with the School Health Service for the benefit of the students’ physical, moral and social welfare. We have a designated First Aid room, staffed by a First Aider, and a School Nurse who comes in once a week. The Nurse is available during break on the day they visit, for students to ‘drop-in’ and discuss any concerns. If your child feels ill during the school day, once discussed with the First Aider, a decision will be made whether they should go back to lessons or they will contact the parent/ carer to decide if they should go home. We usually encourage students to try the first lesson before we phone the parent/carer as often students recover given a little time. Should an accident happen at school and an ambulance is requested we will do our best to contact the parent/carer and agree if you are going direct to the hospital or coming to school. A member of staff will accompany the child if meeting the parent/carer at the hospital. Having the family contact telephone numbers on the school system is very important especially in an emergency; so if you change any of your home/work or parent/carer details you must let us know. This can be done through your child’s Form Tutor, Head of Year or the school’s SIMS Manager, Bubbles Robinson. Should your child have a serious medical condition that requires special treatment or restrictions on what they can do please ensure you discuss the issues with the school’s First Aider, Ms Zarrabi (medical@dorothy-stringer.co.uk). Should a medical condition develop during the school year, contact the school’s First Aider, your child’s Form Tutor, Pastoral Manager, Head of Year or the school’s SENCo (Special Educational Needs Coordinator). Trying their best in lessons and getting involved in the life of the school and the various extra-curricular activities can help a child to enjoy school and also provide an opportunity to make new friends. However, if a child has a problem it is important to sort it out as quickly as possible. Sometimes they can do this themselves but at other times they will need to talk to someone. This could be at home or through a friend or member of staff. Most school problems can be sorted out by talking to their Form Tutor, Pastoral Manager or Head of Year. However, sometimes they may want to talk to someone else. For example if they needed some advice they could visit the Student Wellbeing Services including Drop-In Sessions during lunchtimes. One of the mentors would help them or advise on what to do next. The sorts of problems that might arise are often to do with settling in and trying to make new friends. In general these are private conversations but we can’t promise not to speak to someone else if we are worried about a child’s wellbeing, although we will always let them know in advance.

How Parents Can Help

HOW PARENTS CAN HELP At Dorothy Stringer, we believe that coming to school with a positive Attitude to Learning is the most important factor in the success of your child. To this end, we have a reward structure based around Attitude to Learning. This is completely separate from the academic progress made by your child or their targets. At each report, students are given a grade for Attitude to Learning. An overall Attitude to Learning score is then calculated, based on an average of all of their subjects. A score of 1 suggests excellent Attitude to Learning. Data shows that students with an Attitude to Learning of 1.8 or better are those who leave Stringer having performed to their best. We become concerned with any ATL scores of 2.0 or worse. Students with a good ATL award receive Stringer Learning Awards (Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze). A full description of the criteria (‘How to Succeed at Stringer’) and the calculation of Attitude to Learning can be found on our website under Information and on pages 12 and 13 of this handbook. Our Curriculum In order to help you support your child, and in order to allow our students to become independent learners, students and parents have access to a wealth of on-line resources. Curriculum Information and Course Details can be found on our website under Information/Curriculum https://public.dorothy-stringer.co.uk/ds/Pages/Curriculum_Intent. aspx. Once you log on to the Parent pages of the SLG you will find detailed information on what is covered in the different subjects. In addition, the subject areas found on the drop down menu on the Home Page, provides learning resources provided by the departments to support students’ learning. Students also have access to additional resources through their school login in ‘Students Shared Work’.

How to Succeed at Stringer

HOW TO SUCCEED AT STRINGER The Stringer Learning Culture The Stringer Learning Culture encapsulates our expectations and clarifies the positive routines and behaviour that will allow students to be successful and make progress in a calm and pleasant learning environment. We have high expectations of our students: we expect them to be punctual to school and to lessons and to be properly equipped for learning. If students are struggling with organisation in the first few weeks of Year 7 their Form Tutors will be there to support them. Mobile phones are banned both in the classroom and around school during lesson times and will be confiscated if seen; they must be switched off and placed in bags so as not to disturb the focussed learning that takes place in our classrooms. One of the real strengths of our school is the positive, warm relationships between staff and students, underpinned by civility, mutual respect and courtesy. How can you help your child? • • • • • •

