Dulwich College Shanghai DUCKS Welcome Booklet 2013-14

DUCKS

nurturing for life

Welcome to Dulwich College Kindergarten Shanghai

2013-2014

nurturing for life

Dulwich College Kindergarten Shanghai Philosophy and Objectives We are all good at something We always try our very best We work and play together We have friends from many countries We share and we care We learn so we can help others We grow and change together We try new things

Contents Welcome from the College Headmaster 3 Welcome from the Head of DUCKS 4 Staff Information 5 Uniform and Equipment 7 School Routines 9 Curriculum 13 Additional Support 18 Assessment and Reporting 19 Homework 20 Holistic Opportunities 21 Student Welfare 24 Partnering with Parents 29 Health and Safety 31 Communication 34 Calendar 38

Welcome from the College Headmaster Welcome to Dulwich College Shanghai.

Whether you are reading this as a prospective family, an existing one, or you have joined our College community this year, I do hope that you will find the contents of this Welcome Booklet helpful to you.

It contains a wealth of information about our daily school life and will cover many of the questions you may have about your child’s educational journey with us here at Dulwich College Shanghai.

I believe that our College is a unique school. Our students are cheerful, balanced, at ease with themselves and each other – yet excited and enthused by the challenges before them. The College succeeds in combining academic excellence with a wealth of co-curricular opportunities, all underpinned by a deep commitment to the individual needs and enthusiasm of each student.

As Headmaster, I believe passionately in the importance of the individual. Every student at Dulwich College Shanghai is valued in their own right, and encouraged to develop his/her talents to the full in a community where there are no stereotypes and where every achievement, however small, is celebrated.

Our College values are a more specific embodiment of our Philosophy and Objectives and allow us to define our aims in terms of student experience and development. Our students develop a well-rounded appreciation for the Academics and the Arts and they learn to understand and use technology to fulfil their potential. They learn to become inquiring and independent learners who are willing to take risks and use critical thinking as they embrace the concepts of lifelong learning.

Through their time at the College, our students learn to express themselves confidently and appropriately through a variety of media and languages, and become principle-centred members of society. They learn how to show respect and to accept responsibility for others and for their environment. They are encouraged to be generous and caring, show humility, challenge social injustice and inequity, and value and respect diversity.

Our students are shown that people can make a difference. They learn to inspire, influence, and collaborate with others and learn how to manage conflict. They also learn to become socially aware individuals and to show empathy to individuals, groups and society. They develop self-awareness and learn how to understand their own emotions while recognizing their impact on others. Through our values, our students develop a clear sense of identity and self-esteem. They are shown how to control their emotions and impulses and taught how to adapt to changing circumstances. They become resilient and are shown how to be physically healthy. We aim that our students will become effective goal-setters and have a clear sense of their future.

By instilling these values in our students, we also aim to develop well-rounded young people who strive for excellence in all that they do and we make sure that they are well-equipped for future success.

Finally, while we enjoy excellent facilities in a prime location of one of the most exciting cities of the world, it is the people in our community who make our College a special place. Our staff embodies a wide range of experience and a wealth of enthusiasm. Our parents are tremendously supportive and contribute a huge amount of time and energy to College events. Our students throughout the College are a real delight to teach, and they have a genuine appetite for learning.

Together, we welcome you to Dulwich College Shanghai for the academic year 2013-2014.

Mr. Paul Friend Headmaster

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Welcome from the Head of DUCKS On behalf of the children and staff, we welcome you to DUCKS through this booklet. DUCKS (Dulwich College Kindergarten Shanghai) is a purpose-built Kindergarten, set in its own grounds.

It caters to children aged two to seven years. There are three morning and one afternoon Toddler classes, six Nursery classes, six Reception classes, six Year 1 classes, and six Year 2 classes.

We refer to Toddler, Nursery and Reception classes as the Early Years.

The classrooms are light and airy, and well-resourced in order to meet the needs of the curriculum.

Our curriculum is broadly based on the English Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum and the English National Curriculum. However, we ensure that it reflects the needs, culture, and history of our school’s international community, and, of course, of our host country, China.

Depending upon their age, the children have specialist lessons each week for PE, Music, ICT and Library. Mandarin is taught every day.

If you have any further questions after reading this booklet, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Mrs. Joanne Woodward Head of DUCKS

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DUCKS Staffing DUCKS Leadership Team Head of DUCKS: Mrs. Joanne Woodward Email : joanne.woodward@dulwich-shanghai.cn Telephone: 021 5899 9910 ext 608

Deputy Head of DUCKS: Mr. Neil Bowker Email: neil.bowker@dulwich-shanghai.cn Telephone: 021 5899 9910 ext 606

DUCKS Class Teachers

To contact a member of staff, please use the following email structure: firstname.surname@dulwich-shanghai.cn

Year Group

Class Teacher

Learning Assistant

Room

Toddler am Butterflies

Ms. Lucy Koniarska (UK) (Toddler Year Group Leader)

Ms. Jenny Zheng (PRC)

Duckling House

Ms. Jeanne Yang (PRC)

Duckling House

Toddler am Dragonflies Mrs. Toni Faulkner (AUS) Toddler am Ladybirds

Mrs. Kathy Paine (PHL)

Ms. Jo Qian & Jarno Zhi (PRC)

Duckling House

Toddler pm Butterflies

Ms. Lucy Koniarska (UK)

Ms. YoYo Lee (PRC)

Duckling House

Nursery Penguins

Mrs. Niki Johnson (USA) (Nursery Year Group Leader)

Ms. Hannah Zhang (PRC)

1014

Nursery Potoos

Ms. Sue Stinson (AUS)

Ms. Emily Gu (PRC)

1004

Nursery Pelicans

Ms. Gemma Jamieson (UK)

Ms. Lucienne Li (PRC)

1012

Nursery Peackocks

Mr. Kevin Kane (IRL)

Ms. Helen Peng (PRC)

1010

Nursery Puffins

Mrs. Therese Hill (UK)

Ms. Even Chen (PRC)

1005

Reception Barn Owls

Ms. Gabrielle Adams (UK)

Ms. Fiona Lu (PRC)

1037

Reception Toucans

Mrs. Sarah Bond (UK)

Ms. Nina Ni (PRC)

1035

Reception Flamingos

Ms. Helen Bewley (UK) (Reception Year Group Leader)

Ms. Cindy Wang (PRC)

1031

Reception Swans

Mrs. Anna Pyper (UK)

Ms. Angela Gu (PRC)

1028

Reception Kookaburras Mr. Paul Faulkner (AUS)

Ms. Polly Lu (PRC)

1038

Reception Robins

Ms. Clare Chalkley (UK)

Ms. Yuki Gong (PRC)

1036

Year 1 Gorillas

Mr. Greg Rendall (AUS)

Ms. Veronica Yu (PRC)

2033

Year 1 Orangutans

Mrs. Leah Tan (UK)

Ms. Scarlett Xi (PRC)

2027

Year 1 Gibbons

Ms. Anna Gibbons (UK)

Ms. Snowy Zhu (PRC)

2035

Year 1 Marmosets

Ms. Amanda Nicholls (UK) (Year 1 Year Group Leader)

Ms. Peihua Wang (PRC)

2029

Year 1 Tamarins

Mrs. Anne Gray (UK)

Ms. Julia Zhou (PRC)

2039

Year 1 Chimpanzes

Mr. Thomas Hughes (UK)

Ms. Vivien He (PRC)

2028

Year 2 Jaguars

Ms. Emily Wright (UK)

Ms. Catherine Zhao (PRC)

3008

Year 2 Tigers

Ms. Kimberley Humphreys (UK)

Ms. Penny Ding (PRC)

3011

Year 2 Rhinos

Ms. Helen Kenney (UK)

Ms. Linda Lin (PRC)

3006

Year 2 Elephants

Mrs. Sarah Lowes (UK)

Ms. Melody Chen (PRC)

3010

Year 2 Pumas

Mr. Tony Pickhaver (UK) (Year 2 Year Group Leader)

Ms. Kelly Rong (PRC)

3004

Year 2 Giraffes

Ms. Suzanne Robinson (UK)

Ms. Dolly Yang (PRC)

3016

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DUCKS Specialist Teachers PE

Mr. Tim Wilson (USA), Mrs. Andrea Pearce (ISR ) and Mr. Leo Zhang (PRC)

ICT

Ms. Yvonne Huang (PRC)

Music

Ms. Rodica Hategan (ROM)

Library

Ms. Cookie Xu (PRC) and Mrs. Jennie West (UK)

EAL

Ms. Leanne Le (PRC)

Individual Needs

Ms. Lindel Limpisvasti (UK) and Ms. Catherine Horsey (UK)

Primary Mandarin Teachers

Ms. Virginia Zhang (PRC) Ms. Alin Yu (PRC) Ms. Huang Xiaoyan (PRC) Ms. Freya Zhang (PRC) Ms. Natalie Jiang (PRC) Ms. Spring Xing (PRC) Ms. Judy Zhang (PRC) Ms. Mandy Yu (PRC)

DUCKS Administrative Staff To contact a member of staff, please use the following email structure: firstname.surname@dulwich-shanghai.cn or telephone 58999910 and use the extension numbers below.

