The Holy Cross School
Year 7 Parent Information
The Holy Cross School
Headteacher’s Welcome
Director of Year 7 Message
Student Representative
Term Dates
The School Day
Catholic Life
The House System
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Safeguarding & Diversity
Canteen
Home School Partnership
School Uniform
Ready to Learn Scheme
Contact Information
A Message From Our Headteacher
Mrs McConnFinch
of Year 7
Miss Simpson
Dear Parents and Carers,
I am delighted that your daughter has chosen The Holy Cross School as her secondary school, and I am excited to welcome her into our family community I look forward to meeting you and getting to know all of the students as they begin this exciting next step in their educational journey We have an excellent team of Year 7 tutors who will be the first point of contact for the girls and they are there to support you all through this transition phase I understand what a big step this is for each new Year 7 and I know how daunting it can be starting secondary school. However, we are here to make it a wonderful experience (filled with new clubs, new opportunities and new friends) for both the students, as well as the parents and carers. We hope that your daughter soon settles into our school comfortably, and will feel like a true ‘Holy Cross Girl’.
Kind regards,
Miss Chauncey Simpson Director of Year 7
Year 7 Summer Activities Day 2025 - Fri 29th August
Autumn Term 2025
Start of the Academic Year:
Mon 1st September - INSET Day – school closed to students
Tue 2nd September - INSET Day – school closed to students
Wed 3rd September - Year 7 First Day / Year 7 Family Mass in the Sports Hall
Thu 4th September - Whole school returns 8:30 am
Fri 24th Oct - Mon 3rd Nov - Half-term
Fri 19th Dec at 12:15 pm - Term ends
Spring Term 2026
Mon 5th January - Term starts
Mon 16th to Fri 20th February - Half-term
Fri 27th March - Term ends
Summer Term 2026
Mon 13th April - Term starts
Mon 25th - Fri 29th May - Half-term
Fri 17th July - Term ends
Further INSET days:
24th November
7th January
3rd February
25th June
8th July
The School Day
Here is an example of a tutor time weekly plan:
Here at The Holy Cross School, we are blessed to have our very own Chapel as well as two School Chaplains, Mrs Ryan and Ms Jimenes, who help to guide both staff and students in the development of their spiritual lives
At the Holy Cross Chaplaincy, we:
Support the emotional and spiritual wellbeing of students and staff
Offer opportunities to worship and to explore the Christian faith
Offer supportive conversation
Offer prayer and spiritual guidance to groups and individuals, including school parents and carers
Offer reconciliation when friendships break down
Support the school as a place where staff and students feel cared for and safe
Build a bridge between the school and Church, and between the school and the wider community, including other denominations and faith communities.
The Principles of Catholic Social Teaching are the bedrock of our work and everything we strive for at The Holy Cross School and are a unifying thread running through our whole curriculum and our daily life
In September 2021 we began our journey with the Romero Award, gaining our Level 1 Participator accreditation in 2022 After a robust assessment process, we were delighted to be awarded the Level 2 Developer status in Autumn 2023 This was an amazing affirmation of our commitment to social justice and Catholic Social Teaching For more information on how Catholic Social Teaching is embedded in our curriculum please see our school website
House System
At The Holy Cross School each student is assigned a House These Houses are called Charity, Faith, Hope, Mercy and Peace - Christian values which are universal There are lots of opportunities for students to represent their House through sport, debating, music and many other things They will earn house points if they do great work or contribute towards the school community Belonging to a House gives us a sense of community and competition We work together and compete together to get the best out of ourselves and others!
Extra-Curricular Activities
As well as House activities students will be able to join many extra-curricular clubs either at lunchtime or after school There are clubs in sport, music, debating, gardening, eco club, Italian club and so many more There are over 30 different clubs for Year 7s to choose from Everyone should belong to at least one club!
