to the Prep School Welcome
Welcome to the Prep School
Dear Parents, Guardians and new pupils,
We are thrilled to offer our heartfelt welcome as you join the Haberdashers’ School community this September, embarking on an exciting journey ahead. This guide aims to provide insight into life at Habs and provide essential details to ensure a smooth transition during the initial days at school.
Countless enriching experiences await whether in the classroom, on the sports field, on stage, or amidst nature. At the Prep, we place great importance on enjoyment, considering it a cornerstone of academic excellence. Our goal is to instill a sense of wonder and curiosity in learning, fostering a desire to delve deeper, forge connections, and broaden horizons.
We are confident you will embrace the spirit of being a Haberdasher wholeheartedly. Should you have any inquiries before or during your first days, please don’t hesitate to reach out—our support is readily available.
Wishing you a splendid summer and we look forward to welcoming you in September.
MRS MICHELLE BEST ACTING HEAD OF PRE-PREP AND PREP SCHOOL
About the Prep School
As a community, we are made up of over 300 pupils aged 4 to 11 across the Pre-Prep and Prep School with two or three classes from Reception to Year 6.
We are eager to embed our values into every aspect of daily school life at the Prep School. When pupils join the Prep School, we seek to inspire and encourage curiosity. Our opportunities for learning are broad and exciting, extending beyond the classroom with our fantastic Forest School, outdoor classroom and co-curricular provision. As a school, we believe in educating our pupils inside and outside the classroom.
We welcome parents’ support for our curriculum and trips, as well as offering parent consultation evenings and drop-in sessions. We also have curriculum evenings at which parents can learn about our approach to certain subject areas.
At Habs, we want our pupils to have the courage to try something new. With extensive cocurricular provision on offer, they will continue to develop skills to find new passions.
Ambition is visible in every element of the school. From our newly built Pre-Prep School to the aims and interests our pupils as they grow – whether it be improving their personal best time in our annual Donkin Cup race or earning themselves a place in a National Final.
Our Values
Our brand values are what we hold dear as a school, the core beliefs that we stand for. They should drive all decisions and actions.
Ambition
We are bold and ambitious – for ourselves, but also for others and for the world. This is underpinned by our altruistic and philanthropic foundation, which drives our values and behaviours. We expect everyone to give their best, to stretch boundaries, and to challenge the status quo.
We believe that ambition can be limitless. When combined with courage, curiosity and community, ambition can be a selfless and powerful lever for change.
Curiosity
We create and use every opportunity to engage with the world around us; we ask questions, challenge assumptions, and express our ideas. Alongside our academic interests and skills, we also love to exercise our imaginations, creativity and spirituality. Our broad and carefully curated curriculum leads us into experiences of awe and wonder – bringing a sense of magic and excitement to learning.
Courage
Exploring beyond our comfort zones enables us to become more self-aware, adventurous, resilient and independent. We aim high, following our dreams, but we cope well if we don’t always succeed. We understand how to balance humility and boldness when speaking out on behalf of ourselves and others. And we are unflinching problemsolvers, continually seeking to change the world for the better.
Community
Habs is one caring, respectful community on one fabulous campus. Our focus is on belonging and inclusivity: celebrating our differences, not in spite of our differences. Beyond our students and staff, this sense of collaborative togetherness extends to our families, alumni, partner schools, and even the world. We’re helping to learn from and empower wider communities – locally, nationally and globally. We bring the world to our door, but we also step through that door into the wider world.
First day of term
We ask that your child:
• Attends in school uniform
• Bring their own school bag and pencil case with them
• Bring a packed lunch if they are not using the school canteen. They also need to bring a water bottle and a piece of fruit or cereal bar for a morning as well as an afternoon snack
• Brings a dictionary and thesaurus with their name on the spine
• They can bring a mobile phone but it needs to be switched off when they arrive at school
During the day, your child will receive their timetable which will give you clarity over when their Swimming, Forest School, Games and PE lessons take place. For the rest of the year, Games lessons are scheduled for Thursdays and so your child should arrive at school wearing their games kit on Thursday mornings with their school blazer on top.