Name

Area of Responsibility

Extension Number

Ms. Reithy Zhang (PRC)

DUCKS Office

601

Ms. Lily Ji (PRC)

DUCKS Reception

610

Ms. Sarah Tang (PRC) Ms. Chris Huang (PRC)

DUCKS Nursing

616

College Contacts To contact a member of staff, please use the following email structure: firstname.surname@dulwich-shanghai.cn or telephone 58999910 and use the extension numbers below.

Name

Area of Responsibility

Extension Number

Mrs. Lorna Wilson (UK) Mr. Stephen Buckland (UK) Mr. Graham Lyons (UK) Ms. Stella Shi (PRC) Ms. Irene Hu (PRC)

Business Administration College IT Systems College Sport College Bus Service College Catering and Security Passes

252 115 503 602 222

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Uniform and Equipment Uniform

All children at DUCKS, except those in Toddler classes, wear a simple uniform, which is available from the School Uniform Shop near the Main College Reception. All items of uniform need to be clearly labelled with the child’s full name and class. This helps return lost items.

Parents are asked to adhere to the uniform guidelines contained in this booklet. The date for changing from summer to winter uniform and vice versa will be announced in the DUCKS newsletter.

Toddler

Toddler children wear their own clothes but they need a school hat, clearly labelled with their name and class.

Nursey to Year 2 Girls Summer Uniform Blue check summer dress White socks Black leather shoes

Nursery to Year 2 Boys Summer Uniform Red short-sleeved polo shirt Navy shorts Black leather shoes

Nursery to Year 2 Girls Winter Uniform Navy pinafore Red long-sleeved polo shirt Navy sweater/cardigan with College Crest Navy tights or socks Black leather shoes

Nursery to Year 2 Boys Winter Uniform Navy long trousers Red long-sleeved polo shirt Navy sweater with College Crest Navy socks Black leather shoes

Nursery to Year 2 PE Uniform

Children wear summer and winter PE uniform with trainers.

Children may wish to bring a light waterproof coat and wellington boots to school on rainy days.

Optional: Red fleece with College Crest, overcoat with school crest, both of which can be worn outdoors. The College hoodie is for outdoor use only.

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Year 1 and Year 2 children should buy the House PE kit:

Howard Wing Shackleton Anand

(red) (blue) (green) (purple)

What Should Children Bring to School?

Toddler only: • • •

At least one change of clothes to be kept at DUCKS A packet of nappies (if needed) Plenty of underpants/knickers if they are being toilet trained

All children •

•

•

•

• • •

•

DUCKS school hat and bookbag. These may be purchased at the Uniform Shop in the main campus. DUCKS has a ‘no hat no play’ policy on sunny days.

Mosquito repellent - when appropriate it is recommend that parents apply mosquito repellent to their child before they come to school.

Sunscreen - when appropriate it is reccomend that parents apply sunscreen to their child before they come to school.

Children in Reception need a DUCKS blue backpack. Children in Year 1 and Year 2 need a red College backpack.

Jewellery should not be worn and any hair ribbons should be navy blue.

Children in Year 1 and Year 2 need to bring a morning snack.

Children in Nursery and Reception who are not having school lunch need to bring a morning snack.

A labelled water bottle.

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Lost and Found

Lost and Found is located at the receptionist’s desk in the DUCKS foyer.

Staff and children are expected to respect the property of the College and of others, and to take all reasonable measures to safeguard this property and their own personal items they bring to school.

The College cannot accept responsibility for personal items brought into the College. Individuals have responsibility for their own belongings.

School Routines DUCKS Format of the Day 8.15am 8.30am 10.00am – 10.30am 10.30am – 11.00am 11.30am 12.30pm 11.30am – 12.00pm 12.00pm – 12.30pm 12.30pm – 1.00pm 12.00pm – 12:30pm 12.30pm – 1.00pm 1.00pm – 1.30pm 3.00pm

Year 1 and Year 2 lessons begin Morning Toddler, Nursery and Reception lessons begin Nursery and Year 2 playtime Reception and Year 1 playtime End of school day – Morning Toddler Afternoon Toddler lessons begin Nursery lunch Reception and Year 2 lunch Year 1 lunch Nursery playtime Reception playtime Year 1 and 2 playtime End of school day for all children

Staggered Starts Toddler and Nursery have a staggered start to the beginning of the school year to allow the children time to get used to their classroom and teachers in a smaller group. In Toddler the children come initially with their parents, then in small groups over several days. In Nursery the children are in half class groups and leave at 1.00pm for the first two weeks. More details on the staggered start are sent home with class lists in June. Please note this means that for the first two weeks not all Toddler and Nursery children are in school every day and that there are no buses provided for Nursery children at 1.00pm.

Drop-off and Pick-Up Procedures Children can arrive at DUCKS from 8.00am onwards. Children in Years 1 and 2 go straight to their classroom and remain there with the teacher and begin their school day at 8.15am with registration.

Lessons begin at 8.30am. Children must be in school by 8.15am.

Children in Nursery and Reception can arrive at DUCKS from 8.00am onwards. They go to their classroom to drop off their bags, and then return to the front playground to play. A member of staff will be on duty in the playground from 8.00am onwards. At 8.30am a bell is rung, the children line up and are taken into class by their teacher in order to begin their day. From August to October Nursery children go straight to class when they arrive as part of their induction into full time school life.

Bus children in Years 1 and 2 arrive at school and are allowed to walk up to their classroom with their friends. Children who come by bus in Nursery and Reception are taken to their class by their bus monitor. They drop off their bags, say good morning to their teacher and then the bus monitor will escort the children to the playground to play until the bell is rang.

Morning Toddler children should arrive at 8.30am and go straight to their classroom. If they arrive earlier, they may play on the front playground supervised by their parent or guardian.

Teachers in Morning Toddler and Nursery offer a “soft start” and welcome parents to accompany 9

their child into the classroom until 9.00am. This provides worthwhile opportunities for parents to share news and events that are important to their child. With this information, teachers are able to ensure that the activities they provide enhance and support the individual interests of each child.

Afternoon Toddler children should arrive at 12.30pm and go straight to their classroom. Afternoon Toddler operates a 30 minute “soft start� programme as described above.

It is important that all children are on time for their lessons as late arrival can disrupt their learning and that of their classmates.

Lunchtimes and Snacks Children can choose a two-course lunch, which is served by the College caterers, or they may bring a packed lunch from home. This social occasion takes place in the school dining room with staff and children eating together. Good table manners are encouraged. A member of DUCKS staff serves on the College Nutrition Committee.

The College does not offer a heating service for home lunch. However, hot home lunches can be dropped off at the DUCKS Guard Room prior to lunchtime. Children in Years 1 and 2 place their home lunch bags in their class box next to the dining hall on arrival at DUCKS each morning. Soup is not allowed at DUCKS. It is important that children have a healthy snack each day. DUCKS do not allow sweets, chocolate or sugary items as snacks. The aim is to promote positive and healthy eating habits. With this in mind, the following items are suggested: cheese, sliced fruit, raisins, crackers, sandwiches, and yogurt. In addition, it is important that children bring a water bottle to school each day, clearly labelled with their name and class.

NB - DUCKS is a nut-free environment. No nut products are served and any food allergies or special dietary requirements will be taken into account. All snacks brought from home must be nut-free. It is the responsibility of parents to inform the class teacher of any allergies their child may have

Catering Services

Dulwich College uses the Sodexo Company to provide staff and student lunches and snacks.

