WELCOME TO FRENSHAM
WELCOME TO FRENSHAM HEIGHTS MIDDLE SCHOOL
This is an exciting and important time in your school life – the beginning of secondary school and another step on the path towards adulthood. You are joining what promises to be a wonderfully dynamic year group.
Whether you are completely new to Frensham or simply new to the Middle School, the start of the school year in September is bound to be a little daunting. Please don’t worry – you are certainly not alone and, if you think about it, every single student you see around the school looking confident and completely at home was once in your shoes. It won’t be long before you’re taking it all in your stride just like they are!
We have put together this short handbook to try to answer any questions you might think of over the
summer holidays. We think it covers everything – although we’re happy to say that Frensham students are an inventive and creative lot so there’s bound to be at least one question we haven’t been asked before.
If there is anything else you need or want to know over the holidays, don’t hesitate to contact us on admissions@frensham.org
In fact, perhaps the most important message for you now and in your first few days here is: if you want to know anything, all you have to do is ask! Frensham prides itself on being a particularly friendly place so there will be plenty of people able to help.
Other than that, we hope you have enjoyed today and are looking forward to your first day here as a Frensham Middle School student.
INTRODUCING THE MIDDLE SCHOOL TEAM
Welcome to Frensham Heights Middle School, which covers Years 7 and 8. Jeff Loomis and Karen McBride, the Pastoral & Progress Leaders of Years 7 & 8, oversee the students in these years and lead a great team of individual tutors. You will be allocated to a tutor who will be your first point of contact throughout the year if you have any issues with your work or if there’s something not work-related you want to chat through.
Frensham is a very special place to grow up in and we hope you will make the most of all the various opportunities it provides – whether in the areas of creative or performing arts, sports, music or academics – or indeed all five! We look forward to working with you over the coming years and helping you develop and grow.
Your tutor will be your first point of contact but you or your parents can also get in touch with Karen or Jeff.
Have a great summer and we’ll see you again in September!
Jeff Loomis
Pastoral & Progress Leader of Year 7
JeffLoomis@frensham.org
Karen McBride
Pastoral & Progress Leader of Year 8
KarenMcBride@frensham.org
INTRODUCING THE SAFEGUARDING TEAM
Jack Talman
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) dsll@frensham.org
Jo Dalziel - Deputy DDSL Assistant Head Pastoral JoDalziel@frensham.org
Remember that Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. If you are worried about the welfare of any child please speak to someone; your information may help to build up a bigger picture - “the missing piece of a jigsaw”. Please use the methods above to inform any of the school Safeguarding team.
Mobile phones and cameras should not be accessed during contact time with children unless there is a good reason to do so. Taking pictures or recording video of children is not acceptable, unless for specific reasons as outlined in the school’s policies.
Please ensure you are aware and have read the most recent Government Guidance on Safeguarding: “Keeping Children Safe in Education 2024” – it offers advice and information on what staff in schools should know and do. Please also see the school’s Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy for advice and information on recognising signs of abuse and guidance on Safeguarding matters. Both can be found online, the school policy is on the school website.
If you have any concerns about a staff members behaviour, please contact Head@frensham.org. If you have any concerns about the Heads behaviour towards a child, please contact the Chair of Governors via bursar@frensham.org .
Carys Willman Mobile 07795660368 caryswillman@frensham.org
Meghan Guy Years 1 to 6 meghanguy@frensham.org
Sian Owens Boarding sianowens@frensham.org
Sarah Gibson Nursery & Reception sarahgibson@frensham.org
DEPUTY DESIGNATED SAFEGUARDING LEADS (DDSL)
NEED SOME SUPPORT?
At some point, everybody needs someone who will listen, without judgement, and offer support. We pride ourselves on the relationships which grow between staff and students here - we hope there is always someone that you can talk to.
YOU COULD TRY TALKING TO YOUR...
TUTOR | COUNSELLOR | BOARDING STAFF | NURSE | TEACHERS | INDEPENDENT LISTENER | PROGRESS & PASTORAL LEADERS |
OR IF YOU DON’T FEEL LIKE TALKING... JUST
FILL IN THIS FORM
Sometimes it is easier to write down how we’re feeling or what we’re worried about - so we hope this form will help you access some support in the first instance. It will be read by a member of the pastoral team, but it is anonymous and intended to respect your privacy and offer you a chance to say what you are worried about.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: THE FIRST FEW DAYS...