TUESDAY 10 SEPTEMBER 2024 AND BEYOND
In the mornings, and as you did on the first day, the Prep and Senior Schools operate a one-way system and your child must be dropped off by the AstroTurf pitches before making their way over to the Prep. Staff will be present to help the children on their first few days. This drop off should be between 8am to 8.30am.
Parental communication is encouraged in the Prep School and so please do not hesitate to contact the school office or your child’s form teacher should you have any queries. The Prep School’s e-mail is: prepoffice@habsboys.org.uk.
To give you an idea of some of the events that have been occurring in the Prep School this year, we will also be sending you our End of Year Newsletter. This includes the important calendar of events, in addition to the Autumn Term Co-Curricular Timetable, to give you a preview of some of the activities that take place at Habs.
An important date for your calendar is the Year 3 Parent’s Drop-in session on Wednesday 18 September from 3.30pm to 4pm. This is a chance for you to see your child’s classroom again and meet their form tutor to ask any questions.
How we care
Sections and Houses
The Prep School is formed of two sections which group our school years, these sections are:
Your child will be put into one of the four Houses below. The colour of their school tie will show others which House they are in.
Each House has two Captains, two Year 6 Prefects and a House Leader. We hold special charity events on the important dates for the four Patron Saints of our Houses.
House points are awarded for very good work, effort in academic and creative subjects as well as for Inter House activities such as sporting events and creative activities.
Any points gained could help your child’s House win the House Trophy!
Patricks Andrews Georges
Davids
Buddies
Your child will be paired with a Buddy who is in the same House. Together, they will take part in many fun activities and they will be there to help your child settle into the school.
Wellbeing and PSHE
Your child will receive weekly PSHE (Political, Social, Health and Education) lessons which are taught in an age-appropriate manner and cover a range of topics which are continually reviewed as different challenges present themselves in our world. Workshops with specialist speakers are organised for all year groups, focusing on age-appropriate issues, such as e-safety, physical health, mental health and relationships. Talks and workshops are also delivered to parents.
Our school is a ‘Tooled Up Education’ school. This means, in addition to all that we do at school to help pupils, we also care about supporting parents and families. Please use the link to register your free account and gain access to the digital hub of evidence-based resources covering: mental health, digital life, aspiration, learning, family life and relationships.
Medical Centre information
The school’s Medical Centre is situated in Aldenham House and is open during term time from 8am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday. For home sports fixtures on Saturdays, we have external medical cover.
PHONE NUMBER: 020 8266 1790
EMAIL ADDRESS: SCHOOLNURSE@HABSBOYS.ORG.UK.
Medical Centre staff
GILL MCGRATH SENIOR SCHOOL NURSE
MARTINA MCGRATH SCHOOL NURSE
BRENDAN GRUFFERTY SCHOOL COUNSELLOR
Collection of unwell children from school
Request for school to dispense prescription medicines
It is important that a parent or guardian is always available to collect your child from the Medical Centre if they are unwell/ injured. Please let the Medical Centre know as soon as possible if you will be unavailable for collection and provide an alternative contact number for a suitable guardian who can act on your behalf in case of an emergency.
If your child requires any prescription medicine to be taken at school then please complete the ‘Request for School to Dispense Prescription Medicines’ form on Firefly. You or your child will need to bring the completed form to the Medical Centre along with the medication to be dispensed. It is your child’s responsibility to attend the Medical Centre to be given their medication.
General health information
Please keep us updated, via Firefly, with any changes to your child’s wellbeing such as hospital admissions, illnesses, or new medication. We are always happy to talk about any existing medical conditions that your child might have and how this could influence our care of them in school, e.g., food allergies/diabetes/asthma/any severe reactions they have had which require use of an AAI (Adrenaline Auto Injector). Any relevant information will be shared with the appropriate staff members if it is essential to your child’s wellbeing. If your child develops any contagious disease such as chicken pox, measles, etc. then please inform the Medical Centre as soon as possible.
If your child is unwell with a raised temperature, please ensure their temperature has returned to normal before they return to school. If they have episodes of diarrhoea or vomiting, please ensure that you wait 48 hours after the symptoms have stopped before they return to school.
We also ask that you inform us of any significant events such as divorce or bereavement which may affect your child.