Sodexho uses the newly refurbished kitchen at DUCKS to prepare all meals.

There is a College wide nutrition committee that consists of representatives from DUCKS, Junior School and Senior School staff and students as well as parents of children from all three schools. The nutrition committee offers staff, students and parents a chance to feedback directly to the Manager of Sodexo any concerns, suggestions or criticisms that they have. Regular surveys are taken and acted upon.

Sodexo offers the following service at DUCKS:

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Lunch set menu includes morning and afternoon snacks for Toddler, Nursery and Reception children. Year One and Two children are offered the lunch menu only. (Sample menu below.)

All Sodexho menus are made under the supervision of our Nutritionist.

Payment System

In DUCKS, lunch registers are taken each morning by the class teacher to keep a track of spending against a pre-paid account. Accounts can be reloaded from 8.00am to 4.00pm, Monday to Friday in the Senior School Canteen at the Main Campus.

Collection of Children Children should be collected at the designated time. If parents are unable to collect their child themselves, they must make sure that their child’s teacher is aware of alternative arrangements.

Parents or carers must wear their security badge at all times. Under no circumstances will a child be allowed to depart from the premises unless they are with a person who is known to the teacher or they are with a person able to provide proof that they are authorised to collect that child by wearing the security badge provided.

Young children become anxious if their carer is not there to collect them. To avoid unnecessary upsets, it is important that carers arrive on time. If they are delayed, they must telephone the DUCKS reception so that the class teacher can be informed. It is recommended that the youngest child is collected first.

If parents need to collect their child during the school day, they must let the class teacher know in advance. On collection, the class teacher will give parents a permission slip to present to the guards so that they allow their child to leave the campus.

School Busses Parents of children that will travel on the school bus will receive a copy of the Bus Regulations. Please be aware of the following: • It is imperative that children are waiting when the bus

arrives to collect them. If the bus has to wait, this

lengthens what is, for many, an already long journey.

• Seat belts must be fastened immediately and not undone

until the bus arrives at its destination.

• Food is not to be eaten on the buses.

• Children should be collected promptly on their return

as all are keen to get home after a long day.

Parents should talk to their child about being polite to the bus monitor and driver. They should also remind them that seemingly harmless ‘playing’ and teasing on the bus can be extremely upsetting for some children and can become a form of bullying if continued. Bad language is strictly forbidden. If children continuously misbehave, parents will receive a warning that their child may have to be removed from the bus, for their own safety as well as that of the other children.

All bussing arrangements should be made through the Bussing Department via Student Services located in the Senior School building. Please contact stella.shi@dulwich-shanghai.cn.

Bicycles It is important that parents are aware of the regulations regarding bicycles in Shanghai. From the College perspective, the priority is to ensure that children are kept safe and, to this end, parents are encouraged to insist that their sons/daughters wear safety helmets whenever they are riding their bicycles. The College is aware of how dangerous roads in Shanghai can be and regularly receive reports of accidents, many involving fatalities of cyclists.

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DUCKS Traffic It is very busy outside DUCKS during drop-off and pick-up times.

On the advice of JinQiao traffic police, the College operates a drop off/pick up routine as shown in the map below. Parents are requested to share this routine with their drivers.

Guards are stationed outside the gates to DUCKS in order to assist with drop-off/pick-up.

There is a coned-off section of approximately the length of four cars, directly in front of the gates to DUCKS for drop-off/pick-up. The remainder of the road in front of DUCKS is available for parking. However, double parking is not allowed as it hinders the flow of traffic.

No Parking Allowed

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Curriculum The curriculum in the Early Years is based on the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum (EYFS) which provides a framework for the education of children from birth to five years old.

The Prime Areas covered are: • Personal, Social and Emotional Development • Communication and Language • Physical Development.

The Specific Areas covered are: • Literacy • Mathematics • Understanding the World • Expressive Arts and Design.

Under these seven areas of learning, staff guide and facilitate a range of exciting and stimulating curricular activities that enable each child to achieve the goals and objectives appropriate to his or her individual stage of development.

The Curriculum in Years 1 and 2 is based on the National Curriculum for England and aims to ensure that young people become successful learners, confident individuals, and responsible citizens. The structure of the curriculum has been designed to provide breadth and balance whilst maintaining focus on Literacy and Mathematics. There is a strong emphasis on children’s personal development, including the development of learning and thinking skills and personal, social and emotional skills.

All areas of learning are delivered to the children through the teaching of one or two topics per school term, with the exception of Mathematics and elements of Literacy which are taught as discrete subjects.

‘Playing with Sounds’ is our daily phonics programme. By following the National Curriculum for England and selecting the best elements it has to offer, a smooth transition between each phase of a child’s education is ensured.

Dual Language Approach DUCKS values Mandarin and wants children to acquire language skills in Mandarin as well as in English. DUCKS therefore uses a dual language approach in the classrooms.

The aim of the dual language approach in DUCKS is to develop fluent speakers in English and Mandarin by the end of Year 2 who can comfortably switch from one language to another while always remaining secure in their first language.

In Early Years at the start of each year, teachers will work with parents to learn which languages are spoken at home, and how they are used, to determine each child’s individual language needs.

Each child will receive an Individual Language Plan that caters for that child’s specific needs. Children who speak a third language at home may receive EAL lessons as well. (See page 18 ) All children will hear (and use) both English and Chinese every day, but the degree to which either language is used will depend on a child’s individual needs. Both languages will be used, as appropriate, in all learning contexts 13

In the early stages of language acquisition, to help children acquire the second language, teachers will be using simplified and repetitive speech; contextualised language and gestures; continual checking of understanding; structured and unstructured opportunities to use both languages; and monolingual delivery of activities/lessons.

Children in Years 1 and 2 will follow the English National Curriculum in a classroom that is rich in both Mandarin and English. A qualified teacher, who is a native English speaker, will lead the curriculum using spoken English. The children’s learning will be supported by a Learning Assistant who speaks Mandarin as a first language but who speaks fluent English as well.

The main language of the curriculum in DUCKS will be English in key areas such as Mathematics and Literacy, but Mandarin will be used by the Learning Assistants in natural contexts such as at snack time or greetings in the morning. In addition, children in Reception, Years 1 and 2 will have differentiated Mandarin lessons every day. Children who need to develop their English will be supported to fully access the curriculum (See page 18). The physical learning environment, including print, will be in both English and Mandarin.

Specialist Teaching in DUCKS Mandarin Every child in DUCKS has daily Mandarin lessons with qualified Mandarin teachers.

Early Years Mandarin

The Early Years Mandarin Programme is designed for children from Toddler to Reception. Children explore Mandarin everyday. The Toddler, Nursery and Reception children have a 30-minute lesson integrated into their daily activities.

Children in Reception are split into three groups for Mandarin time – Mandarin as a Foreign Language (MFL), Mandarin as a Second Language (MSL) and Chinese as a Native Language (CNL). The aim of the Mandarin Programme is to give children an early advantage, a foundation they can build on for the rest of their lives, and to get children interested in the Chinese language at an age when it can make a real difference. Training the children in speaking ability is given priority through various interesting and dramatic teaching activities such as hands-on activities, nursery rhymes and songs, stories, and a large variety of games, which are in line with children’s cognitive development. Children not only learn Mandarin but are also being immersed in the richness of the Chinese culture through featured Chinese workshops and activities. Children will be introduced to some traditional festivals like Chinese New Year, the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the Lantern Festival.

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Year 1 and Year 2 Mandarin

In Year 1 and Year 2, children have a 30-minute Mandarin lesson every day. The Courses have the following aims: • To enhance children’s knowledge and understanding of Chinese culture • To provide children with the opportunities to extend their learning of Mandarin and to

help them progress from their current skill level to their potential level in four areas:

listening; speaking; reading (character recognition), and writing.

The Mandarin Programme in DUCKS offers Mandarin as a Foreign Language (MFL), Mandarin as a Second Language (MSL) and Chinese as a Native Language (CNL). The MFL course is designed for Year 1 and Year 2 students with little or no background in Mandarin. It aims at helping them learn oral communication skills in Chinese, aquiring some basic knowledge about the structure of Chinese characters through writing, and some basic components of the Chinese culture. The CNL course is designed for Year 1 and Year 2 children who have mastered the basic oral communication skills necessary to read Chinese by using Pinyin, and are able to recognise and use vocabulary under different circumstances. Mandarin in Years 1 and 2 is taught by a team of Primary Mandarin Teachers who teach from Year 1 to Year 6.

