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LGGS Guide for You

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Contents          

Things you need to know Where to find support. Clubs and activities The houses of LGGS Helpful advice What if..... Transport Relationships Internet safety Views from girls who started last year.

Map of School

You will be given a map on the first day of term. You will also have the opportunity to explore school and find rooms before the rest of school arrives.

Mobile phones Mobiles and music players must not be switched on during school hours 8.35 am to 3.30pm. If your phone is switched on or not in your bag or locker, your phone will be confiscated and you will receive five penalty points. For safety you must not use your mobile phone in corridors before or after school, they can be used in the form room. If you use your phone in the corridor it can be confiscated or if it is after 3.30pm it would be confiscated the next day. Smart watches are not allowed in school.

Useful Equipment

A small, clear plastic protractor (without hole in centre) A cheap compass to hold a pencil Calculator Pens Rubber Pencils (including a 2H pencil) White cotton lab coat Sketch pad A 30cm clear plastic ruler Dictionary Coloured pencils (not felt-tipped pens) A hockey stick A tennis racquet (not needed until Summer Term)

Year 7 Parents Evening

There is an informal welcome evening for Year 7 parents in October. The Year 7 Parentsâ€™ Evening is in the Spring Term.

Medicines

It is the schoolâ€™s policy not to administer medicine to pupils. Only in exceptional circumstances will the school ask a member of staff to administer medicine to pupils; in this case parents are required to make a specific request in writing. Pupils are encouraged to carry and take their own medication when this can be done without risk to the pupil or other pupils.

Phoning Home

If you need to telephone home in the school day, you should see the school receptionist. Do not use your mobile phone.

Form Tutor

Homework Club

The Zone

Learning Mentors

School Nurse

Peer Mentors

Your Form Teacher is a very important person to you. You will see them every day at registration and they may be your teacher for Citizenship or their subject lessons. Your form teacher is the person you should see if you have any worries or questions. The school library is open before and after school each day for pupils to work on their homework.

Every Friday lunchtime a classroom is available for homework catch-up, support with organisation, to catch-up with work and a place to meet mentors. Sixth form students provide one to one support with younger pupils in Languages, Science and Maths. Your teachers will arrange this for you if necessary. The school nurse comes into school every week on a Monday lunchtime. She can talk to you about any concerns you may have and advise you on medical issues. We have a number of trained peer mentors who can help you with a number of issues. They can support you with organisation, homework worries and friendship issues. You can request a mentor from your Form teacher, Mrs Mason or Ms Adams.

Head of Year

The Head of Year 7 is Mrs Mason. If you have any problems in school you should see your Form Teacher or Ms Adams or Mrs Mason.

Key Stage 3 Learning Mentor

The Key Stage 3 Learning Mentor is Ms Adams. She can help you with problems in school or if you need help with organisation.

Coordinator of Student Wellâ€“Being

The Coordinator of Student Well-Being is Mrs Roberts. She deals with attendance issues, and health plans for girls with medical needs.

Form Mentors

Form Captain

Librarian

Classroom Support Assistants Extra Curricular Activities

Sixth form students act as Form Mentors. Individual mentors are attached to a small family of girls in your form. You will get to know your mentor well, you will be able to discuss issues with her and she will be able to give you advice on how you are progressing in school.

Form Captains are elected by the form. Year 7 normally elect their Form Captains after the first half term. You will have the opportunity to meet Mrs Edge in the first term. She will help you with any queries you may have in using the library. In some lessons there may be an additional member of staff who will give support to individual pupils. There are a wide variety of extra curricular activities which we hope you will want to get involved in, including sport, music and drama. You will receive more information about these when you start.

Bus Monitor

House officials

Receptionist

Spelling support

Breakfast Club

Out of Hours Learning

Girls are expected to behave sensibly and safely when travelling to school. Older girls often monitor behaviour on buses and will report poor behaviour You will be allocated into one of the four houses at LGGS. There is a house assembly at least once a term and the house officials who are sixth formers will support you in the various house activities and competitions. The school receptionist is the best person to see if you are feeling unwell.

Extra support is given to pupils who have specific difficulties in spelling or writing. This takes place at lunchtime. Contact Name : Mr Grundy The school dining room serves food from 8.00am in the morning.

There are lots of after school activities at LGGS like Tech club and Drama club. Your form teacher will have more information in September.

There are many clubs and activities that run during lunchtimes and after school, here are just a few you may like to join:

The Houses of L.G.G.S.

Getting used to things...

Of course lots of things will be new at first, but that can be very exciting too! Some people will settle in very quickly but others will take a while longer to get used to things. Although things will seem bigger, when you get used to everything it'll probably seem better too! We all need help sometimes. Your teacher will know who's the best person to help you, so go on askâ€Śyou'll probably be glad you did.

What if you have forgotten equipment.... If you do forget A pen or ruler? - see if you can borrow one from a friend. A calculator? - ask a friend or teacher. PE equipment? - explain to your PE teacher they might be able to lend you something to wear (don't worry you won't have to run around in your underwear). You may get penalty points for forgetting equipment.

