Frensham Heights Information Booklet - Senior School

A PROGRESSIVE DAY & BOARDING SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS FROM THE AGE OF 3 TO 18

SENIOR SCHOOL

YEARS 9 TO 11

SCHOOL DAY

Our students in Years 9 to 11 have active, varied days. They move around our extensive site making full use of all the facilities. Day houses are available for break and lunch time, although we encourage everyone to be outside as much as possible during breaktime.

We don’t have a uniform, we just ask our students to dress for purpose. Students are free to express their individuality through their clothes as long as it doesn’t interfere with their school day. Most Senior School students wear hoodies and jeans just as they would to go for a walk in the park or meet up with friends. We don’t have a brand culture, just casual, comfortable clothes.

Our week runs from Monday to Friday with no lessons on Saturdays. Our extracurricular clubs run at lunchtime and after school. Here’s our basic day:

8.20am – 8.25am - Registration with tutor

8.30am - Classes start

10.25am – 10.50am - Break (snack available in dining hall)

12.35pm - Lunch (Year 9)

12.45pm - Lunch (Years 10 & 11)

2.00 – 2.15pm - Tutor time

4.10pm - School finishes

4.20pm - Clubs/Fixtures begin

LUNCH

We have a long lunch break allowing for plenty of time to take part in extracurricular clubs, get some extra tutor support, catch up with friends or take a walk in the woods or into Rowledge. Whether they’re discovering something new in a club or just having time to chat outside unhurried, it’s a really beneficial time for young people.

AFTER SCHOOL

Our extracurricular clubs run from 4.20pm to 5.30pm. Students can stay in the library until 6.30pm and are also welcome to sign-up to stay for supper. All day students must leave the campus by 7pm.

TEACHING & LEARNING

Years 9 to 11 are formative years for all students not only academically, but emotionally and socially. Like most mainstream schools, we follow the GCSE curriculum and assessment processes. This does mean that during these years our teaching and learning is closely curriculum-led, but we do our best to continuously support our students’ personal passions and interests. Rather than focusing only on the exam results, our aim is to give our students the knowledge and the thinking skills - creativity, problem solving, flexibility, resilience - to take on whatever may turn up on the exams, but also in life beyond.

Emotionally and socially, these can be tricky years for all teenagers to navigate and this is where the strong relationships and outstanding pastoral care at Frensham can really give them the chance to enjoy what can be stressful years.

TUTOR GROUPS

Students are split into tutor groups with their tutor taking a pastoral role, gently supporting and getting to know each of the students in their care. Tutor groups will normally stay the same through Years 9 to 11 and maximum size is 18 with four tutor groups per year. Year 9 is a common entry point, particularly for boarders, with a handful of spaces sometimes available in Year 10.

LEARNING SPACE

Our Senior School year groups don’t have set classrooms. They go to their tutor room for registration in the morning and after lunch and the rest of the day is spent out and about on campus. Most academic classrooms are found in Flottage and the Science Building. Students will also be using the Sports and Dance Halls, Theatre and Drama Studios, IT Suites, Art & Design Centre, Language Classrooms, Music School, Ballroom, Front Lawn, Sports Fields and woodland areas.

CURRICULUM BREAKDOWN

Year 9: Most students study fifteen compulsory subjects, including one language that they would like to specialise in. They remain in their tutor groups for everything except PE, Languages, English, Science and Maths.

English: 3 lessons per weekMaths: 4 lessons per weekScience: 3 lessons per weekGeography: 2 lessons per weekHistory: 2 lessons per weekPersonal, Social, Health Education: 1 lesson per weekPhilosophy, Religion, Ethics: 1 lesson per weekIT: 1 lesson per weekModern Languages: 3 lessons per weekPE/Games: 3 lessons per weekCreative Arts: 3 lessons per weekMusic: 1 lesson per weekDance: 1 lesson per weekDrama: 1 lesson per weekTutor Time/Morning Talk: 1 lesson per week

Years 10-11: Most students take 9 GCSEs – English Language, English Literature, Mathematics and Science: Trilogy (three strands leading to two GCSEs) or Separate Science (leading to three GCSEs) – are compulsory. We encourage all students to choose a range of subject options to create their own broad curriculum.