Encourage your child to have a positive attitude towards school, to attend regularly and on time. The Stringer Learning Culture is designed to ensure that everyone is able to learn. Your support will help us with this. Ensure that your child wears the correct school uniform and is well equipped for their lessons. Also supporting your child with their home learning will enable them to make progress and help with their organisation. Encourage and enforce safe use of the internet and other cyber communications. Attend Parents’ Evenings and other school activities to help you to be involved in the life of the school. Reading the SLG will also mean that you are informed of what is happening at school and can act on information that we send you. If your child is going to be absent from school please contact us as early as possible. Please see Page 11 on how to report an absence. Please let us know about anything that will affect your child’s learning or behaviour. We can then keep staff informed of any changes they may need to make.

Respect • You show respect for other learners, staff and our shared environment • You show self-control and make good choices, including ignoring distractions • Your attitude and behaviour allow others to learn • You are kind, helpful and work well with others

• • • •

• • •

• • • •

Responsibility

Engagement

•

Determination

You are enthusiastic and show curiosity about your learning in class and at home You act on feedback to improve your work or attitude to learning. You show resilience and are not afraid to make mistakes You work towards challenging targets and show perseverance when you find things difficult

•

You engage with your learning, showing concentration and active listening skills You follow instructions promptly and do not interrupt the teacher You make thoughtful contributions to lessons You work independently in class and at home • •

•

You are punctual to lessons and quick to focus on your learning You have the correct equipment necessary for school life You take responsibility for your own learning, using all available resources to make progress You take pride in completing home learning on time and to the best of your ability

• You are enthusiastic and show curiosity about form time activities and discussions • You act on any feedback given to improve your attitude to school • You show resilience and are not afraid to make mistakes • You show perseverance when you find things difficult

•

You are punctual to morning registration and form time You have all the equipment necessary for school life You wear correct school uniform You take responsibility for maintaining the good reputation of our school

• You engage with activities in form time and make thoughtful contributions • You follow instructions promptly and do not interrupt your form tutor • You make the most of the opportunities on offer at Dorothy Stringer • You show independence in form time when required to do so

Always (=1) Mostly (=2) Sometimes (=3) Rarely (=4)

We will have a scale of 4 levels of judgement against these Learning Behaviours:

You show respect for everyone in the form group and our shared environment You show self-control and make good choices, including ignoring distractions Your attitude and behaviour allow others to contribute You are kind, helpful and work well with others

•

HOW TO SUCCEED AT STRINGER: LEARNING BEHAVIOURS

ATTITUDE TO LEARNING ATTITUDE TO SCHOOL

8 Learning Behaviours

Attitude to Learning

At each report, your teachers are asked to assess your Attitude To Learning (ATL). For each grade you are given these points: Always

Mostly

Sometimes

Rarely

An average is then taken across all of your subjects. Students with an ATL score of better than 1.8 are the successful ones at GCSE.

What are Stringer Learning Awards? Stringer Learning Awards celebrate your positive Attitude To Learning. They reflect how keen you are to participate in class, the enthusiasm and effort you put into your lessons and your learning and that you always take responsibility for your learning and improving every day. Learning Awards are given based on your ATL score, as long as you have no grades of ‘Rarely’.

 “ “

GOLD SILVER BRONZE

When I wasn’t doing well, I told myself I didn’t care, but my parents were proud of me when I got a Bronze Award and it felt good to be improving.

I’m keeping my Gold Award to help me when applying to be a prefect, as well as for college interviews and job applications.

“

”

“

achievement points achievement points achievement points achievement points

I always did what I was told but only got Good for my ATL. Now I’m pushing myself to ask questions and help others, I have started to get Excellent in many subjects.

”

I worried about looking keen to learn and couldn’t understand why some people didn’t seem to mind getting answers wrong. But once I understood that you have to make mistakes to learn, I started feeling happier in lessons. Now my ATL score is much better and so are my grades.

”

25 20 10 5

PLATINUM

What’s your Attitude To Learning

Are you Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze?