Assemblies
Pupils will have regular assemblies throughout the week, whether they are House, Form or whole school. During assemblies, pupils have the opportunity to listen to others play music, talk about topics relevant to a certain celebration or related to a topic they are learning about and also participate themselves if they wish.
Student Council
Pupils can be elected to sit on the Student Council from Years 1 to 6. They meet once every half term to discuss questions raised by their peers.
Academic support
Academic support at Habs is available to all of our Prep School pupils. You or your child can discuss any necessary support with Mrs Tessa Grossman. (t_grossman@habsboys.org.uk).
Mobile phone usage
Click here for our mobile phone policy.
How we stay in touch
Communication
Parents will receive a weekly digital communication, Habs Weekly, which will be available as a link on Firefly. It is a parent/guardian’s responsibility to check Firefly for this communication and read the information relevant to their child. If you have problems accessing Firefly, please contact us. School trips are managed via a system called Evolve. You will be informed by email how to provide consent for your child to attend individual trips and events.
Parents’ Evening
You will have the opportunity to meet your child’s Form Tutor and discuss their progress. There is an evening both in the Autumn and Spring Terms to meet with the Form Tutor to discuss pastoral and academic issues. We send home reports at the end of the Summer Term. If you have any questions during the school year, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s Form Tutor.
Homework
If you have questions about the time your child spends on homework (either too little or too much), please get in touch with their Form Tutor. We do not want them to spend all evening working, as it is important they should have time to relax.
Individual needs
The aim of our individual Needs Policy is to ensure that every child at Habs enjoys personal and academic success. We prioritise sustaining a close partnership with parents and providing appropriate support. The Head of Academic Support co-ordinates a team consisting of specialist teachers, senior academic and senior pastoral staff.
Support is delivered via various staff and programmes in school life, e.g. the Form Tutor, House Leaders, subject teachers, study support sessions and learning skills programmes. Our Individual Needs policy is available on the school website
It is important to make us aware if your child has any identified specific learning needs (e.g. dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD, hypermobility, visual impairments and hearing impairments) so we can provide the best support for them.
Parent voice
The Parent Voice Committee is formed by parent representatives from each class in the Prep and Pre-Prep School. It is a forum where you can share your experiences and offer suggestions.
The Committee meets three times a year and minutes are shared via email.
Early in the term, we will contact you about volunteering to be on the Committee. If there are multiple volunteers, we will organize a vote. The term of office is two years.
If you have any questions, please contact the Prep Office via email Prepoffice@habsboys.org.uk.
Important websites
FIREFLY: HABSELSTREESCHOOLS.FIREFLYCLOUD.NET
Firefly contains a host of important information and is where you can email the school or form tutors regarding absences or any other matter. The portal holds all school reports, progress grades, letters, school timetable, school calendar, school blog, and coach service bookings.
SOCS: SOCSCMS.COM/LOGIN/129
This is the website where students sign up for co-curricular clubs.
SPORTS FIXTURE WEBSITE: SPORTS.HABSBOYS.ORG.UK
This website is where you will find out about upcoming sports fixtures, times and locations. The password is gogoats.
EVOLVE: EVENT BOOKINGS
This website is used for all event and trip bookings, for parents to give consent and pay for events.
TOOLED UP: PARENT RESOURCE TOOLEDUPEDUCATION.COM
Our school is a ‘ Tooled Up Education’ school. This means, in addition to all that we do at school to help pupils, we also care about supporting parents and families.
Pupils will be given an email account which teachers can email them on. They will receive login in details and further information once they start at Habs. Pupils will also have a Microsoft Teams accounts.
Attendance
The school must be informed of absence for any reason, either planned or unplanned. Please refer to the Get in Touch page of Firefly. If your child is absent for any reason, work will not be provided.
Unplanned absence
Planned absence
You must contact the school by 8.30am on the first day of absence and again if your child is absent for more than three days or over a weekend, either through Firefly or the telephone absence line (0208 266 1779).
For planned absences, such as medical appointments or music exams, please advise the school via Firefly with a minimum of two days’ notice for the attention of the Prep School office prepoffice@habsboys.org.uk.