English Language: 2 lessons per weekEnglish Literature: 2 lessons per weekMaths: 4 lessons per weekScience: 6 lessons per weekPE/Games: 3 lessons per weekGCSE Options: 3 lessons each per weekTutor Time/Morning Talk: 1 lesson per week

MIXED ABILITY CLASSES

For the most part, our classes are mixed ability allowing students to learn from and support one another, but Maths is set from Year 7, English from Year 8 and Science from Year 9.

SUPPORT FOR LEARNING

Frensham is committed to ensuring that the curriculum is accessible to all and that each student receives an education that meets their needs. Students who find English and/or Maths a challenge may attend additional English and/or Maths lessons instead of studying one or both Modern Languages. Students who require additional English support may take one less GCSE and attend additional English lessons and undertake a study skills programme. Further details can be found in the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities policy document and the English as an Additional Language policy document on our website.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Scholarships are non-monetary and are not applied for in a traditional manner. Our scholars are expected to contribute and participate fully in the life of the school and beyond, involving themselves in all activities related to their scholarship as well as supporting other students. As such, scholarships are awarded on the basis of aptitude, attitude, participation and leadership potential. It isn’t possible to fairly judge for a scholarship when a student first enters the Middle or Senior School. We wait until the end of Years 7 and 9, when students have had a chance to settle and find their real passions, before awarding scholarships. Scholarships are awarded by Heads of Departments for Academic, Performing Arts, Creative Arts and Sport and confirmed by the Head.

Students have 30 lessons a week. Year 9 has five 55 minute lessons and one 45 minute lesson daily whereas Years 10 and 11 have six 55 minute lessons.

MORNING TALK

Morning Talk has been happening at Frensham since the school was founded. It is a time for Years 7 to 13 to come together in the Aldridge Theatre to explore and discuss a new topic. This can stem from a visiting speaker or from a member of our community who has something to share. Topics can range from climate change to elections to homelessness. Previous speakers have included Nelson Mandela’s bodyguard and a Holocaust survivor.

MOBILE PHONES

Mobile phones are part of modern life. Helping students treat them as a useful tool rather than a distraction is part of a modern education. Frensham students are allowed a mobile phone on campus from Year 8.

We have a clear tech code of conduct which was written by students, parents and staff and it is clearly explained and discussed in tutor groups and PSHE. Unless instructed by the teacher, phones should be on silent and inside a bag during class time and social media is out of bounds during the school day. Behaviour on social media is taken very seriously. Many staff are trained in online child protection and it is discussed frequently with the students in notices and PSHE lessons.

Taking on a difficult subject rather than shutting it down or banning things is part of the Frensham way – it’s far better to discuss and work things out together.

EXTRA- CURRICULAR

We believe just as much learning happens outside the classroom as within so we offer an extensive array of extracurricular activities to complement our day to day timetable. The extracurricular clubs run at lunchtime and after school. They vary every term, but always include a good variety of creative, physical, social and inventive activities. Students in Years 9 to 11 are expected to take three clubs per term.

CURRENT EXTRACURRICULAR CLUBS FOR YRS 9 TO 11

• Contemporary Dance, Ballet, Yoga, Street Dance

• Drawing, Ceramic Sculpture, Textiles, GCSE Photography

• House Band, Instrument Ensembles

• Scuba, Football, Cricket, Hockey, Rugby, Basketball

• Trampolining, Badminton, Parkour, Martial Arts

• Climbing, Survival Skills, DofE

• Eco Heights, Charity Committee, Diversity Committee

• Bike Maintenance, Unicycle & Juggling

• Study Skills, Prep Club, GCSE clinics

• Creative Writing, Poetry

• Competitive Chess, Warhammer, Minecraft

experiences as they move up through the school. Our Year 9s will spend a week in the Peak District. The trip will involve community/environmental work in the area. There will also be a focus on outdoor challenges. The students will take on caving, hillwalking and navigation, mountaineering and survival skills. They will begin their preparations for the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award.