A full list of activities will be published in September on the Student Area
Mental Health & Well-being
Safeguarding Diversity Statement
At The Holy Cross School, we are the Body of Christ and believe that we are all created in God's image. We are committed to fulfilling our duties to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations, as outlined under the Equality Act 2010 As Christ taught us to love and respect every single person, we foster an environment in which we ensure that all of our students, including those with protected characteristics, are not discriminated against and are given equality of opportunity to achieve their full potential, both academically and socially. We create a school environment that protects and celebrates diversity and recognises it as a strength, and that promotes mutual respect between groups and communities different from each other We strive to completely eradicate the use of homophobic, sexist, racist and other discriminatory language in our school and work ceaselessly to ensure that all our staff and students feel secure, valued, respected and part of The Holy Cross family. We recognise that our Diversity, Equality and Inclusion work is a blessing and a continuous journey and we will therefore continue to work towards removing barriers to access, participation, progress and achievement and towards ensuring that our students respect and view differences in one another positively We work to ensure that our young people develop a lifelong appreciation for diversity, respect for human dignity and commitment to social justice.
School Canteen
The Holy Cross School Canteen boasts a 5 star Hygiene rating and serves breakfast daily from 7:30-8:15 am. Students can take advantage of our hotel inspired buffet and other tempting hot and cold options at the morning break Lunch menus offer a wide variety of healthy, freshly prepared hot meals, soups, salads, sandwiches and other items, served by our friendly Catering Team. Students can also purchase snacks and sandwiches at the Rose Hub and after school snacks from the Holy Cross Tuck Shop
We encourage students to bring their own reusable water bottles, food containers and cutlery for the main meal, where possible. Reusable bamboo cutlery sets are available to purchase.
Cashless Catering
The Holy Cross School has successfully used cashless catering since 2013 and your daughter will be issued with a Lunch Card and Lanyard. Please ensure that your daughter’s ParentPay Catering Account has sufficient funds to cover any canteen purchases
Home School Partnership
Home School Partnership
Tips for day-to-day administration and communication between home and school.
Supporting Students At School With A Medical Condition
Travel To And From School
Important Information
Books And Equipment
School Uniform
All students are expected to wear the full school uniform. A high standard of personal appearance is expected of all students.
Parents are asked to cooperate with the school by insisting that our school uniform is worn correctly and proudly on the way to and from school and in school. Uniform should be clean and kept in good condition. All uniform must be clearly marked with the owner's name. The Parents & Friends Association (PFA) runs a Good as New Uniform Shop where good second-hand uniform may be obtained
In case of financial difficulties, vouchers can be obtained from the school to assist in purchasing uniforms All applications for assistance should be made in writing to Kristin Santoo, Assistant Headteacher Email address: ksanto4@holycross kingston sch uk
We are currently transitioning to a new school uniform provider, Stevensons, who operate from Lester Bowden in Epsom Uniform can be purchased directly from their store or online, or alternatively, second-hand uniform items are available through our PFA Girls joining the school will be offered a personal fitting appointment at Stevensons to ensure they are fully equipped ahead of the new term Stevensons anticipate having all school uniform stock available from Tuesday 8 July Please contact Stevensons directly to arrange your appointment
Contact Details are:
Stevensons at Lester Bowden
The Old Spreadeagle 109–113 High Street
Epsom Surrey KT19 8DN Tel: 01372 747474
Website: www.stevensons.co.uk
Please visit the supplier’s website for their opening hours. They also provide useful tips and information on finding the right size uniform.