Your Child’s Progress

YOUR CHILD’S PROGRESS How We Report on Behaviour for learning Reporting During the year we will report to you in three different ways: In Years 7 to 9, you will receive Learning Behaviour Reports (LBRs) termly. These will give you • a grading for Attitude to Learning, as shown in the poster on page 8 • a figure and grading for Attendance • details of Stringer Learning Awards earned. An explanation of Stringer Learning Awards can be found on the website and on page 9.

Our data clearly shows that Attitude to Learning and Attendance are the key drivers in students making greater than expected progress in their 5 years with us. In Year 10 and 11, you will receive two LBRs and a more detailed written report. In addition to Attitude to Learning and Attendance, these will also include a target grade for each subject as well as a forecast for the grade they are likely to achieve at GCSE if they continue to work as they are at the time of the report. Parents’ Evening Once a year, we hold a Parents’ Evening so you can meet your child’s teachers. The booking of appointments for Parents’ Evening is done through an online booking system. Shortly before the evening, you will be sent an email explaining how to access the system. Further details can be found on the website at https://public.dorothy-stringer.co.uk/ds/Pages/parents_evening.aspx The dates of Parents’ Evenings are published in the school calendar which can be found on our website under term dates and times. Full information on our reporting process can be found on our website at: https://gateway.dorothy-stringer.co.uk/public/ds/Pages/reporting.aspx

Attendance

ATTENDANCE Aim Our school aim is to have a minimum 97% attendance. We aim to meet our obligations with regards to school attendance by: · Promoting good attendance and reducing absence, including persistent absence · Ensuring every student has access to full-time education to which they are entitled · Acting early to address patterns of absence Absence To report your child absent from school due to illness, or another reason for that day please enter this into studybugs, as early as possible every day, it is the parental/carer responsibility to report their child’s absence or lateness daily. If you know your child is going to be absent for more than one day please state this. To report your child’s absence you must use studybugs. This will be the only method that we will accept for reporting a student’s absence on the day. Please register online via the Studybugs website or download the app now so that you have it ready should you need to report your child’s absence. The Studybugs app is available for iPhone, Android and Windows Phone, alternatively you can use the Studybugs website: https://studybugs.com/about/parents and is completely free. One of the main benefits of Studybugs is that it will automatically update the electronic register so that we will know immediately if you have contacted us to let us know that your child is absent for any reason. If your child does not attend registration and we have not been notified of a reason for their absence, a text message will be sent in the morning. If we do not receive a response to our text messages with a reason for the absence it will be recorded as unauthorised. If for some reason you know that your child is not able to attend school in advance, due to a medical appointment or any other reason, please contact the Attendance Office only, using the email address: attendance@dorothy-stringer.co.uk giving a specific reason for their absence and the timeframe for the absence. Punctuality Students should arrive in their form rooms for morning registration by 8.45am, there is a warning bell at 8.40am. They should then be in period one by 8.50am. If they are later than this they will receive a late mark. Anyone who arrives in school after 8.50am must go straight to period one and their name will be passed to the Pastoral Co-ordinator. Students will receive appropriate sanctions for continual lateness and parents may be invited to attend a meeting at the school to discuss how we can support your child’s punctuality

Attend & Achieve

ATT E N D & ACHIEVE

Learning New Skills





Time to Create Memories and Friends for Life

Chances to Explore Creativity



Aim for 97% Attendance



Good Exam Results for Your Future

Access to Help and Support from Staff



The target attendance figure for all students is a minimum of 97% attendance. Every student has a dedicated form tutor, who works with their Head of Year and Pastoral Manager to help students be in school every day. We also have a fully qualified first aider in school that will care for your child if they become ill during the day. We monitor students closely whose attendance is falling and will contact you if your son/daughter’s attendance does not improve. Parents/carers have a legal obligation to ensure that your child attends school regularly and punctually, even if they are missing school without your knowledge. It is important that parents/carers monitor single days of absence, as these days soon add up to weeks. If you need any help with school attendance please talk to one of our attendacne team. e-mail: attendance@dorothy-stringer.co.uk tel: 01273 852288