WHEN IS THE FIRST DAY OF TERM?
Thursday 7th & 8th September will be the induction days for the whole school. These days will involve some teambuilding activities and general housekeeping for Year 7 - a separate plan will be provided. Year 8 will enjoy their residential at PGL Hindhead - details have been shared with you.
All Year 7 day students should arrive at Main House at 8.15am on Thursday 7th September where Jeff will collect them. If you are coming by car, you can park in the Main House car park (after your first day, please ask your parents to drop you off in the drop-off zone).
Boarders should arrive from 4pm on Wednesday 6th September. There will be a formal welcome and a chance to meet other boarders and members of staff. We’ll show you to your room, let you unpack and make yourself feel at home. After your parents have left, we’ll have supper and you can relax, get to know your fellow boarders and settle down for the night.
In the morning, all new Year 7 students will be taken through to the
Ballroom where there will be plenty of staff available to help you or answer any last-minute questions. As soon as everyone has arrived, you will be split up into your tutor groups and taken to your tutor’s classroom for registration.
The first few days will all be about helping you settle in – even though Frensham’s campus is quite big, it really doesn’t take long before you’ll be feeling quite at home! You won’t be alone: we have almost 100 students starting across the school from Junior to Sixth Form and they will all be finding their way around – and our existing students all remember how daunting the first few days can be so they will be ready and willing to help you.
WHAT DOES MY TUTOR DO?
The same tutor will usually care for and guide you through Years 7 and 8 and they will get to know you very well indeed. They will be there to meet and register you in the morning and again before afternoon lessons.
Each week there are several sessions when the tutor group meet together for 15 minutes after afternoon registration. This is a time to touch
base with your tutor, giving you the opportunity to discuss how things are going; be that help with study skills, planning your time or just having a chat about life in general.
Throughout the year, your tutor will help you to write self-assessments to enable you to have your say and reflect on:
• how well you are doing in each subject
• where you may need extra help
• what you can do to improve and progress
• how you have helped the wider community
• what your aims and ambitions are for the immediate (or longer term) future
As you can imagine, your tutor will become an important person in your school life. They are there to support you as well as to challenge you to do your best.
WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?
For many new students, starting at a school without an official uniform will be a new experience. Don’t worry, students just tend to wear their favourite comfortable clothes.
While we don’t have a uniform, apart from a PE kit, we do have a dress code that is designed to ensure that we all choose clothes that are appropriate, clean and inoffensive. You can find the dress code at www.frensham.org/policies-reports As with everything else, if you are not sure about what is suitable to wear, please just ring and ask.
WHAT IS THE PE KIT?
You will not need to bring your PE kit on the first day of school but make sure you order it in good time. All kit is ordered from www.schoolblazer.com, where you will also see all the various items you will need.
On days when you have PE, games or dance, or if you have opted for any extracurricular activities that require special clothes, you will need to bring in the appropriate clothes and equipment (and then take it home). You will need a separate sports bag.
WHAT SHOULD I BRING?
One of the most important things to get over the summer is a good school bag. Most students use a backpack that is big enough to hold any books and files you need for each day but not too big to carry around.
You will need to bring your own laptop (more info is available on our website) so make sure your backpack is big enough to hold your laptop too.
The school provides all your exercise and text books but you will need the basic stationery items: a pencil case, pencils, pens, colouring pencils/felt tips, a small and a long ruler, a small pair of scissors, a glue stick etc. You will also need a sensible maths set and a scientific calculator.
Students should also have a watch as we have no bells to indicate the start of classes.
WHAT
Years 7 & 8 are not allowed to bring mobile phones into school.
HOW DO I FIND OUT ABOUT THE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES (ECAS)?
ECAs are timetabled to run at lunchtimes (1.10-1.55pm) and after school (4.30-5.30pm) every weekday apart from after school on Fridays. At the start of the academic year you will receive information on all the ECAs available. You will then get the opportunity to sign up online during the first week of term with the ECAs starting during the second week back (Mon 11th Sept).
It’s tempting to sign up to lots of ECAs but try to keep a sensible balance. Your tutor will talk through your choices with you and will work with you to make sure you are not taking on too much in your first term.
Some ECAs are very popular, so try to have some back up choices just in case you have to wait until next term (if you don’t get your first choice in September, you will be top of the waiting list next term).