The trip to the Peak District is beneficial in so many ways. It is technology-free and it is far enough from home for a true independence and self-confidence to grow within each child. They will step outside their comfort zone, leave teenage stresses behind and really appreciate the beauty of their environment and the relationships they have with friends and teachers.

DUKE OF EDINBURGH

We offer DofE through Gold Award. Year 10s can work towards their Bronze Award and Year 11s towards Silver. Full expedition training is offered through our extracurricular programme with training and qualifying expeditions arranged through the school and with the support of fully-trained staff.

TRIPS

We offer a wide variety of optional trips throughout the school year. These are normally mixed year groups and are normally led by Frensham teachers. Trips range from activity-focused – skiing, surfing, mountain biking – to cultural.

CURRENT TRIPS FOR YRS 9 TO 11

Surf Trip to Cornwall, Netball Training Tour, Granada Spanish Immersion, Football Training Tour, Wilderness Skills in Finland, German Christmas Market

YEAR 9 PEAK DISTRICT

We aim to encourage a spirit of adventure in all our students and this grows with increasingly challenging and enriching

COMMUNITY

DISCIPLINE

Ours is an ethos founded on mutual respect, tolerance and kindness. With our small class sizes and close relationships between students and teachers, bullying and other behavioural issues are rare and tend to be handled before they can become a problem. If problems do arise, they are handled through calm discussion with each student being given the chance to listen, talk and learn. These discussions will begin with the student’s tutor and escalate upwards if necessary. All discussions are clearly communicated to and discussed with parents. We have boundaries, but not rules for rules sake allowing students to question, develop selfawareness, awareness of others and take responsibility for their actions. Although we recognise that everyone makes mistakes, we have a very firm stance on alcohol and drug use – this is part of our school rules which are agreed by all students and are available on our website.

PARENT INVOLVEMENT

For Years 9 and 10, we have parents’ evenings in the Spring and Summer terms and grade cards are sent out twice a term. For Year 11, we have parents’ evenings in the Autumn and Spring terms and grade cards are sent out twice in both the Autumn and Spring terms.Parents are also always welcome to catch–up with teachers at any time via email or by scheduling a meeting. We know our school thrives on having a strong relationship with each of our families, working together and communicating within the school environment and at home.There are also many events during the year when the school community comes together – stage productions, rock and pop gigs, dance concerts, art exhibitions, music recitals, Founders’ Day and bonfire night to name a few.

HEALTH

NUTRITION

Students can pick up a snack in the lunch hall at break and after school. A buffet style lunch is provided in the lunch hall where we all eat together as a community. Everyone has different preferences and our catering team provides a wide range of options to cater to all tastes and allergies and to help develop healthy eating habits. Students serve themselves and can sit where they choose.

HEALTH CENTRE

We have an onsite Health Centre, staffed by qualified nurses. If a teacher is concerned about a student’s health, they will send them to the Health Centre to be assessed by the nurse who will contact parents if they are concerned or if the student needs to be taken home.

PE KIT

Although we don’t have a school uniform, we do have a PE kit which can be purchased through Schoolblazer.

RELATIONSHIPS ARE THE FOUNDATION OF OUR SCHOOL AND OUR SUCCESS.

KEY SENIOR SCHOOL CONTACTS:

Head of Senior School: Jo Dalziel

hello@frensham.org admissions@frensham.org

Visit our website or call 01252 792561 to arrange a tour. Frensham Heights Rd, Rowledge, Farnham GU10 4EA.

WWW.FRENSHAM.ORG