Best Chance to Succeed

School Closure

SCHOOL CLOSURE DUE TO BAD WEATHER School Closure Before your child starts at Dorothy Stringer please ensure you have discussed arrangements for getting home if the school has to close early. If you feel it would cause difficulties for your child, it is important to discuss the issues with your child’s Form Tutor, Pastoral Manager or Head of Year. Please review these arrangements as your child progresses up the school. If we are experiencing, or have warning of, extreme weather that may seriously disrupt traffic or cause journeys to be dangerous, or we have an unexpected problem with the school’s heating or water supply it may be necessary to close the school. Where possible we will always aim to keep the school open; however, the decision to close or remain open is often complicated as we have to take in to account so many unknowns, for example; conditions of the local streets and pavements, if the buses have stopped running, the number of staff who are able to get into school or if the normal running of the school is not possible. If a decision is made to close the school please be aware of the following points: • • • • •

A text message will be sent out if we have to close the school. We will update messages on the school’s website and answer phone. Where possible, we will have a member of staff available to answer your questions on the phone; however, please consider this as a last resort as staff may not be available to take your call. Parent/Carers should listen to Heart FM (102.4 - 103.5 FM) who make regular announcements regarding school closures during bad weather. In bad weather ( e.g. snow) a list of closed schools is posted on the Heart FM website.

Developing Bad Weather Normally when bad weather occurs during the day it is our policy to keep students in school until the usual dismissal time 3.15pm. However, if the weather deteriorates during the morning it may be advisable to let as many students as possible leave at lunch time, 12.10pm. Please discuss this arrangement with your child so they are quite clear what to do in these circumstances.

Transport to School

TRANSPORT TO SCHOOL Furthermore, if the weather appears to be worsening during the afternoon we may have to make a decision to release students who normally make their own way home before 3.15pm. Arrangements can be made for the school to supervise any children who know they are to be collected at the end of the school day and, if necessary, for a reasonable time afterwards. If, in spite of the above, you are still concerned about safety then, providing you phone the school in advance and actually come and collect your own child, we will release them from school for you to take home. It is essential that you first report to reception. Bad Weather Clothing You can help us and your child by ensuring that they are dressed appropriately during spells of bad weather. Children should be wearing warm and waterproof coats and sturdy shoes. Stringer Learning Gateway Should it be necessary to close the school for several days we will put work on the school’s SLG (Stringer Learning Gateway). All students are able to access the SLG which can be found via the school website: https://public.dorothy-stringer.co.uk/ds/Pages/Home.aspx Transport According to the most recent travel survey most students walk to school, while others use public transport and those driven to school are in the minority. However, to reduce traffic around and on the campus we would ask parents/carers not to drive on to the school site but drop students off away from school. Obviously there will be times due to serious injury or carrying an unusually heavy load where driving into school will be necessary. During the school day if you have an arranged meeting with a member of staff the only spare parking spaces, if any, are near the Loder Road entrance. All other parking spaces on site, nearer the buildings, are allocated to staff. Please do not park in a numbered space. We operate a cycle permit scheme for anyone who wants to cycle to school. Students must get a permission slip from the Hub, and sign the agreement to wear a helmet, to follow safety rules and leave their bikes under the covered cycle stand during the day.

School Trips

SCHOOL TRIPS Trips School trips are used to enhance the curriculum in many subject areas. Term-time trips always have a direct curriculum link. Each subject department organises a variety of curriculum trips throughout the year. During the holidays there is a mixture of curriculum and leisure trips that are run by staff. Other trips may include visits to: ‘Dolawen’, our own outdoor activity centre in North Wales, a ski trip (usually alternate years), Italy,Ghana, Ypres and Paris. Some Form Tutors organise outings with their Tutor Group to celebrate various events or the end of term; these might be to go bowling or ice skating, out for a meal or to LazerZone. Additionally, in the last full week of the academic year, we have an Enrichment Week, offering a wide range of activities. Staff believe that visits and school trips benefit the students, not only by widening their horizons, but also by allowing them to establish a different set of relationships with each other and with the staff. Some parents and carers like to plan ahead to budget for trips: you can find more information on our website under extra-curricular/school trips/overview. Trips vary in cost and we encourage you to pay via your School Gateway as this reduces school administration costs, payment can be made by credit card, debit card or by Instant Bank Transfer, using the Schoolgateway. For further information about all trips please email trips@dorothy-stringer.co.uk. To register interest for any trip you need to login to your parent homepage on the school gateway. You can login into this via our public website and clicking on the login button on the top right hand side of the page. Once logged in you will see the trips icon: and this will show you what trips are available to book for your child. The School Gateway can be accessed using the following link: https://login.schoolgateway.com/0/auth/login . If you have any queries about the schoolgateway, please do not hesitate to contact Bubbles Robinson on bubbles. robinson@dorothy-stringer.co.uk Clubs and Groups There are a wide variety of extra-curricular clubs for students to join. These may alter each term; some are before school, some at lunchtime and others after school. To view the current list, go to the school website and look under ‘extra-curricular’ in the main menu bar. There is also a link on your Student/Parent Home Page, once you log in to the Learning Gateway.If you have any queries about a club please contact the Head of Department.