Music

Specialist music lessons at DUCKS incorporate concepts and pedagogy from the English National Curriculum, and Kodaly and Orff Music Education. All children in DUCKS attend singing-based music lessons with their class, use a range of percussion instruments and incorporate movement activities to encourage sensitivity to beat and rhythm.

From Nursery onwards, children are taught foundational music reading and writing skills.

In Year 2, children learn the recorder as a tool for aquring theoretical, practical and ensemble skills.

All children attend a group-singing session once a week, which develops a range of repertoire, teaches material for end-of-term productions, and develops group music-making skills. In Year 2, students are offered the opportunity to be involved in an elective choir, the Mulan Choir, which rehearses during CCA time for various performances throughout the year.

All children are involved in at least one major performances each year, which showcase the practical performing arts skills that are taught each week. They are integrated into the activities in the classroom, and taught as a specialist lesson from Reception onwards.

The DUCKS Music room is well-equipped with a modern digital Yamaha piano, a class set of tuned and un-tuned percussion instruments, and an interactive whiteboard along with many audio, visual and print teaching resources.

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Library

Children in DUCKS are introduced to the Library from as early as Toddler. Our main aim within the library is to give the children the chance to establish a love for books from a very early age.

Early Years children visit the Library once a week with their class except Reception who visit twice. Years 1 and 2 visit once a week. Each child in Early Years has the opportunity to borrow two books at a time and Years 1 and 2 can borrow three books. During the class Library sessions, the children are given the opportunity to change their library books as well as take part in book related activities. The Librarian reads to the children during their library visits and sometimes with mixed age classes who read together.

The Library activities include a library skills programme. This programme is aimed at all year groups with information appropriate to the age and level of understanding of the children.

The programme covers a library induction, looking at how books are put together, authors and illustrators, fiction and non-fiction, classification, and a basic approach to finding information.

Other activities include weekly themes taken from books, authors and festivals.

ICT

ICT is part of the curriculum from Nursery onwards. The Reception children have a 30-minute lesson each week. They are encouraged to use computers to do lots of activities, such as playing games, listening to stories online, drawing pictures, using the keyboard, taking photos, etc.

Children in Years 1 and 2 have one hour for ICT every week.

During these sessions, they develop their keyboard skills on Word, drawing skills on Paint, and other knowledge according to the National Curriculum. They also have the opportunity to use the computer to do some activities in other curriculum areas.

In addition, there are Apple laptops in every classroom and interactive whiteboards in most of the classrooms, and they are used to enhance the teaching and learning across the curriculum.

PE

The PE lessons at DUCKS are based on the Early Years Foundation Stage and the National Curriculum for England in Year 1 and Year 2. The timetable is divided into Games, Gymnastics, Dance, and Athletics. Early Years children have basic movement goals: develop a sense of direction, foot–eye coordination, hand-eye coordination, balance, body and space awareness and move with control.

The aim for the children in Years 1 and 2 is the improvement of physical fitness: strength, flexibility, endurance, agility, coordination, balance and rhythm.

Children handle a range of materials including bean bags, rings, hoops and soft balls, they play in pairs and in teams, and move and explore.

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Service Education Heart to Heart Shanghai

In line with the College philosophy and objective statement “we care and we share�, DUCKS supports the Heart to Heart Shanghai organisation.

Heart to Heart Shanghai is a Shanghai based non-profit community outreach organisation composed of expatriate volunteers who donate their time and money to entertain and give support to children and their families who are undergoing heart surgery at the Shanghai Chest Hospital.

Funds are raised through donation and the selling of Heart to Heart bears. Each bear has the name of a child who has been helped by Heart to Heart.

DUCKS raise money for Heart to Heart through many different events including readathons, walkathons, and the Winter Fair. DUCKS also hold regular collections of clothing for the organisation to take to the villages and have funded libraries in village schools. The College also has Heart to Heart bears for sale. Mrs. Karen Carrington, Executive Director of Heart to Heart Shanghai, is a regular visitor at the school and attends most Heart to Heart events.

DUCKS has a Heart to Heart club which involves children in Years 1 and 2 learning about the organisation, the children plan and advertise fund raising activities.

There is a DUCKS Heart to Heart committee that comprises of teachers and parents and meets regularly. Parents wishing to join the committee should contact the DUCKS Charity Coordinator, Mr. Tom Hughes, at thomas.hughes@dulwich-shanghai.cn.

The aim of this link with Heart to Heart Shanghai is to instill in the children a sense of community and a desire to help others.

Parents who would like to learn more about Heart to Heart Shanghai, can visit their website: www.heart2heartshanghai.net.

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Additional Support Learning Support DUCKS offers individual programmes for children with mild diagnosed Specific Learning Difficulties and provision for children who may require learning support at some point during their academic studies.

All provision is aimed at the individual child’s specific learning needs and is cross-curricular wherever possible. Support is often through individual or small-group withdrawal systems, but is also carried out through supporting teachers by creating effective learning strategies to remove barriers to learning in mainstream classes.

College Guidance Counsellor The College Guidance Counsellor is available to children, parents and staff to provide counselling and advice as needed. The Counsellor also supports the PSHCE programme and provides guidance throughout the College.

English as an Additional Language (EAL): DUCKS offers support for non-native speakers of English, who need to develop their understanding and use of English in order to access and respond to their curriculum studies. This support may take place in the classroom or within small groups withdrawn from the classroom. In both cases, children will be supported by an EAL specialist. Withdrawal from Mandarin is sometimes necessary and means that the child is still with their normal classes for core subjects. Moreover, it alleviates the need for the child to master another additional language.

A child will be deemed to be no longer in need of overt EAL support when he or she is performing at or close to expected curriculum standards, as measured by testing, and in the opinion of both the class and EAL teacher.

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Assessments and Reporting Assessment DUCKS believes that Assessment for Learning (AFL) or formative assessment is the key to effective teaching and learning. It provides an environment in which intercultural understanding can flourish and learners can become inspired. Formative assessment supports on-going learning.

DUCKS believes that assessment of learning or summative assessment is also important. Summative assessment is concerned with summarising assessments at particular points in time and supports a range of further purposes, including tracking a childs progress, reporting, evaluating, planning, and target-setting.

Assessment Techniques Children have a wide range of abilities and learning styles and the approaches to assessment reflect this. These may include: •

• •

•

•

Observational assessment: observation of responses to learning activities and unstructured situations Dynamic assessment: analysis of responses in the context of learning a task Questioning: judgement about the degree of understanding and an opportunity to dig deeper Criterion-referenced assessment: measurement of attainment against predetermined criteria Formal assessment: completion of tests or set tasks

National Curriculum Levels In Years 1 and 2, the formal learning objectives that are taught correspond to National Curriculum levels. A child’s attainment and progress is recorded directly through these National Curriculum levels, and reports to parents correspond directly to these levels.

Standardised Testing DUCKS recognises the value that external data brings to us through standardised testing. Children are assessed as follows: • Reception, Years 1 and 2 - PM benchmark reading tests • Years 1 and 2 - NFER Progress in English, NFER Progress in Maths • Year 2 - National Curriculum Tests.

Overview of Reporting to Parents Term

Term 1

Term 2 Term 3

• • • • • • • • • •

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Curriculum evening Termly overview Parents’ consultation evening End of term report Termly overview Open days Parents’ consultation evening Termly overview Open days End of term report

Termly Overview Parents receive a termly curriculum overview at the beginning of each term. This is a summary of the major learning objectives to be taught that term relevant to their child’s year group.

Parents’ Consultations Evenings

These take place in Terms 1 and 2, and are a chance for parents to discuss how their child is progressing, both academically and socially.

Open Days

In Terms 2 and 3, parents are invited by their class teacher to come into class to see the work that their child has been doing. In Early Years, this is a chance for parents to stay and play with their child. In Years 1 and 2, children show parents their books.

End of Term Reports Parents receive a written report at the end of Terms 1 and 3. This explains the progress their child has made against National Curriculum levels and their next learning steps.

