WELCOME TO UPPER COURT
At Ripley Court, we offer a warm, creative, and academically ambitious environment where children thrive. We instil a love of learning from a very early age by making learning fun through our exciting and stimulating curriculum. Upper Court for children in Years 3 to 6, is where the children truly make their mark in these crucial growth years. A generous pupil-teacher ratio and small class sizes ensure that each child’s progress is recognised and encouraged in a supportive and stimulating way.
This guide aims to assist you in navigating day-to-day arrangements. Parents are encouraged to regularly consult our school website's online calendar for comprehensive information on upcoming events and fixtures throughout the term.
UPPER COURT TEACHERS
Director of Studies:
Head of Upper Court:
Year 3 Teacher:
Year 4 Teachers:
Year 5 Teachers:
Year 6 Teachers:
Additional Staff including Specialist Teachers:
Maths Years 5&6: Miss Harriet Butler, Mrs Sheila Grallert, Mrs Katie De Chaves.
Years 5&6 Science: Mrs Katie De Chaves
Geography: Miss Jade McClune
Art: Miss Kirstie Baker
Food Tech: Mrs Vanessa Gar
Swimming: Mrs Kim Ballantine
Mrs Harriet Western-Kaye (Maternity Leave)
Mrs Sophie Dudley (Maternity cover)
Mr Steve Brunning
Mrs Louise Le Houx
Mrs Sharon Cochrane
Mrs Fiona Cumberland
Mrs Sharon Drislane
Miss Jade McClune
Mrs Katie De Chaves
English Years 5&6: Mrs Sophie Dudley
French: Madame Cochrane
History: Mr Steve Brunning
Music: Mr Sam Lom
PE: Mr Brunning, Miss McClune & Mr Zaltsman
Forest School: Mrs Nicky Ward
Breakfast Club Pupils are able to attend Breakfast Club from 7.30 am.
Morning
Collection
Prep Club
After School
We welcome pupils into Upper Court from 8am and registration is at 8.30 am and closes at 9 am. Lessons begin at 9 am If your child arrives after registration, plase stop at the main office to have their attendance marked in the register.
The Upper Court day ends at 4 pm Year 3 and 4 children are handed to their parents/carers from the double doors outside Barrington, facing the field. The Years 5 and 6 children meet their parents on the quad
Prep is a free after-school club and takes place in the Dining hall every day from 4 pm - 5 pm. Children in Years 3 - 6 have the opportunity to complete homework before going home. Children can be collected any time before 5 pm.
Court Squires, our school wrap around care for children in Years 3 - 6 is a charged service and is available from 5 pm - 6 pm in Little Court.
There are a variety of after school clubs available to children in Upper Court which can be booked on a termly basis for a fee. More information can be found in the clubs calendar.
Clubs
Class teachers are always very happy to answer any parental questions in the morning and at the end of the day.
HOMEWORK
Each child has a homework diary which they are encouraged to keep up to date The amount of homework assigned gradually increases as they progress through the school.
UNIFORM & KIT
The children return to school in the Autumn term wearing the summer uniform. The transition to the winter uniform takes place after the October half-term, coinciding with the changing weather. Please ensure your child has a sweater and a coat, and kindly label all items of uniform and games kit. It is advisable to use large lettering to name PE bags and swimming bags.
The uniform can be obtained from Ripley Court School by scheduling an appointment. For any enquiries, please contact, shop@reeds.surrey.sch.uk Place your uniform orders online here or book an appointment to purchase uniform items here
'Court Seconds' is the Ripley Court Parents' Association (RCPA) second-hand uniform shop located at Ripley Court School. To purchase second-hand uniforms, please email courtseconds@gmail.com
Keep an eye on Ripley Court's Facebook page for RCPA updates about the second-hand uniform sales.
Blazers are a compulsory part of the school uniform from Reception onwards. The children must wear their blazers to and from school when they are wearing school uniform. It is a personal choice whether they wear the blazer throughout the school day.
Blazers should be worn when we have assemblies and other formal events. It is a good idea to stitch a large name label inside your child's blazer to ensure its safe return if it is mislaid.