What if you forget or lose your dinner card...

You will need to go to the Reception to see if it has been handed in. You may be asked to see the Finance Office to pay for a replacement card if you canâ€™t find it. You will still be able to buy lunch as the Canteen staff will make a note of what you buy and deduct it from your account. Do not skip lunch if you lose your card.

What if I feel ill?

If you start to feel ill at home and are unable to go to school, ask your parent or carer to ring up to say that you won't be in. If you feel ill when you are at school, tell the teacher. What will happen will depend on how ill you feel, and if anybody is at home etc. You may need to go home, or sit out of the class for a while until you are feeling better. You may be sent to the Reception area. School will not be able to give painkillers or any other medication to you without your parent's consent.

What if I need the loo?

If you really need to go to the toilet, ask your teacher if you can go. Try to use the toilet out of lesson time if you can, but if you need to go, make sure you let the teacher know! Don't wait until you are absolutely desperate, because it might take a while before you can get the teacher's attention. Don't be surprised if the teacher asks you to wait until the end of the lesson. Make sure that the teacher knows if you really can't wait (but do it quietly)! If you have a medical problem that means that you need to use the toilet more or quicker than usual, make sure that your parent sends a letter to school. It might also be a good idea if you have a copy of it with you in case the teacher hasn't seen it.

The key is to plan the journey well and think about what to do in different situations. Be careful though, as many road accidents happen when people are rushing to their new school. That's probably because they aren't used to the route and their mind may be on other things. Keep yourself safe. Travelling to and from school (and anywhere else too), plan the route well, so that it's lit and well used. Always let somebody know where you are going and when you will be getting back. Walking... Walking is a great way to get exercise and keep fit. If you are unsure of the way before you start a new school, have a practice run. Ask a friend, parent or carer who knows the way to go with you. Try to remember points along the way and time yourself. Make sure that you set off in plenty of time so that you don't end up running and tired out. If you know somebody who is walking to school too, try to go along with them, the walk will seem quicker. Wear a coat (or take one) in case it rains. The weather can change quite a lot during a school day, so don't be caught without one. Even though you'll see others without theirs, it can be very miserable sitting soaking wet all day. Also remember to wear something light or reflective when it's going dark...Remember the shortest way isn't always the safest one! Cycling... Cycling is a good way to get fit and is fairly quick too. If you'd like to go to school on your bike, then there are a few things to check out first. Is there a safe route to cycle on from home to school and how long will it take? We have two sets of bike sheds at school, but you must ensure that your bike is securely locked when you leave it. Don't forget to wear something that can easily be seen by motorists, such as reflective clothing, as well as your cycling helmet. Check your bike regularly to make sure it's safe and that your lights are working well.

Personal Safety

Personal safety isn't just an issue when you are travelling around of course, but a lot of road accidents happen to people of your age. It might be because people aren't used to the journey, or the fact that people are given more freedom to go out and about once they reach secondary school, who knows? Just take care out there! Follow common sense rules when you are out and about, whether or not you are travelling to school.

Tips....

How many times have you heard 'don't talk to strangers'? Well, it's still a good idea! Remember not to get close to or into strange cars. If you feel unsafe because of any person or people when you are out, you should ask somebody for help. If you need help it might be best to ask a shop assistant or perhaps a woman with small children or shopping. Try to stick to well lit and well-used routes. Donâ€™t be tempted to take a short cut down a dark alley. Let somebody know where you are going and when you will be back. Try to walk home with someone else who lives nearby. If you have a mobile 'phone, use it carefully, try not to walk and chat or text at the same time. Keep it out of sight or someone may try to take it off you. Use safer crossing places if available such as a zebra or pelican crossing.

Have a plan in case your bus, lift or train doesn't turn up! What to do? Where to go? Who to ring? Did you know that one person out of every sixteen is injured in a car accident by the time they are 16 years old? Be careful, try to make sure it isn't you.

Joining in

There are lots after school activities or clubs at LGGS. If you like the sound of one, go...join! Keep an open mind about people you meet, don't judge them on how they look, be friendly, open, and be the first to say hello! You might be surprised how quickly you'll find new friends.

Friends Friends are great, someone to have a laugh with, share things with and talk things through with. Be yourself, we're all different, and a good friend will accept you as you are, just as you will accept them! You may change friends in year 7 until you find the people you really want to be friends with. When you change friends try not to be unkind, "fall-out" or call each other names. If you know that you've upset your friend, or done something wrong to them, don't be afraid to say you're sorry and give them a bit of time to get over it all. Perhaps you'll be friends again soon!

Making new friends

Most people settle into school really quickly and easily. Sometimes it can take a little bit longer, especially if someone is fairly shy. Making new friends is easier for some than for others, but it will happen eventually. In a bigger school, you are even more likely to meet somebody with similar interests to you, but it might take a bit of time and effort. Remember, most people will be like you, wondering who they'll meet and who they can make friends with.