Homework

Aims and objectives

The aims and objectives of homework are: • • • • • •

•

To enable children to make maximum progress in their academic and social development To help children develop the skills of an independent learner To promote cooperation between home and school in supporting each child’s learning To enable all aspects of the curriculum to be covered in sufficient depth To provide educational experiences not possible in school To consolidate and reinforce the learning done in school, and to allow children to practice skills taught in lessons; To help children develop good work habits for the future

Types of homework

Staff and children regard homework as an integral part of the curriculum. It is planned and prepared alongside all other programmes of learning.

A variety of homework activities are set. In Reception and at Key Stage 1 children are given books to take home and read with their parents. Guidance is given to parents on achieving the maximum benefit from this time spent reading with their child. Year 2 children are also asked to learn spellings as part of their homework. When children are asked to study a topic, or to research a particular subject, they are encouraged to use not only the school library but also the Internet.

In Year 2 homework is set via our virtual learning platform (class teachers will send home details of this). This tool gives the children and parents guidance on how to complete tasks as well as keeping them up to date with methods that are used in school.

The role of parents

Parents have a vital role to play in their child’s education, and homework is an important part of this process. Parents are expected to encourage their child to complete the homework tasks that are set. They should help their child as and when they feel it to be necessary and support them by providing a good working space at home, enabling them to visit the library regularly, and by discussing the work that their child is doing.

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Holistic Opportunities Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs) Children in Years 1 and 2 take part in co-curricular activities on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2.00pm to 3.00pm. A choices form is sent home at the beginning of each term. At the beginning and end of term, CCA time is used for PSHCE lessons and performance rehearsals. Once a child has chosen and been accepted for a CCA, they will remain in the CCA for the whole term. Children in Year 2 can chose to join the Mulan Choir. This is a year-long commitment and replaces one of the CCAs.

Houses, House Points and Rewards Children in Years 1 and 2 are part of the College House system. When they enter Year 1, they will be assigned a House: • Anand (purple) • Howard (red) • Shackleton (green) • Wing (blue) Siblings are placed in the same House.

They take part in activities as organised by the DUCKS House Coordinator and receive House points from members of staff and these are totalled each half term.

Anand Anand House is named after Anand Panyarachun, considered the greatest living Old Alleynian (“OA”), as Dulwich old boys are known. Khun Anand has had a distinguished career of service to his country and in business: he is the former Prime Minister of Thailand, Chairman of the Thai Federation of Industries, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Thai Ambassador to the U.S. and Chairman of Saha-Union Group. Born in 1932, Khun Anand is an alumnus of Dulwich College London, where he was School Prefect and captain of the undefeated 1951 School Tennis Team – a truly distinguished OA. Howard Charles Howard, 2nd Baron Howard of Effingham and 1st earl of Nottingham (c. 1536-1624) took advantage of his high birth to sustain a long and distinguished career. He served Queen Mary as Lord High Admiral and Queen Elizabeth as Lord Chamberlain.

Charles Howard was the patron of Lord Howard’s Men, later known as The Admiral’s Men, a theatre company in the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras. Lord Howard’s Men were generally considered one of the most important acting troupes of English Renaissance theatre. Edward Alleyn, the founder of Dulwich College London is considered one of the greatest actors of Shakespeare’s time was the principal actor for the troupe.

Charles Howard held supreme command of Naval Forces when the Armada was destroyed in 1588. In 1596, with Lord Essex, he stormed Cadiz to forestall another Armada. The following year he was created Earl of Nottingham and served as Lord High Steward until 1615.

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Shackleton One of the greatest explorers of the 20th century, Ernest Shackleton was an inspiring leader who demonstrated selfless regard for those he led. His hairraising expedition to Antarctica in 1915 made this Old Alleynian a legend in his own time. When his ship, the Endurance, was trapped in the polar ice, he led his men to shelter and then sailed out in an open boat (now on display at Dulwich College London) to seek help. He returned to save his comrades two weeks later – a happy ending to a harrowing experience, achieved through sheer grit, ingenuity and determination.

Wing

Yung Wing was a dedicated educator, a scholar and an ancestor of one of the founding members of Dulwich College Shanghai. Born in Guangdong Province in 1828, he was the first Chinese to receive a university education in America, graduating from Yale University in 1854. Yung entered the Qing Imperial Government service in 1864, and proposed that the government subsidise the education of young Chinese in the west.

Between 1874 and 1881, several hundred Chinese youths were sent to U.S. universities. He was also instrumental in establishing one of China’s first modern companies, the China Merchants Steamship Navigation Company – whose 1901 headquarters still stands on Shanghai’s Bund.

School Events, Performances and Assemblies Children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 have weekly assemblies focusing on aspects of personal, social, health, and citizenship education (PSHCE), as well as discussing celebrations. In addition the children take part in assemblies to recognise their good work. In Reception the children are given certificates from the Magic Book. In Years 1 and 2, the children receive certificates relating to the DUCKS Philosophy and Objectives.

Speech Day At the end of the academic year DUCKS holds a Speech Day for all children. At the Speech Day each child is presented with a certificate to reflect their progress during the academic year. This is a formal occasion to which parents are invited.

Productions Children take part in at least one production each year.

Musical Performances Children in Year 2 can elect to be part of the Mulan Choir. They rehearse weekly and take part in performances as decided by the Head of Music.

Once a year, DUCKS holds a music Soirée when children who play an instrument can perform. Children audition for the soirée with the Head of Music.

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Special Events Over the course of the year, children participate in the following celebrations and activities: United Nations Day*, Chinese New Year, Christmas celebrations, Book Week and Sports Days. Parents are warmly invited to all of these events. As an international school great value is put on parents coming into class to share special celebrations from their home cultures. Parents willing to come in should speak to their child’s class teacher. *As the children have an international dress-up day on UN Day in Term 1, it may be useful if parents bring a national costume from their home country during the summer holidays.

Birthdays Parents are very welcome to bring a cake to school when it is their child’s birthday. A simple homemade cake is usually preferred by the children. Parents are asked to check with their child’s class teacher to arrange the best possible time in the day for them to bring in the cake. They should also check with their child’s teacher that there are no children in the class with any food allergies.

DUCKS has a strict no-nuts policy.

Educational Visits Children from Nursery upwards, take part in day trips at least once per year. These trips are linked to their curriculum theme. In the past, these have included trips to the seaside, maritime museum, and the fire station.

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Student Welfare All children have the right to: 1. Learn 2. Feel safe and happy 3. Be treated with respect and kindness 4. Freedom of expression and independent thought All students have a responsibility to: 1. Have input into their learning and aim to reach their full potential 2. Accept responsibility for their actions and property 3. Care for themselves, others and the environment.

The College aims to provide a framework that ensures that systems, procedures, and policies are in place to safeguard the welfare of students, thereby providing an environment in which each individual student can maximize their potential in becoming a well-rounded young person who strives for excellence and, in doing so, embraces the College Values.

Absence Policy If a child is going to be absent from school due to illness, parents should contact their child’s class teacher before 9.00am via one of the following methods: • Email - firstname.surname@dulwich-shanghai.cn • The DUCKS Receptionist on 58999910 ext 610, • Leave a message on the absence answer machine service on 33821805.

If parents know in advance that their child will be away from school, they should let their child’s class teacher know.

Behaviour and Discipline Policy

It is a primary aim that every member of the school community feels valued and respected, and that each person is treated fairly and well. The College is a caring community, whose values are built on mutual trust and respect for all. The DUCKS behaviour policy is therefore designed to support this in a positive way. It aims to promote an environment where everyone feels happy, safe and secure.

DUCKS has a number of rules, but the primary aim of the behaviour policy is not a system to enforce rules. It is a means of promoting good relationships, so that people can work together with the common purpose of helping everyone to learn. This policy supports the school community in aiming to allow everyone to work together in an effective and considerate way.

DUCKS expects every member of the school community to behave in a considerate way towards others and treats all children fairly and applies this policy in a consistent way.

The policy aims to help children to grow in a safe and secure environment, and to become positive, responsible and increasingly independent members of the school community.

DUCKS rewards good behaviour, as it believes that this will develop an ethos of kindness and cooperation. The policy is designed to promote good behaviour, rather than merely deter anti-social behaviour.

Children receive praise and rewards for good behaviour in a variety of ways: • Teachers congratulate children.

• Teachers give children reward stickers to stick on their work or take home.

• Teachers give stickers to children for consistent good work, behaviour, outstanding effort

or acts of kindness. Each week they nominate children from each class in Reception, Years

1 and 2 to show their ‘good work’ and those children then receive a merit certificate during

the school good work assembly.