The school tie is compulsory for boys in Reception to Year 6, and girls in Years 5 and 6 must wear the school tie with their Winter skirts. In the Summer, boys should wear the correct charcoal grey tailored shorts; cargo shorts are not permitted. Girls should wear white ankle socks in the Summer and grey knee-length socks or tights in the Winter. The Ripley Court coat is compulsory for all children during Winter. Indoor trainers should be kept at school at all times to ensure cleanliness for PE lessons. Your child is welcome to bring additional kit items, such as football boots, shin pads, waterproofs, gum shields, etc., in their kit bag, which will be stored in their designated place in the changing rooms. Please remember to label each piece of kit, using large labels and stitching them onto each item, including swimming trunks and towels. It is advisable to clearly name swimming bags on the top and side using large letters
BOYS GIRLS
Autumn / Winter Spring / Summer
• Grey charcoal trousers
• Long white button-up cotton shirt
• Grey socks
• Grey RC Jumper
• Tie
• Blazer
• Grey charcoal tailored shorts
• (no cargo shorts)
• Grey ankle socks
• Short sleeve white button-up cotton shirt
• Tie
Autumn / Winter Spring / Summer
• Grey trousers
• Or RC Tunic (Years 3 & 4)
• RC Skirt (Years 5 & 6)
• Long sleeve white button-up cotton shirt
• Grey long socks or grey tights
• Grey RC jumper
• Tie
• Blazer
• RC Summer Dress (blue) with White ankle socks
• Or Tailored shorts (no cargo shorts) with grey ankle socks and short sleeve white button-up cotton shirt
• Tie (with the shirt)
• Blazer
• Grey RC jumper
BOYS GIRLS
• Black RC Coat
• Black fleece jumper
• Black swimming trunks
• Waterproof jacket and trousers and wellies for Forest School
• White RC polo shirt (PE)
• White ankle socks PE
• Black RC shorts
• Green Games shirt
• Green and black games socks
• Indoor trainers
• Outdoor trainers
• Black flat-soled school shoes
• Black RC Coat
• Black fleece jumper
• Black swimming costume
• Waterproof jacket and trousers and wellies for Forest School
• White RC polo shirt (PE)
• White ankle socks PE
• Black RC shorts
• Green Games shirt
• Green and black games socks
• Indoor trainers
• Outdoor trainers
• Black flat-soled school shoes
Please consult the Uniform page on the school website for more information. Uniforms
LOST PROPERTY
Named items will be returned to the owner. A large storage unit is located outside the changing rooms where any unnamed items will be placed.
SCHOOL BAGS & STATIONERY
Children have a Ripley Court backpack that is stored on their assigned peg. It is important to regularly check these backpacks for any notes, newsletters, party invitations, and other relevant items. The backpacks should contain the day's homework, a homework diary, a reading book, and a reading record book. At the start of each term, children are given a plastic wallet to keep all these items organised.
Stationery List:
labelled pencil case two lead pencils pencil sharpener
labelled colouring pencils rubber 30cm flat ruler
glue stick Highlighters Scissors
Protractor 2 x gel pens (for self-assessment)
Please do a regular audit to make sure the basics are topped up.
They do not need felt tip pens, although they are allowed
Rollerball pen (Berol, Pentel or Stabilo) (when they get their pen licence)
Children should not have tippex
SWIMMING & GAMES
Upper Court children have games, swimming and PE lessons taught by members of the Sports Department. The children swim every week throughout the year, while sports fixtures are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday afternoons.
CALENDAR (also known as The Green Card)
The Calendar, or The Green Card, provides a comprehensive list of events and fixtures for each term. Children receive The Green Card at the beginning of the Spring, Summer, and Autumn Terms, which are also uploaded to the school's website calendar.
FOREST SCHOOL
Forest School is an engaging and child-centred learning process that promotes holistic growth through regular sessions. The long-term program encourages play, exploration, and managed risk-taking. Children develop confidence, selfesteem, and a range of skills by participating in hands-on experiences within a natural environment, such as woodwork, fire building, den making, and mud kitchen activities.