Problems at home

Sometimes problems at home can make you feel bad. If you are having a difficult time at home you might want to talk it through with somebody, a friend, a relative, a teacher, school nurse or perhaps a helpline. Often your idea of what is reasonable and your parent or carer's idea of what's reasonable might not be the same. Although you might feel more independent now, your parents or carers might still take a while to see it that way. Try to talk it through with them, show them that you are more capable now by your actions. Be patient. If your parents aren't getting on or are splitting up, you might need to talk to somebody about it. Try to remember that if your parents split up, it's their relationship and it's not your fault! You aren't alone; have a look around there will probably be others in your situation. Try to talk to somebody about your feelings, perhaps a friend, relative, youth worker or teacher? If it's affecting your schoolwork, you might want to have a chat to your teacher about this. Ask for a Peer Mentor, these are older girls who are there to help you.

The Internet

If you use the Internet, you'll know that it can be good fun and useful in lots of ways. In fact many people chat on the Internet and make new friends that way. Remember when you are chatting to people on line, you have no idea who they really are. Sometimes people have pretended to be other young people in order to try to meet up later, which can be very dangerous!

Please abide by the age restrictions on social media sites—for most it is 13 and above, for WhatsApp it is 16! You must always make sure that your security settings are set to give you the most protection, for instance ensure that only your friends can view your social media pages, and don’t accept anyone as a friend if you have never actually met them. Don’t assume that because your friend has accepted them that they are a real person. Your friend may not have thought about their own safety and allowed this person access even though they don’t know them personally.

Don't feel forced to talk about things that make you feel uncomfortable, you can always end your chat! If necessary you can change your user name too, or use a nickname rather than your full name, your friends will know who you are but someone else couldn’t identify you. NEVER give out personal details about yourself, such as your address, telephone number, your school or photographs to somebody you meet on the Internet. NEVER post images of yourself or others in school uniform on any website. It's never a good idea to meet somebody that you've met in a chat room. Some people are tempted to, but should never do it without telling a parent or carer, and if they do should always stay in a very public place, like a shopping centre. Best advice is, stay safe, never ever go alone, never ever take a friend with you because you could be getting them into a dangerous situation too, just don't do it!

You will be given a personal password to access the school computers; treat this like your toothbrush — don’t share it with others.

I thought I may get lost. Also I was worried about the work being too hard. Also I was worried I may get teased or I may not make any friends. When I started LGGS I found that a lot of my worries didn't happen, I have always got at least one penalty point each term for forgetting something. I have improved my organisation and things are much easier. All the teachers are really nice and very welcoming.

I was really worried about doing homework. When I started there was more homework than I was used to, but I coped with it by doing my homework as soon as I got it and not at the last minute. The mentors helped me to settle in because you can rely on them to help you or at least listen to you. They are really nice and funny too!

I was mainly worried about getting lost as the school seemed so big. I was also worried that I might not make friends with people in my form. Homework was also a worry. When I started I did get lost when I was trying to find J block, but luckily a kind Year 10 girl showed me the way. The thing that helped me to settle was the mentors, as they are very nice and helpful, they regularly came to talk to us about LGGS and how to cope.

From a Year 9 student…….. Hi, I’m a year 9 pupil here at LGGS, and I was in the exact same position you are in, 3 years ago. I remember being super nervous about meeting new people, and meeting my new teachers and moving from such a small school, to a much bigger one. There were lots of rumours that I wish I had known weren’t true. The first one is that we would get loads of homework. I had heard stories of students getting piles and piles of homework, and I have never been very good at handling deadlines. But the truth is, the amount we get is quite reasonable, even I can manage it, so I have no doubt that you guys can. The second one is that we would need to get our homework diaries signed by our parents every day. My teacher in primary school used to tell me that I was in for a lot of detentions at LGGS if I didn’t get my diary signed. But we don’t have to at all! That was certainly a relief to me. The last one was that if you forgot anything, you would get a detention. This is not true at all. If you forget your book, or your homework, the worst you are looking at is a penalty point, and you need 5 of them to get a detention, so for me, because I am so forgetful, that was another big relief. I know that a huge part of moving schools, maybe even the biggest part, is having to make all new friends. Even if you have come with a friend from your primary school, you will make more. I don’t know how it happens, but it just does. Your form, even if it doesn’t seem like it, will become like a second family to you over the next 5 years. It is hard forming friendships, but over the next couple of months, you will hardly remember the times when you weren’t friends with these new people in your life. And it may be hard at first, but that’s part of growing up and coping. There is an easy way to stay out of trouble at LGGS. 1. Don’t go on your phone. 2. Don’t chew gum. 3. Be on time. 4. If you have missed a lesson, or don’t understand the homework, e-mail your teacher, and don’t wait until the next lesson to tell them. 5. Don’t get caught with your skirt rolled up! Good luck for next year, future year 7s!