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In Reception, children are recorded in the ‘Magic Book’. In Years 1 and 2, the certificates are linked to the school’s Philosophy and Objectives statements. Children in Years 1 and 2, are also awarded House points for good work, behaviour and manners. All staff across DUCKS are able to award House points.

DUCKS acknowledges all efforts and achievements of children, both in and out of school.

DUCKS employs a number of sanctions to enforce the rules, and to ensure a safe and positive learning environment. Each sanction is employed appropriately to each individual situation.

•

•

Children are expected to listen carefully to instructions in lessons. If they do not do so, they will be asked to either move to a place nearer the teacher, or to sit on their own.

Children are expected to try their best in all activities. If they do not do so, they may be asked to redo a task.

If a child is disruptive in class, the teacher will discuss this behaviour with them and ask them to stop. If a child misbehaves repeatedly, they will be given time out from the rest of the class until they calm down, and is in a position to work sensibly again with others. After such occasions, the class teacher will discuss the reasons for the time-out with the child. A child may be taken to visit the Head or Deputy Head of DUCKS to discuss this behaviour.

The safety of the children is paramount in all situations. If a child’s behaviour endangers the safety of others, the class teacher will stop the activity and may need to prevent the child from taking part for the rest of that session.

In some instances in DUCKS, after consultation with the class teacher, the Head of DUCKS, and the child’s parents, an individual behaviour chart may be put in place to assist the child.

If a child physically hurts another child through play or on purpose while in the playground, that child will be asked to sit out for an age-appropriate amount of time to reflect on their actions.

There are clear guidelines for instances of biting.

•

•

•

If a child bites for the first time, he/she will be told to stop and he/she will be made aware by the class teacher that this behaviour is unacceptable and a note will be sent home via home link book.

If a child bites for the second time, the child will be treated as above, and the child’s parents will be informed by telephone and reminded of the policy.

If the child bites for a third time, the child’s parents will be asked to remove the child from school until such time as the child has stopped biting.

The class teacher will discuss the school rules with their class. In addition to the school rules, each class also has its own classroom code, which is agreed upon with the children and displayed on the wall of the classroom. In this way, every child in the school knows the standard of behaviour that is expected. If there are incidents of anti-social behaviour, the class teacher will discuss these with the whole class during ‘circle time’.

The school does not tolerate bullying of any kind. If an act of bullying or intimidation is discovered, immediate action will take place to stop any further occurrences of such behaviour. While it is very difficult to eradicate bullying, everything possible is done to ensure that all children attend school free from fear.

If a child threatens, hurts, or bullies another child, the class teacher will record the incident and the child will be disciplined. If a child repeatedly acts in a way that disrupts or upsets others, the school will contact the child’s parents and seek an appointment in order to discuss the situation, with a view to improving the behaviour of the child.

The Role of the Class Teacher It is the responsibility of the class teacher to ensure that the school rules are enforced in their class, and that their class behaves in a responsible manner during lesson time. The class teachers have 25

high expectations of the children in terms of behaviour, and they strive to ensure that all children work to the best of their ability. The class teacher treats each child fairly and enforces the classroom code consistently. The teacher treats all children in their class with respect and understanding.

If a child misbehaves repeatedly in class, the class teacher will keep a record of all such incidents.

In the first instance, the class teacher will deal with the incidents themself in the normal manner.

However, if misbehaviour continues, the class teacher will seek help and advice from the Head or Deputy Head of DUCKS. The class teacher may liaise with external agencies, as necessary, to support and guide the progress of a child. This would only take place once parental consent has been given.

The class teacher will also contact a parent if there are concerns about the behaviour or welfare of a child.

The Role of the Head of DUCKS

It is the responsibility of the Head of DUCKS to implement the school behaviour policy consistently throughout the school. It is also the responsibility of the Head of DUCKS to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all children in the school.

The Head of DUCKS supports the staff by implementing the policy, setting the standards of behaviour, and by supporting staff in the implementation of the policy.

All reported serious incidents of misbehaviour are placed on a child’s file in the Head of DUCKS office. The College Headmaster has the responsibility for giving fixed-term suspensions to individual children for serious acts of misbehaviour. For repeated or very serious acts of anti-social behaviour, the Headmaster may permanently exclude a child.

The Role of Parents

The school works collaboratively with parents, so children receive consistent messages about how to behave at home and at school.

Parents are expected to read the rules and support them.

Parents are expected to support their child’s learning, and to co-operate with the school. The school builds a supportive dialogue between home and school, and parents are informed immediately if there are any concerns about their child’s welfare or behaviour.

If the school has to use reasonable sanctions to punish a child, parents are expected to support the actions. If parents have any concerns about the way that their child has been treated, they should initially contact their class teacher. If the concern remains, they should contact the Head of DUCKS. If these discussions do not resolve the problem, a formal grievance process can be implemented through the Deputy Headmaster.

Monitoring

The Head of DUCKS monitors the effectiveness of the DUCKS Behaviour and Discipline policy on a regular basis and also reports to the Headmaster on the effectiveness of the policy and, if necessary, makes recommendations for further improvements.

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Early Years Toileting Policy Aims and Objectives

Toilet training is a significant milestone in a child’s life and is vital to their independence and participation in school. DUCKS recognises this is a mutual task, requiring cooperation, agreement and understanding between the child and their caregivers. This includes parents and ayis at home, and teachers and ayis at school. The best toilet-training techniques emphasise consistency and positive reinforcement and thus seek to work supportively in partnership.

Children are able to control their bladder and bowels when they are physically ready, and when they want to be dry and clean. Many children can control their bowel before their bladder. By the age of two, some children will be dry during the day. By the age of three, nine out of ten children will be dry most days. By the age of four, most children should be reliably dry.

For the purpose of this policy, it is regarded that a toilet-trained child is a child that is in control of their bowel and bladder, being aware of when they need the toilet, thus resulting in them having minimal accidents. This also includes wiping themselves or identifying that they need help.

If children start Nursery or Reception and they are not toilet trained as identified below, they will be asked to remain at home until they are sufficiently toilet trained or an appropriate plan is in place in consultation with the class teacher and Deputy/Head of DUCKS.

Toddler

Most children will begin in the Toddlers class wearing nappies. Teachers, ayis, and parents/carers will communicate regularly and work cooperatively to start the toilet training process, aiming to maintain consistent approaches and messages to the child. Once the toilet training process begins, parents and teachers will work together and discuss the use of pull ups and underwear during this stage.

Teachers and ayis will: • Encourage children to identify when they need to use the toilet and ask to go • Take the children to the toilet at regular intervals during the day to encourage independence

and the development of bladder and bowel control • Support the children in learning how to wipe their own bottoms and ask for help when

necessary.

Nursery

Children attending Nursery must be ‘toilet-trained’. Children are not able to attend school until they are toilet-trained unless there is a medical diagnosis that complicates the training, accompanied by a doctors’ note and action plan. The goal being to have every child use the toilet independently and exit the bathroom clean. Please note, children in Nursery are not permitted to wear diapers/ nappies/pull-ups during the school day and must wear underwear.

Children must be able to: • Identify that they need to use the toilet and go independently • Tell an adult when they need to use the toilet so that the adult is aware that the child is in

the bathroom • Attempt to wipe their own bottom and be able to ask for help to wipe if necessary • Identify when they are wet/soiled and ask for help • Children do not need to be dry through the night but should be able to rest at quiet time

without wetting or soiling him or herself • Attempt to wash their own hands using soap and water

Reception

Unless there is a medical diagnosis, accompanied by a doctors note and action plan, children attending Reception must be “toilet trained”. Children are not able to attend school until they are toilet trained as indentified below. Please note, children in Reception are not permitted to wear diapers/nappies/pull-ups during the school day and must wear underwear.

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Children must be able to: • Identify when they need to go to the toilet and go independently • Go to the toilet when prompted by an adult • Wipe own bottom • Wash own hands • Identify when they are wet/soiled and ask for help • Have rare accidents.

Roles and Responsibilities

The role of the parents • Toddler parents will need to provide nappies/pull-ups and spare sets of clothing, which will

remain at DUCKS. • Nursery and Reception parents will need to provide a spare set of clothing, which will remain

at DUCKS. • Parents must inform teachers about the status of their child’s toileting before their child

begins in the class.