ECAs are managed on SOCS. As part of the induction process, you will be shown how to use this.
ABOUT A MOBILE PHONE?
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: SCHOOL LIFE, IN GENERAL...
WHERE CAN I FIND A COPY OF THE SCHOOL RULES?
We try to keep to a sensible number of school rules but those we do have really matter and are there to ensure your safety, your education and your well being. Your form tutor will go through these rules with you over your first few weeks and you will be given a copy to take away with you. The rules are also available to see online at www.frensham.org/ parents-info Try to keep your copy in a safe place and make sure you are familiar with them.
We also have Classroom Expectations and you will be given a copy of these. They are there to ensure that the important values of respect, tolerance, self-discipline and cooperation are what drive the atmosphere of each classroom and dictate the actions of all those who use them.
HOW DO I LOG IN TO TEAMS
AND OUTLOOK?
If you are a moving up from the Junior School, you will have already received your login details and you’ll continue using the same ones. If you
are joining Frensham, you will be given your login details at the start of term.
CAN I CYCLE TO SCHOOL?
If you live near enough and your parents agree, you can cycle to school. Some students also like to bring a skateboard or rollerblades. While these are allowed, it is vital that we make sure students are safe and use bicycles, skateboards and rollerblades safely. A helmet is essential and during certain times of the year bike lights are required. Anyone who would like to use these needs to write to Jo Dalziel, Assistant Head Pastoral.
HOW WILL I FIND OUT ABOUT INDIVIDUAL MUSIC LESSONS?
All students in Years 7 and 8 have music lessons as part of their core curriculum but all students can also have individual instrumental, piano or singing lessons. If you have applied for individual lessons, the Music Department will give you a personal timetable and a copy of this will be given to your parents.
WHAT IF I LOSE SOMETHING?
Please try to make sure that anything you bring to school is named. It will make it easier to keep track of. Named items of general clothing found around school are given to Housekeeping. If you have lost something, email amylee@ frensham.org to see if it has been found. Named items of PE kit can be collected from PE staff. Unfortunately, unnamed belongings can be a lot harder to track down. Valuable items such as phones or jewellery are taken to the Bursar’s office in Main House where they can be locked in the safe until reunited with their owner.
CAN I STAY AFTER SCHOOL?
Yes, absolutely – lots of students do. Extracurricular Activities (ECA) run from 4.20pm to 5.30pm. If you don’t have an ECA, but wish to stay you should sign in at the library between 4:15 and 4:30pm. The Library is supervised until 6pm so you can go there to get on with some homework or read quietly. Day students are welcome to stay for supper, which is at 6pm, but you need to sign up with Reception by 3pm. Otherwise all day students should leave campus by 6pm.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON’T FEEL WELL?
If you don’t feel well in a lesson, tell your teacher and they will give you permission to leave the lesson and go to the Health Centre. The nurses in the Health Centre will look after you and will either suggest you are
well enough to go back to lessons or call home to arrange for someone to come and collect you.
FINDING YOUR WAY AROUND...
HOW WILL I FIND MY WAY AROUND THE SCHOOL SITE?
You may sometimes feel a little daunted at first but you will quickly get to know where everything is. When you start, we will show you round the site and you can always ask any other student or member of staff. We have all had to learn our way around at some point so we know what it’s like!
WHERE IS THIS…?
On the whole, we call things what they actually are so not much will need explanation. There are some places that won’t be familiar immediately, but the following should help:
MAIN HOUSE
This is the Edwardian building that was the original school. It was built by the Charrington family between 1898 and 1902 and is now where you will find Reception, the Head’s office, the Bursar’s office, the Ballroom, the Billiard Room and the Long Gallery.
HEALTH CENTRE
This is where our school nurses and the school counsellor are based. It is located in Main House.
WELLBEING HUB
The Wellbeing Hub is located opposite the dining hall entrance. This space is always supervised by a member of the pastoral team to deal with any issues that could arise during the school day.
QUAD
This is the space in front of Main House, partially enclosed by brick walls. People park here if they are visiting Main House. It is not a general car park.
THE BALLROOM, BILLIARD ROOM, LONG GALLERY AND DRAWING ROOM
These are all in Main House. If in doubt, ask at Reception and they will point out the way.