Canteen

LUNCH, BREAK & CANTEEN At Dorothy Stringer we take healthy eating seriously and this is reflected in the quality of the food provided. We serve a wide range of hot and cold meals and a good selection of quick bites. Students can choose from pasta pots with a choice of sauces, our own ‘Stringer Sub’ or a meal of the day. Look out for healthy options, for example, we offer assorted salad boxes, a variety of vegetarian choices and fresh fruit. We work hard to provide a wide variety to suit all tastes – there is something for everyone. There is limited internal seating, however students can sit under either of our external canopies. Visit the website to see our menus. Students are also welcome to bring in a packed lunch. Opening times are Monday to Friday: Break time from Lunch from

10.50am to 11.10am 12.10pm to 12.50pm (Years 7, 8 and 9) 12.30pm to 1.10pm (Years 10 and 11)

Canteen access times are staggered across year groups, students will be told their year group allocation slot at the start of term. We operate a ‘cashless’ system in the canteen to save carrying or losing money and to speed up the queuing process. Each student has an account and you can top this up online through the ‘Schoolgateway’ system. Full instructions can be found online and on page 22 of this booklet. If you are entitled to Free School Meals your child’s account will automatically be topped up on a daily basis. If you think you may be eligible for Free School Meals but have not yet registered for them we can help with the process – see our website for more details: https://public.dorothy-stringer.co.uk/ds/Pages/free_school_meals.aspx Students are not allowed to leave the school grounds at break or lunchtimes.

Uniform Guidelines

UNIFORM GUIDELINES We expect all students to be in full school uniform. You should clearly name every item of uniform so that it can be returned if lost. The uniform requirements are as follows. These uniform items must be purchased from Sussex Uniforms or Smarter Uniforms Shop only • White polo shirt with school logo • Black V-neck jumper with school logo, or • School sweatshirt with school logo - hoodies are not permitted in school with the exception of leavers hoodies worn by Year 11 students. • Stringer Tartan skirt (skirts should not be shortened and yellow band must be visible) Uniform items which can be purchased in any retail outlet • • • •

Black formal school trousers - unisex (no chinos or jeans) Plain black/nude coloured tights or plain black/white socks Plain black knee-length tailored shorts Plain black belts may be worn on the condition that they are thin, subtle and essential to the fit of the clothing - not used as a fashion accessory • Plain black footwear (no logos/motifs or other colours should be visible. Knee length boots, sandals, platforms, high heels or ballet shoes are not permitted) PE KIT The following PE Kit must be purchased from Sussex Uniforms only • • • • • •

Black polo top with school logo Black shorts with school logo (for PE/Drama use only) Fleece lined Midlayer Top *Optional* Tapered Tracksuit Pant with Stringer printed *Optional* Running Legging with Stringer printed *Optional* Rain Jacket with school logo PE Kit items which can be purchased in any retail outlet

• Black sports socks (for PE use only) • Suitable footwear i.e. trainers (can be purchased from any shop)

School Uniform

SCHOOL UNIFORM

DOROTHY STRINGER SWEATSHIRT V-NECK

DOROTHY STRINGER KNITTED V-NECK

DOROTHY STRINGER POLO

DOROTHY STRINGER FITTED POLO

DOROTHY STRINGER SKIRT

DOROTHY STRINGER TRACK PANTS (OPTIONAL)