• If there is a medical complication to the toilet training, parents should inform the class

teacher and provide any relevant plans and doctor’s notes.

• Parent should begin the toilet training process before the beginning of the school year in

which the child will start nursery and acknowledge that if a child is not toilet trained when

they begin Nursery or Reception, they will be required to stay home until this is completed.

• Participate in meetings with teachers.

The role of the teachers • Introduce the toilets – explain where they are in the classroom, outside and around the

school.

• Remind children how to use the toilets (eg. pull down pants/tights completely or hold up

dress, wipe properly, flush, etc) as needed.

• Regularly encourage children to use the toilet during the day.

• Ensure that children have opportunities to use the toilet before and after specialist lessons

and break times.

• Teach, monitor and encourage hand washing and good hygiene practices.

• Provide advice and support for parents experiencing difficulty in the toilet training process.

The role of the classroom ayis • Ensure the bathrooms are clean - floors dry, sinks clean, paper not on the floor.

• Ensure the toilets are flushed and seats are clean and left down.

• Ensure soap, toilet paper and hand drying paper dispensers are appropriately resourced.

• Toddler – support the teachers when needed in the toileting process.

• Nursery – assist with bottom wiping and changing clothes as needed, encourage good

hygiene, encourage use of urinals for boys who stand to urinate.

• Reception – help change children as needed, encourage good hygiene, talk children through

wiping process if necessary, encourage use of urinals for boys.

The role of the admissions department • Explain the policy to parents during tours • Ensure that parents are fully aware of the policy prior to accepting a place Monitoring and review This policy was written by a committee of teachers from across DUCKS and some parents, and then shared with all staff. All staff had the opportunity to contribute to this policy. This policy will be reviewed regularly so that it can take account any new initiatives, the needs of the children, or any changes to the physical environment of the school.

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Partnering with Parents The College believes that parents play a crucial part in supporting good behaviour in school and welcomes and values their support in setting high expectations. The following expectations will help parents in their efforts to best support their child’s development in DUCKS.

Safe Surroundings

Parents are asked to: • Be safe and considerate to others when dropping off/picking up children.

• Share lifts when possible.

• Not obstruct the entrance/exit by stopping in zoned areas or abuse any other parking

restrictions around DUCKS. Failure to follow this advice may lead to a serious accident.

Pastoral Environment

Parents are asked to: • Ensure that their child understands the standards of behaviour expected of them.

• Always report any concerns about their child’s well-being and work cooperatively

with the class teacher to resolve matters satisfactorily.

• Encourage excellent attendance and punctuality.

• Not organise family holidays during term time.

• Provide a suitable ‘distraction-free’ environment for homework to be completed on time.

• Ensure that home routines support school life by ensuring that their child adopts appropriate

sleep habits/patterns.

• Ensure that their child engages in age-appropriate activities in the evenings and at

weekends.

Academic Environment

Parents are asked to: • Observe progress as detailed in their child’s Report and let the class teacher know of

any concerns or suggestions.

• Make themselves aware of the DUCKS assessment criteria and curriculum requirements

and ask the class teacher to explain if necessary.

• Show a particular interest in their child’s development by asking them about what they have

been learning at school.

A copy of the College Parent Charter is available on the College website in the Community section

Security

Everyone, except for students in uniform, coming on to the College grounds is required to wear an official security card. These cards have photos of each individual printed on them and are issued to new families as part of the admissions process. Visitors without security cards may need to provide photo identification, such as a driver’s licence, passport, or a Chinese residency document, to the guards to gain entrance. The photo identification documents will be kept securely by the guards for the duration of the visit and returned when the visitor leaves the site.

For any questions regarding security cards, please contact joanne.brooke@dulwich-shanghai.

Parental Involvement

Parental involvement in DUCKS is welcomed. Parents may wish to come in and share a special celebration from their home culture, help with an art activity, read with or to the children, or even do some cooking. Parents should contact their class teacher, the Head of DUCKS, or the Deputy Head of DUCKS, if they wish to help in class.

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Library services for parents

The Senior School Library attempts to cater to the needs of the entire Dulwich community, and parents are warmly encouraged to register there and borrow books.

Parent Forums

Forums are carefully positioned throughout the year to address a variety of pertinent topics including: assessment, Mathematics teaching and learning, English teaching and learning. Other forums may be added as necessary throughout the year as the need arises.

Systematic Training for Effective Parenting Programmes

In order to provide support for the parent body the College runs STEP (Systematic Training for Effective Parenting Programs) in each of the schools. (http://www.ciccparenting.org/StepPrograms. aspx#3) • Early Childhood STEP – for parents of children under six, • STEP: Systematic Training for Effective Parenting – for parents of children six to twelve

years of age.

• STEP/Teen – for parents of children 13-19 years of age.

All versions of the programme teach positive approaches to understanding and raising children.

The STEP approaches include appreciating that children’s behaviours are motivated by a variety of goals, that encouragement for children becoming the best that they can be is extremely important, and that family councils for making decisions for and with children are highly valued.

FoD

Friends of Dulwich (FoD) is a volunteer parent organisation that provides a focal point for the school community. It serves as a fund raising vehicle for agreed charities, in addition to fund raising for selected school community events and projects.

Through class representatives they facilitate the communication between class teachers and parents in relation to volunteers for classroom or special events. The class representatives also facilitate the social interaction among families in the school community. All parents are automatically members.

Activities include Parent-Teacher Socials, Daddy-Daughter Dance, Father-Son sporting events, The Winter Fair, The International Food Fair, Teacher appreciation activities, Health and Nutrition Committee, Scholastic Books, Farmers markets, flea markets. In addition FoD collaborates with the school to support productions and assist with sporting events. Monthly Coffee Mornings feature guest speakers and vendors.

The FoD weekly newsletter provides up to date information on upcoming activities as well as a link to the College local events board and community forum, on the College website, which allows parents an opportunity to exchange information.

FoD offers support for new families to assist them in having a smooth transition to both DCS and Shanghai.

The FoD committee meets monthly. If parents are interested in getting more involved or have any questions they should email fod@dulwich-shanghai.cn.

Committees and Working Parties The College is committed to working in partnership with the parent body to foster a sense of community spirit. It recognises that input from representative samples of parents alongside that of students and staff on key issues will help to ensure that communication is open and transparent and that decisions have been made following due stakeholder representation. To this end interested parents may be invited to join College working parties or committees as appropriate and upon approval of the Headmaster.

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Health and Safety Air Quality Rationale:

Based on research, experts on air quality strongly suggest schools take precautions to protect the safety of students on days when the quality of air is poor. The air quality in Shanghai fluctuates but there are clearly days when the air conditions are poor enough to put students at risk. Air quality is monitored on a daily basis and the figure posted throughout the College. Decisions on whether activities will be affected are then taken based on the following table:

Dulwich College Shanghai Air Quality Response Plan: API

Air Quality Description Grade

Color

Measure to be Taken

0-50 51-100

Excellent Good

1 2

Green Green

101-150

Slight pollution

3A

Yellow

151-200

Light pollution

3B

Orange

201-250

Moderate pollution

4A

Orange

251-300

Moderate-heavy pollution

4B

Red

> 300

Heavy pollution

5

Purple

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Daily activities not affected Daily activities not affected Daily activities not affected. Students with respiratory problems can, with parent permission, be ‘excluded’ from active participation in PE and/or remain indoors during break. Teachers report any signs of respiratory unwellness in children to the nurse immediately.

Daily activities not affected. Students with respiratory problems can, with parent permission, be ‘excluded’ from active participation in PE and/or remain indoors during break. Teachers report any signs of respiratory unwellness in children to the nurse immediately.

1) All PE lessons will be modified and carried out indoors.

2) Older students will be allowed outside to play during breaks but will not undertake strenuous activities. These students will also have the option of staying indoors, especially students with respiratory problems.

3) All CCAs will be modified so that students do not partake in strenuous activity.

4) Any DCS outdoor community event will be modified.

5) Teachers report any signs of respiratory unwellness in children to the nurse immediately.

6) Outdoor DCS sport school based activities held in Shanghai will be modified.

1) All PE lessons will be modified and carried out indoors.

2) Students will remain indoors during break time in line with the inclement weather procedures.

3) All field trips that involve any sort of physical activity will be postponed.

4) All outdoor CCAs will be cancelled.