MUSIC SCHOOL
This includes all the Music classrooms for individual lessons and curriculum lessons. Our Recital Room offers a lovely space for concerts and practice.
ROBERTS HOUSE (RH)
This is the Sixth Form Centre and is named after Paul Roberts, Headmaster of Frensham Heights from 1928-1949. It is tucked away behind the Music School.
SWIMMING POOL
This is found in the Walled Garden, which is to the side of the lawn outside the Dining Hall. The Walled Garden is kept locked unless a member of staff is there to supervise.
DROP-OFF ZONE
This is the area your parents will drive through in the morning to drop you off. It is not meant for parking so anyone needing to stay longer should park in the Main Car Park by the Aldridge Theatre. We ask everyone to drive very slowly but you need to remember there are cars in the area and always be sensible and take care.
FLOTTAGE
This is the area where most of the classrooms are. Some of the buildings were the original stable block. It’s right at the centre of the school site and you go in through a large archway.
THE LIBRARY
This is upstairs in Flottage and is a lovely place to relax and read or get on with some work. Noel, the librarian, will happily show you round and let you know about all the facilities available there.
SCIENCE LABS
These are next door to Flottage. They offer innovative lab spaces and, when possible, our own colony of leafcutter ants.
JUNIOR SCHOOL
This is the name of the part of the school for students in the Nursery through to Year 6. Years N to 3 are based in a separate space opposite the Science Labs, while Years 4 to 6 have their classrooms in the back of Flottage.
THE ASTRO
The astroturf playing fields are just across the road next to the Science Labs.
THE ALDRIDGE THEATRE
This is the main theatre space. It used to be called the PAC, so don’t be confused if people refer to it as this. It is where most of the dance concerts and main performances take place – and you will also go here regularly for Morning Talk.
THE STUDIOS
The Studios is a teaching area for the arts. It is between the Aldridge Theatre and the Art and Design Centre and houses two Drama studios, two classrooms and the stunning Photography Suite.
THE ART & DESIGN CENTRE
This is almost at the bottom of the school site, so past the Theatre and the Studios but before the Sports Hall. It has a large white canopy outside. Inside is a dedicated ceramics studio, art studios and classrooms and the DT workshops.
HIGH ROPES/CLIMBING WALL
The High Ropes are just beyond the Art & Design Centre and the Climbing Wall is at the back of the Sports Hall.
SPORTS HALL
This is right at the end of the site, past the Art & Design Centre and to the left of the Fitness Room.
HH DRIVE
This is the road down to HH (Hamilton House) that passes the Theatre, the Studios and the Art Centre. Please always use the footpath inside the hedge (along the edge of the car park).
NEVILL HALL
This is the main dance studio and is at the bottom of the site to the right of the sports hall.
HAMILTON HOUSE (HH)
This is where the younger boarders live. It’s named after the DouglasHamilton family – Edith DouglasHamilton provided the funds to buy Frensham Heights back in 1925. If you head down to the end of the school site and turn right opposite the Art & Design Centre, you’ll find HH there.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: WHAT IS...
MORNING TALK?
This takes place in the Aldridge Theatre and is when all students from Year 7 to Year 13 come together. Morning Talk could be anything at all – there might be a visiting speaker, or one of the departments showcasing their subject or a presentation linked to key dates such as anti-bullying week or our self-esteem day. The Science Department even used a Morning Talk to dissect a pig during Science Week.
NOTICES?
These are when either whole school or year-specific information is shared. Dates and times for notices are announced in advance.
FOUNDERS’ DAY?
This the closest event we have to a Speech Day but here at Frensham it is a celebration of music, dance, drama and sport. It is always held on the last Saturday of the Summer term.
PARENT PORTAL?
This an online area where you can find documents such as student reports, trip letters and lunch menus and also sign up for parents’ evening. You can access the Parent Portal at www.frensham.org/parents-info
SOCS?
This the online signup for extracurricular clubs. Students and parents will be given log in details. You can also access SOCS at www. frensham.org/ecas
WHERE CAN I FIND OUT...?
You can also find a lot of useful information on our website at www.frensham.org/parents-info Here you can find information on essential kit, school day timings, term dates, buses, reporting absences and more.
Site map
As we’re lucky to be spread out over quite a big campus, it takes a little while to really know your way around. Please don’t hesitate to stop and ask staff or other students for help. We were all new once and we’re very happy to help you find your way around.