For children in Years 3 to 4, there is one Forest School session a month. Your child's Form teacher will provide a reminder of the specific dates. During Forest School, pupils must wear their Games kit, including long tracksuit bottoms, a long-sleeved games shirt or mid-layer, wellies/walking boots, waterproof trousers, and jackets. Years 5 and 6, Forest School sessions occur during Enrichment for either a half-term or full-term period.
WEEKLY ENRICHMENT
Our weekly enrichment programme for Years 3 to 6 offers an exciting array of experiences and opportunities to enhance our pupils' learning journey. These activities foster teamwork, leadership skills, and a diverse range of abilities that extend beyond the confines of the classroom. Taking place every Friday afternoon, each year group, sometimes divided into forms, engages in a dynamic rotation of activities such as Drama, Lego Robotics, Forest School, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). Additionally, every term, groups of pupils visit Reed's School, where they utilize top-notch facilities like the Cricket Centre and FutureTech building. These co-curricular adventures are carefully designed to provide an enriching curriculum through a carousel of engaging activities. Led by our dedicated teachers and Reed's staff, all activities are tailored to each age group's needs.
LUNCH
Chef Ian and his team ensure that the children are served a delicious hot lunch. To accommodate everyone, the lunch timings alternate between an early slot at 12:55 pm and a late slot at 1:25 pm throughout the week. It is important for the children to bring a refillable water bottle every day, which they can take with them into the lunch hall. Furthermore, a fruit snack is provided during the morning break time for added refreshment.
All the pupils from Reception onwards are assigned to one of four Houses:
Crichton - Red Davenport - Blue Barnard - Green Snowdon - Yellow
In Upper Court, pupils receive recognition and praise through verbal feedback, house points, and commendations. Commendations are earned by taking good work to the Headmistress. Upon receiving three commendations, pupils are awarded a scroll, and after accumulating three scrolls, they receive a badge in our Celebration assembly.
Furthermore, we recognise and reward pupils who demonstrate our core values of Perseverance, Aspiration, Curiosity, and Kindness by presenting them with the values trophies during our weekly assembly.
In cases of poor behaviour, class teachers employ a system that includes verbal warnings, a possible second warning, and subsequently, a consequence known as 'a third'. The form tutor is notified, and pupils lose points for their house. If a child receives three 'thirds' within a half term, parents will be contacted to discuss collaborative efforts between home and school in addressing specific issues. In instances of serious or repeated poor behaviour, various sanctions may be imposed.
However, it is worth noting that our pupils do not tend to behave in ways that attract these sanctions, as we actively promote and encourage good behaviour, utilising positive praise as a reinforcement whenever possible.
EXAMS & SETS
From Year 3, our pupils undergo English, Maths, and Science examinations during the Autumn and Summer terms. Based on the November exam results and each child's overall performance throughout the term, we set the children for English and Maths at the beginning of the Spring Term. In Year 3, assessments occur using various methods, which continue throughout the year. Examples include end-of-module tests, topic progress checks, and spelling tests. As teachers, we consistently monitor your child's progress, reinforcing skills and supporting their learning inside and outside the classroom. Pupils in Years 4 – 6 are set from September.
REPORTS
A written report for English, Maths and Science is uploaded onto the parent portal at the end of the Autumn term, and a full written report will be uploaded at the end of the academic year. In addition to these reports, parents are cordially invited to attend two Parents' Evenings, providing an opportunity to discuss their child's progress with subject teachers in detail.
SCHOOL TRIPS
Pupils in Years 3 to 6 embark on exciting trips throughout the school year. Year 3 pupils delve into history with an Egyptian-themed trip to Haslemere Museum. They also partake in an in-house Roman Day, led by an expert in the subject. As for the latter half of the summer term, Years 3 and 4 venture on a two-night residential trip to an activity centre during our Activities Week, while Years 5 and 6 embark on an immersive four-night excursion. These trips provide valuable experiences and enhance their learning beyond the classroom environment.
ILLNESS
It is common for young children in in a school setting to experience runny noses and colds. These symptoms alone do not necessarily require your child to stay at home. However, if your child is not well enough to attend Nursery, we kindly ask that you keep them at home to allow them to recover. This measure helps prevent the spread of potential infections among the children.