5) Any DCS outdoor community event will be cancelled.

6) Teachers report any signs of respiratory unwellness in children to the nurse immediately

First Aid and Medical Care DUCKS has a full time nurse in whose is situated on the ground floor next to the staffroom.

If children become unwell whilst at DUCKS, they will be taken to the nurse. If the nurse feels it is necessary, she will contact parents and ask for them to pick up their child as soon as possible.

If she cannot contact a parent, she will telephone their emergency contacts and ask them to come and collect the child. It is, therefore, essential that all emergency contacts are aware of their responsibilities.

Parents are expected not to bring their child to DUCKS if they are unwell. Keeping them at home will help to speed up the recovery and also reduces the risk of infection to the other children.

Please note that staff will only administer Tylenol if they have a signed parent consent form.

The following exclusion periods are adhered to:

Exclusion Period

Chickenpox Conjunctivitis Diarrhoea & Vomiting Fever Hand, food and mouth Measles Mumps Ringworm Rubella

Usually 6 days from appearance of the last spot Children may return to school once treatment has begun 48 hours symptom-free. Child must be eating normally again 24 hours after temperature has returned to normal 24 hours symptom-free from sore throat, fever. No draining from sores/blisters 5 days minimum from onset of rash 5 days after swelling has appeared Until commencement of treatment 7 days after onset of rash

If a case of head lice is discovered, all parents will be informed and asked to check their child’s hair to prevent further spreading. The nurse will be happy to check a child’s head on request.

If a child has suffered from an infectious diseases, a certificate from the doctor stating the child is symptom-free and able to return to school, will be required.

Fire Drill Policy

The Fire Drill evacuation plan is displayed on all of the classroom walls. In the event of a fire alarm, children will be escorted from their classrooms or play areas with their teachers to the central assembly point at the front of DUCKS where registers will be taken.

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Closure of School Procedures

On some occasions, it may be necessary to close or cancel school. The following procedures will be followed whenever it is necessary to cancel or close school due to inclement weather, fire, important Government events, etc. The health and safety of the children shall be the primary consideration in all decisions or actions taken at times of inclement weather or other emergencies.

Prior to the school day •

•

In the case of important Government events, such as the APEC convention, the College is usually given prior warning via the Education Commission.

The Headmaster will ensure that all parents and staff are notified via a SMS message and a message will also be placed on the College website.

Procedures for closing school while in session

If an emergency necessitates the closure of the College during school hours, the subsequent guidelines will be followed: • The Headmaster will ensure that all parents and staff are notified via a SMS message,

and a message will be placed on the College website.

• At all times when the College buildings must be evacuated, all children and staff shall

exit the buildings in an orderly fashion as rehearsed. Children shall be kept at the designated

meeting place or other suitable location until parents can arrange to pick them up.

• The Headmaster will inform teachers when children may be released. DUCKS

students must be collected from the classroom by a parent or nominated guardian as soon

as possible after the phone call.

• The Headmaster will determine whether school buses are able to run. If deemed safe,

children will be dismissed to their buses. All other children will remain at school under

teacher supervision until a parent or nominated guardian arrives to take them home.

Delayed Closing of School

If conditions exist that make it unsafe for children to travel home on foot (severe weather, civil disturbances, etc.) children will remain at school under teacher supervision. When travel on foot has been deemed safe, the school will be closed and the children sent home following the procedures listed above.

Parental Decisions

Although the College will take every precaution to ensure the safety of all children during an emergency, there may be times when parents would prefer to collect their children earlier. If they choose to do this, parents must inform the DUCKS secretary to ensure that all children are accounted for. During a typhoon, it may be unsafe to travel. As such, parents are encouraged to wait until the severe conditions abate before coming to the College.

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Communication Each term, a Curriculum Overview is sent home, explaining what the children will be learning in Years 1 and 2 and the principles children will be working towards in Early Years.

In September, year level curriculum evenings are held for all parents to introduce the staff and discuss classroom routines.

Each class in DUCKS has a dedicated web page, called a ‘Weebly’ and parents will be sent the link and login details by their class teacher. Parents are asked to check these each week to get information on the curriculum being covered during the week and for any other notices.

Homelink books provide daily communication between parents and teachers. Teachers use them to communicate about homework, attendance, behaviour, activities children are enjoying or any other matters relating to class performance. Staff check the homelink book daily. Parents should expect a comment from their class teacher in the book each week.

Newsletter/College Magazine The College produces a weekly newsletter for each school every Friday during term-time. Parents are emailed the Newsletter directly via the College website. The weekly Newsletter, along with past Newsletters, are also available on the website.

The Newsletter contains key dates for the forthcoming week along with a link to the full Parent Calendar. College news can be found at the top, followed by a round up of the individual school news for the week. Links to the other schools Newsletters, lunch menus and news items are also included.

The College magazine is produced three times per year and published at the end of each term.

It contains College news, stories, photos and more in-depth features from each of the three schools. A hardcopy magazine is sent home with students at the end of each term. Extra copies are available in the Main College Reception area and is also available to download via the College website in PDF format.

Website

The College has its own website where information, including the calendar, is accessible. The website has information relating to College activities and descriptions of the individual schools.

There is also a media section where regular news items are posted.

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SMS System

The College has an SMS system in place for event reminders and to communicate with parents in the event of an issue or crisis whereby rapid communication is of the utmost importance.

For example, if an important announcement regarding an unexpected closure of the College takes place, the College will send an SMS message notification to the mobile phone number that parents have provided advising them to review the website for further details. Parents are asked to let the school Offices know of any changes in contact details so that they can ensure parents receive all messages from the College.

Yearbook

The College produces an annual Yearbook at the end of every school year as a keepsake for the students and staff. It is an optional purchase through the Dulwich College Shop at the Main College Reception.

School Calendar

The College uses an online calendar system. This allows parents, students and staff to be able to subscribe to school events via iCal, or RSS feeds. Apple iPhone users are also able to subscribe. The parent calendar is broken down into the following event categories: • DUCKS Events • JS Events • SS Events • Performing Arts Events • Sports Events • University Guidance Events This allows parents and staff the ability to subscribe to event information relevant to them. Subscription links can be found on the calendar section of the College website.

Sports Events Subscription University Events Subscription

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We grow and change together 37

Dulwich College Shanghai

SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR 2013-­‐‑2014 Month

M

T

W

5 Aug 12 19 26

6 13 20 27

2 9 16 23 30

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan 2014

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

7 14 21 28

Th 1 8 15 22 29

F 2 9 16 23 30

Sat 3 10 17 24 31

Sun 4 11 18 25

3 10 17 24

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

6 13 20 27

7 14 21 28

1 8 15 22 29

7 14 21 28

1 8 15 22 29

2 9 16 23 30

3 10 17 24 31

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

6 13 20 27

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

6 13 20 27

7 14 21 28

1 8 15 22 29

2 9 16 23 30

3 10 17 24

2 9 16 23 30

3 10 17 24 31

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

6 13 20 27

7 14 21 28

1 8 15 22 29

6 13 20 27

7 14 21 28

1 8 15 22 29

2 9 16 23 30

3 10 17 24 31

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

3 10 17 24

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

6 13 20 27

7 14 21 28

1 8 15 22

2 9 16 23

3 10 17 24 31

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

6 13 20 27

7 14 21 28

1 8 15 22 29

2 9 16 23 30

7 14 21 28

1 8 15 22 29

2 9 16 23 30

3 10 17 24

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

6 13 20 27

28th March-4th April: Spring Break (5th April Tomb Sweeping Day)

5 12 19 26

6 13 20 27

7 14 21 28

1 8 15 22 29

2 9 16 23 30

3 10 17 24 31

4 11 18 25

1st May: May Day Holiday

2 9 16 23 30

3 10 17 24

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

6 13 20 27

7 14 21 28

1 8 15 22 29

Event

20th August: New Families Orientation Day (including all Y7 and Y12 Students) 21st August: First Day of School - Term 1

19th September: Mid-Autumn Festival

30th September - 4th October: October National Holidays

7th to 8th November: November Break/Staff PD Day- No Students

16th December-3rd January: Winter Holidays

6th January: First Day of Term 2

30th January-7th February: Chinese New Year Holidays (CNY Day 31st January )

28th March: Staff PD Day- No Students

7th April: First Day of Term 3

2nd June: Dragon Boat Festival 20th June: Last day of School

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