DOROTHY STRINGER LEGGINGS (OPTIONAL)

PE KIT

DOROTHY STRINGER 1/4 ZIP MIDLAYER

BLACK SPORTS SOCKS

DOROTHY STRINGER PE POLO

DOROTHY STRINGER PE SHORTS

“I LOVE MY NEW UNIFORM, IT MAKES ME FEEL VERY GROWN-UP” YEAR 7 STUDENT

PE lessons are part students normal timetable and they are expected to take part regularly. Students must bring the correct kit, including a towel if they swim or intend to use the showers. Clearly name every item of kit so that it can be returned. If your child is unable to take part in PE, they must bring a note from their parents/carers and hand it to their PE teacher. In the event of wishing to be excused for more than two weeks, students will have to produce a note from their doctor or a medical certificate. Other items that parents/carers will need to provide are: trainers and footwear for football/rugby and suitable swimwear.

19 17

Uniform Shops

Sussex Uniforms

The list on page 17 details items that should be purchased from Sussex Uniforms. You can order online through their website: https://www.sussexuniforms.co.uk/collections/ dorothy-stringer OR you can visit one of their three shops in Hove, Haywards Heath and Horsham, open Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm.* If you are ordering online they have some helpful information on their website including a video on how to measure your child, if you need any further assistance you can call their Customer Services team on 01444 227066. Smarter Uniforms

Dorothy Stringer School has partnered with Smarter Uniforms, Brighton & Hove’s innovative school-uniform reuse project. Smarter Uniforms collects uniform students have outgrown or no longer need when they move on from Stringer. The uniform is then sorted, washed and resold back to parents. Working with Smarter Uniform we will save parents money, protect our planet’s precious resources for our children’s future, and raise important funds for the school. Parents and carers can order through the Smarter Uniforms website. Collections are available from Planet Brighton located within the Open Market, Marshalls Row, Brighton BN1 4JU.* You are also able to shop in store at this location. Deliveries are available to all local families within Brighton & Hove. Please visit their website for more information: https://smarteruniforms.org/collections/dorothy-stringerschool *Please make sure you check websites before visiting stores incase of any changes to opening

Fundraising

Fundraising & Parent Fundraising at Stringer As a school we fundraise throughout the year to support wider educational opportunities and provide the best possible school experience for your child beyond the curriculum. We are looking for more parents to contribute not only time, but fun ideas and expertise to bring our school events and our wider community together. The DOTS are the Dorothy Stringer Parent Fundraising Group. DOTS parents plan and organise events that raise crucial funds for the school. In the past the DOTS have held successful quiz nights, an annual comedy night and raffles that have raised money for the Dorothy Stringer School Fund Fundraising ideas are always welcome, especially when many of our usual events can’t run in the same way. There are a wide range of opportunities for parents, carers and supporters to help us with fundraising. #ShopForStringer & AmazonSmile online shopping, donating old school uniform through Smarter Uniforms, Gift Aid contributions and offering valued expertise to our bigger Fundraising campaigns all help hugely towards enriching everyone’s life at Dorothy Stringer. If you would like to get involved, contribute new ideas or share expertise email us at fundraising@dorothy-stringer.co.uk. or visit our fundraising page: https://public.dorothy-stringer.co.uk/ds/Pages/fundraising.aspx Donating to the Dorothy Stringer School Fund The Dorothy Stringer School Fund exists to raise money to enrich the experiences of every student who comes to the school. We are proud of the huge range of extracurricular activities that we offer and it is largely thanks to the enormous amount of support and time our staff give without charge to deliver these activities. But there are costs for which we receive no contribution from our statutory funding. We can only continue to deliver this enriched experience with your support. If you would like to support the school you can make regular donations or a one off payment. You can download our Gift Aid Form from our website and return it to the Business Manager, Roshan Dias-Jayasinghe at the school. https://public.dorothystringer.co.uk/ds/Pages/the_stringer_fund.aspx