Absence requests for extenuating family circumstance
Religious observation
Advise the school via the Firefly at least two weeks in advance. This will then be directed to the Head of Prep School for authorisation.
If you wish to request absence for religious observance reasons, please complete the Microsoft form on Firefly in the resources section. The absence will automatically be authorised.
School Life
Term dates
(All our dates have been agreed and co-ordinated with the Girls’ School)
Click here to view term dates on our website.
Curriculum
Our Prep is full of happy and inquisitive pupils. We pride ourselves on providing a supportive community as we look to build on the foundations.
Our teaching combines the best elements of the National Curriculum while also looking to inspire curiosity with additional subjects such as Modern Foreign Languages, Design and Technology and Computing. Our teachers are specially trained to work with pupils in our Preparatory School.
The School day
The school day runs from 8.30am to 4pm each day, with the grounds opening from 8am and shutting at 5.30pm. Only pupils attending a supervised activity may stay after 4pm. Your child must get to school between 8am and 8.30am. Please do not arrive before. During this time, they can play in the playground before going to their classroom to register at 8.30am.
At the end of the day, we have coaches that depart at 4.15pm and 5.30pm. After school activities, finish at 5.15pm leaving plenty of time for students to get the last coach of the school day. It is important for you and your child to know that the 4.15pm and 5.30pm coach routes often differ and the late coach route may not include your child’s usual stop.
If you intend to collect your child, please pick them up from Pitch 5 car park which is next to the AstroTurfs.
Please ensure your child is ‘car aware’ in all circumstances. This includes not using listening devices when walking on the pavement. During the winter months, we would also recommend putting reflective strips on your child’s bags and coats.
After School Club
Our After School Care Facility (ASCF) is available. If you would like your child to stay later than 4pm, we offer ASCF until 5:30pm at a nominal charge
School timetable
Timetable
PLAYGROUND SUPERVISION 8AM TO 8.30AM
REGISTRATION/ASSEMBLY 8.30AM TO 8.45AM
LESSON 0 8.45AM TO 9.15AM
LESSON 1 9.15AM TO 9.45AM
LESSON 2 9.45AM TO 10.15AM
LESSON 3 10.15AM TO 10.45AM
BREAK 10.45AM TO 11.05AM
LESSON 4 11.05AM TO 11.40AM
LESSON 5 11.40AM TO 12.10PM
LUNCH 12.10PM TO 1.30PM
ASSEMBLY/FORM TIME 1.30PM TO 1.55PM
LESSON 6 1.55PM TO 2.25PM
LESSON 7 2.25PM TO 2.55PM
TOILET/SNACK BREAK 2.55PM TO 3PM
LESSON 8 3PM TO 3.30PM
LESSON 9 3.30PM TO 4PM
Homework
They will not be given homework for the first couple of weeks. There is a lot of new information to take in so when your child’s teachers feel they are ready, they will be given homework. They will be given a small, yellow book which they need to keep in their blazer pocket. This book is for noting down any messages that their teacher gives them, as well as homework tasks and going home arrangements. There will also be reading to practise and spellings to learn. When your child does their homework, please sign it and write down how long it took them.
Parents or guardians can also write messages for teachers on the special notes pages of the book. Parents and guardians must sign the homework book every day and teachers will then check it at school.
Rewards
In the Prep, pupils can earn House Points in a variety of settings, such as in class, for good behaviour and also at Inter House Events. These points go towards a total tally, with all Houses competing for the House Cup. The winner of the House Cup is announced at the end of every year and the winning House has their name printed on the House Winners board which can be found in the Prep Hall.
Pupils can also earn silver and gold stars, which are worth 5 and 10 House points respectively. These are earned for excellent effort and projects.
As well as this, pupils can earn value badges, with a badge for each of the four school valuesambition, courage, community and curiosity. They will be presented with these in assembly.
Catering
Lunchtime
Breakfast club
Snacks
Pupils will have a variety of food options available to them at lunchtime in our Bates Dining Room, all provided by our catering company, Holroyd Howe. The catering team are experienced in handling all dietary and allergy needs and pupils only have to ask a member of the team if they need assistance.
Holroyd Howe encourage pupils to try new things and enjoy a balanced diet, offering plenty of different ingredients, cuisines and culinary styles.