COATS - Only plain and dark NO denim, leather, leather-look or suede, or other colour of coat or jacket may be worn
BLAZER - COMPULSORY - Obtainable only from Stevensons
SKIRT - Mid-weight tartan skirt Skirt must be knee length - Obtainable only from Stevensons
TROUSERS - (optional) Matching school green trousers - Obtainable only from Stevensons
BLOUSE - White shirt/blouse with long or short sleeves, open neck with reveres, plain cotton/cotton polyester
JUMPER - Green with the school colours Obtainable only from Stevensons
SOCKS/TIGHTS - Socks may be white, beige, dark green or black, short or knee length, but trainer socks may not be worn Black tights are allowed
SHOES - Plain black formal school shoes Trainers and ballet-style pumps are not appropriate Shoes should have a sensible heel, not stiletto type and not with pointed or metal-tipped heels, as these damage the floor Slip-on backless shoes are not permitted for safety reasons
School Uniform
JEWELLERY, HAIR, NAILS AND MAKE-UP
Students are allowed to wear one pair of small studs in the lower lobe of their ears, as well as a wristwatch. Religious items of jewellery (e.g. crucifixes, kara bangles, etc) are allowed, but students will need to remove these in PE lessons. Make-up, false and/or painted nails are not allowed in school. Hair colour must be natural and styles must be appropriate for school. Our Muslim students may wear their headscarves if they choose to. These should be in colours that are compatible with the school uniform.
PE UNIFORM
GAMES
Navy and sky blue T-shirt (Obtainable only from Stevensons)
Navy and sky blue skort or shorts (Obtainable only from Stevensons)
Navy and sky blue hoodie (Obtainable only from Stevensons)
Full-length black sports leggings or skins for winter Black or navy tracksuit trousers are also suitable
Gum guards for hockey and lacrosse lessons are compulsory (boil and mould are acceptable for PE)
Shin pads for football and hockey (optional)
SOCKS
White sports socks
Navy football socks (optional)
FOOTWEAR
Students must wear suitable sports or cross trainers as they offer both the flexibility in the front of the foot (for example for running) and lateral control needed for aerobic type exercise
Fashion trainers such as Converse All Stars, Vans and Nike Air Force are not suitable as these are often designed with style and casual wear in mind and although they might be good for low-impact exercise, they do not offer the same support and stability required for the variety of sports practised at school
DANCE
Performing Arts Logo Black t-shirt (Compulsory. Obtainable from Stevensons).
Plain black leggings and bare feet. Hair must be tied back for practical lessons.
HOUSE T-SHIRTS
T-shirts in the House colours with the Holy Cross House logo can be worn at House events and competitions. We encourage all students to have a t-shirt in their house colour with their logo. Details of how to purchase one will be shared once you start in September.
SCHOOL BAGS
These must be a dark, plain colour, strong and appropriate for carrying school books. Fashion bags are not allowed.
SECOND-HAND UNIFORM
A stock of second-hand uniform is held by the PFA and is available to parents/carers for purchase at regular, notified sales A few items are held in the School Office for emergency use to cover accidents etc
SUSTAINABILITY
In our drive to become a more sustainable school please bring a reusable water bottle which can be refilled at several stations throughout the school, as well as a reusable lunch box and cutlery set to use when purchasing a meal in the canteen Bamboo cutlery sets are available to purchase in the Canteen Students can also choose to bring their own, but metal knives are not permitted under any circumstance
Ready to Learn Scheme
Families contribute to the School Fund, and this allows us to provide our “Ready to Learn Scheme”, a comprehensive set of tools including a school iPad, web filter software, online textbooks and resources, career tools and a dedicated personal locker, ie everything she needs to thrive academically.
The Ready to Learn Scheme provides your daughter with a multitude of benefits Firstly, the school iPad offers a safe, modern and efficient way for her to engage with educational materials, access digital resources, and collaborate with her peers. This invaluable tool enables her to develop critical digital literacy skills that are increasingly essential in today's ever-evolving technological landscape
By providing online textbooks, we ensure that your daughter has access to an extensive library of up-to-date learning resources. These digital textbooks offer numerous advantages over traditional print versions, such as interactive elements, multimedia enhancements, and the ability to search and annotate content. They also eliminate the burden of carrying heavy backpacks, promoting a more comfortable and streamlined learning experience.
Furthermore, the dedicated locker included in the scheme offers a secure and convenient space for your daughter to store her belongings throughout the school day. This ensures that she can navigate our school campus with ease, free from the worry of carrying unnecessary weight.
Parents and Carers have already received a booklet with more details, and will be sent registration details in September.