20 18

My Information

21 17

WHO TO CONTACT FOR HELP Bubbles Robinson

USED FOR • • • • •

Attendance Office

NAME/WEBSITE SCHOOL GATEWAY www.schoolgateway.com

• To report student absence

SUSSEX UNIFORMS https://www.sussexuniforms. co.uk/collections/dorothystringer

• Second hand school uniform • Second hand PE kit

• School Uniform • PE Kit

PayPal

Canteen payments Trips Year 11 Yearbook orders Prom Textbooks

STUDYBUGS www.studybugs.org

• Home learning, newsletters, reports and much more. An essential part of Stringer communication

Communications Office

STRINGER LEARNING GATEWAY Public.dorothy-stringer.co.uk

SMARTER UNIFORMS https://smarteruniforms.org/ collections/dorothy-stringerschool

• Year 11 hoodie orders • Parent Calendar

Bubbles Robinson

communications@ dorothy-stringer.co.uk

PAYPAL www.paypal.co.uk

All Parents’ Evening bookings You only need to do this when your Parents’ Evening is approaching and you will recieve an email when the Booking System is open

Smarter Uniforms

Sussex Uniforms

PARENTS’ EVE BOOKING SYSTEM www. dorothystringer.parentseveningsystem.co.uk

MY USERNAME

MY PASSWORD

Online Payment Systems & Useful Contacts

School Gateway What you need to do now: Activate your School Gateway account. All you need are your email address and mobile number that the school holds on record for you. Download the app: If you have a smartphone, please download School Gateway from your app store (Android and iPhone). The app shows the same information as the website and it saves the school money when we send you a text message or visit the website: www.schoolgateway.com and click on ‘New User’. You’ll receive a text message with a PIN . Use this PIN to log into the School Gateway. You also have the option to use ‘Instant Bank Transfer’ as well as debit or credit card. Instant Bank Transfer is a secure payment method and will not only make paying for school items faster for you but it will also cut the cost to the school of processing online payments. When using ‘Instant Bank Transfer’ for the first time you will be asked to enter your bank account details. Once set up, on all future occasions, you’ll simply need to enter the amount you wish to pay the school and then click to authorise the payment. We would encourage you to use this new option to save yourself time and the school money.

USEFUL CONTACTS First Aid

01273 852216

medical@dorothy-stringer.co.uk

Reception

01273 852222

reception@dorothy-stringer.co.uk

Attendance

01273 852217

attendance@dorothy-stringer.co.uk

Pastoral Hub

office@dorothy-stringer.co.uk

Communications Office

communications@dorothy-stringer.co.uk

Exams

01273 852212

exams@dorothy-stringer.co.uk

SIMS

01273 852212

bubbles.robinson@dorothy-stringer.co.uk

School Trips

01273 852288

schooltrips@dorothy-stringer.co.uk

22 18

D AT E S F O R Y O U R D I A R Y DATE

EVENT

Monday 6 September 2021

Welcome to Year 7 Students

Tuesday 7 September 2020

Start of Term - All Years

Monday 20 September 2021

Meet the Tutor Evening

Thursday 7 October 2021

Open Evening

Monday 22 October 2021

INSET Day

Monday 25 – 29 October 2021

Autumn Half Term Holiday

Friday 17 December 2021

End of Autumn Term

Monday 20 December – Friday 31 December 2022

Christmas Holidays

Monday 3 January 2022

Bank Holiday - New Year’s Day

Tuesday 4 January 2022

Start of Spring Term

Monday 14 – Friday 18 February 2022

Spring Half Term Holiday

Thursday 24 March 2022

Year 7 Parents’ Evening

Friday 18 March 2022

INSET Day

Friday 8 April 2022

End of Spring Term

Monday 11 – Friday 22 April 2022

Easter Holidays

Monday 25 April 2022

Start of Summer Term

Monday 2 May 2021

Bank Holiday - May Day

Monday 30 May – Friday 3 June 2022

Summer Half Term Holiday

Friday 22 July 2022

End of Academic Year

8.45 START

08.45 START

EARLY CLOSURE 12.10 (SCHOOL CLOSED FOR STUDENTS)

EARLY CLOSURE 12.30

SCHOOL CLOSED

EARLY CLOSURE 14.15*

(SCHOOL CLOSED FOR STUDENTS)

SCHOOL CLOSED

EARLY CLOSURE 12.30

* The school finishes early for all year groups when there is a Parents’ Evening