The school dining room offers three hot options to eatin as well as a selection of cold take-away sandwiches, baguettes, fruit pots and soft drinks, from our Grab and Go section. We also offer a hot take-away option for those participating in a lunchtime club.
Breakfast Club for pupils from both schools is organised and hosted by the Girls’ Junior School from 7.30am each morning.
Pupils will have fruit provided by the school daily but if parents prefer, they can send in snacks from home with their child. Please find a list below of suitable snacks and note that all snacks must be free from nuts and sesame seeds.
• Any fresh fruit or vegetables (No forks. Grapes and olives must be cut in half)
• Dried fruit
• Small bag of breadsticks
• Nut-free cereal bars
Uniform – Year 3
Our suppliers, Uniform4Kids, are a local, family-run business and have five stores located nearby and have an online store. Their warehouse, in Centennial Park, Elstree, is five minutes from the school and used as a ‘Click and Collect’ location. There is also a weekly, complimentary drop off service to the school for pre-paid orders, otherwise, orders are dispatched within 24-hours using Parcel Force or can be collected from store.
Returns and exchanges can be done in store, facilitated via the complimentary weekly delivery to school service or via the post.
Click here to view the uniform price list.
Further information
• Click here for our stationery list
• All uniform must be labelled
• School shoes must be black. Trainers are not permitted
• Trainers for sport can be any colour with non-marking soles
• All pupils require a pair of named wellington boots to be kept at school all year round
• Playtime trainers can be any colour
• For pupils taking part in a sport that requires a mouthguard, such as rugby, parents can order from Opro. We would recommend a high or pro impact mouthguard. You can choose any design, including a Habs branded version
Uniform list
Pictures below are for Year 3 to Year 6.
with school coat, scarf, hat and gloves)
Backpack – printed with school logo
Art/Science overall Baseball cap – Navy, printed with school logo
Uniform
Uniform
(Shown
Summer Uniform
Backpack – printed with school logo
Mac in a sac jacket – Navy Mac in a sac trousers – Navy
Art/Science overall Baseball cap – Navy, printed with school logo
Uniform list
Pictures below are of our PE/Games kits for Year 3 to Year 6.
T-shirt – sublimated, with school logo
socks
House tee-shirt with school logo
Midlayer with sublimated piping and school logo
Tracksuit bottoms with sublimated piping and school logo
Boot bag – Navy printed with school logo
Havasak – Navy, printed with school logo
Swim shorts with school logo
Fees
Academic year 2024 /25
Fees are required to be paid by Direct Debit, via our Fees in Advance scheme or via School Fee Plan.
Please click here for information regarding our Fees in Advance Scheme.
Please click here for information regarding our Fees in Advance calculator.
Please click here for information regarding our School Fee Plan.
Please click here for information regarding our Coach prices.
Fees refund scheme
Please click here for more information on our Fees Refund Scheme.
Insurance cover information
AXA Students Healthcare Scheme
Getting involved
Co-curricular information
At Habs, we offer a full and varied co-curricular programme. We enjoy seeing pupils explore a range of opportunities and activities. If there is a club that you want to see, we will support you in every way possible to set it up. These opportunities provide fantastic opportunities for you to continue learning outside of the classroom.
Drama
Drama is about creating an inclusive community and developing a love of the Arts, and that is what we look to inspire within pupils at Habs with our Drama provision. Working collaboratively, inside and outside the classroom, we encourage pupils to develop their skills, confidence and experience. School productions feature heavily in our co-curricular programme and pupils perform in a range of plays and musicals.
Music
Year 3 is a very special year for music at Habs. We are proud to offer every student in Year 3 funded music lessons as part of our instrumental scheme. We believe that learning a musical instrument can make a profound impact on a young person’s life and development. It is important to us that every student who comes to Habs engages with music and can access all the wonderful opportunities that come with being a musician at the school.
Community is so important to music at Habs, we want students to take part in ensembles as soon as possible. In the Prep School we offer instrumental ensembles in all the major genres and disciplines, helping our young musicians to grow and develop their skills within an ambitious and fun environment.
As well as our plethora of ensembles and choirs, pupils are encouraged to take part in one of the most exciting events in the school calendar –the Prep Young Musician of the Year Festival. This event is a phenomenal display of the depth of musical talent in the Prep School; a testament to the incredibly broad range of music celebrated at the school.
Music is central to life at Habs, exceptional in both its quality and breadth of opportunity. We are so excited to meet the new Year 3 pupils and begin our musical journey together in September. Click here to find out more and to apply for lessons.
Sport
Sport is an integral part of school life at Habs and we encourage pupils to engage in a variety of sport and physical activities. We offer all pupils the opportunity to represent the school at any level and they have the chance to get involved in internal franchise competitions, Inter House events, social activities or competitive fixtures with other local schools. We also encourage a healthy relationship with sport and exercise, helping to develop an understanding of how exercise can positively affect health and wellbeing as well as cultivate team spirit, positive relationships and pride in both individual and team achievements.
Participation rates are exceptionally high with pupils embracing the opportunity to get involved with such a broad and diverse sporting programme.
A selection of some of the sports available to pupils from Year 3: rugby based skills, football, cricket, multi-sport, fencing, judo, cross-country, athletics, table tennis, badminton, game play and fundamental movement.
Travelling to School
Coaches
The coach service is run jointly with the Girls’ School and all coaches arrive and leave from the coach park. The School Transport Manager, Ms Emma Summers, will be pleased to answer any parental questions regarding travelling to and from Habs. She and her team can be contacted by email on transport@habselstree.org.uk or on 020 8266 1920.
Parents are responsible for their children until they board the school coach. When travelling by coach, all pupils must have with them a working and incredit mobile phone. They must also be met at their coach stop by their parent or guardian.
Coach tickets are available for regular travel or single journeys. Single journey coach tickets can be purchased from the School Office, subject to availability, for the day in question. All details for coach routes and prices can be found on our website: School Coaches - The Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School (habsboys.org.uk) Should your child lose an item on the coach and it is found by the coach company, it will be placed in the lost property racks in the Coach Park. If it is of high value, such as a musical instrument or a mobile phone, it will be taken to the Coach Park Office and can be retrieved by asking a member of staff on duty in the Coach Park.
There is a Code of Conduct for the Coach Service which all parents, guardians and pupils must abide by when using the service.
For the first two weeks of the Autumn Term, arrangements are made for those pupils travelling by coach to be met in the morning on arrival, from where they will be guided to the Prep School. After school, they will be escorted to the coach park at 4.05pm, to catch the 4.15pm coach. After an initial two-week period, pupils will make their way to the coach park unsupervised, using the pathways and crossings.
Driving in - parents
At drop off, between 8am and 8.30am, and pick up between 4pm and 4.15pm, there will be a one way system in operation. Marshals will direct you to our drop off zone behind the Aske building, opposite our AstroTurf pitches.
Parking
The security barrier on Butterfly Lane is lowered at 5.30pm Monday to Friday. If you need access after 5.30pm then you can still enter via Butterfly Lane and the security hut. The routine drop-off and pick up point for pupils is the Pitch 5 car park, next to the AstroTurf pitches. For events after 6pm, such as parents’ evening or concerts, please park in the North Drive Car park.
Introducing our Parents’ Guild
Introducing our Parents Guild
Habs Boys’ Parents’ Guild (HBPG) is run by both Prep and Senior School parents, HBPG is a strategic partner for the Boys’ School to enhance and enrich the education of pupils across all year groups and create opportunities for engagement with the wider school community.
As a parent or guardian of a pupil at Habs Boys, you are automatically a member of the Guild. The Guild is a great way to get more involved in school life – enabling you to get to know other parents across the year groups and within your child’s class and House in the Prep and Senior School.
The school have established a committee of 15 parents, representative of the school community. Alongside this, the Guild have established a network of House reps in the Senior School and we also have the existing network of class reps in the Prep School. The reps across both the Prep and Senior School will communicate most of the Guild’s messages via established class/House WhatsApp groups.
Click here to find out the Parents’ Guild objectives and how they work. We look forward to getting you involved!
School map
Stay connected
/HABSBOYS WWW.HABSBOYS.ORG.UK
@HABSBOYS @HABSBOYSSCHOOL