If your child develops a fever, upset tummy, or experiences vomiting, we request that you refrain from bringing them to school for 48 hours after the last occurrence of fever, upset tummy, or sickness. This precaution is taken to ensure the well-being of all children and staff by minimizing the risk of cross-infection.
If your child needs to attend an appointment during school hours or is absent due to illness, we kindly ask that you promptly inform the school so that their absence can be accurately recorded. If your child is well enough to attend school but needs to be excused from games or swimming, please provide a letter to their form teacher stating the reason why. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our school environment healthy and safe.
We encourage and value open communication between parents and staff at Ripley Court School. If you have any concerns or issues, we are here to help and resolve them promptly. Your child's form teacher should be your first contact for day-to-day matters or queries.
In cases where you require further assistance, Mr Steve Brunning, Head of Upper Court (Years 3 – 6) (brunnings@ripleycourt.co.uk) is available to address your concerns. He can provide additional support and guidance as needed.
In extreme cases, you may contact the Head of the school for more serious or urgent matters. We strive to ensure that all concerns are addressed efficiently, and we appreciate your trust in us to handle them promptly and effectively.
The teachers are readily available to address parental enquiries or assist with concerns. Please feel free to email:
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Mrs Louise Le Houx lehouxl@ripleycourt.co.uk
Mrs Sharon Cochrane cochranes@ripleycourt.co.uk
Mrs Fiona Cumberland cumberlandf@ripleycourt.co.uk
Ms Sharon Drislane Drislanes@ripleycourt.co.uk
Miss Jade McClune mcclunej@ripleycourt.co.uk
Mrs Katie De Chaves dechavesk@ripleycourt.co.uk
RIPLEY COURT PARENTS ASSOCIATION (RCPTA)
The Ripley Court Parents' Association (RCPTA) is eager to establish contact with families before they join our school community. As such, we would like to provide your telephone number and email address to the RCPTA representative. However, to comply with GDPR and protect your personal information, please complete the GDPR permission form to give your consent.
Year 3
Year 4
Years 5 & 6
£5,590
£5,730
£6,050
FEES & EXTRAS
The fees are calculated inclusive of tuition, books, meals, and school travel and personal accident insurance. Some relatively minor items, however, are charged as “extras.” Fees are charged in advance, and extras in arrears. Some examples of extras include items the children will keep, such as calculators and certain optional revision guides, some presentation items such as certain badges and engraving of trophies. Lost and damaged text or exercise books, morning minibus service, afternoon minibus service, external exam entries (e.g., Common Entrance and English-Speaking Board), Breakfast Club (£4.80 per morning), learning Support tuition and optional School fees insurance, some short trips, outings and workshops, residential trips.
EXTRA SUBJECTS AND AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS
The following tuition and activities are available at an additional charge. Some subjects will be charged by arrangement direct with peripatetic teachers, with the remainder being administered by the school.
After school clubs vary throughout the year and include:
Individual instrumental lessons, Singing coaching, Orchestra, Aquathlon, Archery, Athletics Development, Ballet, Book Club, Bushcraft, Chess, Cricket, Disco Dancing, Drama, Film Making, Food Tech, Judo, Lego, LTA Tennis, M:Tech, Netball, Secret Maths, Skateboarding, Swim Squad, Yoga, Young Magicians, Swimming, Football, Rugby, Balloon Club, Basketball, Coding, Dib Dab Art, Dodgeball, Mindfulness Colouring, Musical Theatre, Percussion, Rock and Pop Choir, Rock Band, Story Telling
BREAKFAST CLUB
The Breakfast Club runs Monday to Friday from 7.30 am – 8.00 am. Please drop your child off in the Dining Hall, and the staff on duty will sign your child in; advance booking is not required. The cost is £4.80 per day.
PREP (Upper Court only)
Prep class takes place in the Dining Hall from 4 pm – 5 pm. Prep is a quiet space to complete homework. Parents can collect their children from the Dining Hall, and there is no charge for this service.
COURT SQUIRES WRAP-AROUND CARE (Upper Court only)
Court Squires runs from 5 pm to 6 pm in Little Court for pupils in Years 3 – 6. After Prep concludes, pupils who are not collected will be taken to Little Court, where they will receive a snack. There is no need to book in advance for Court Squires, and the cost is £4.60 per half-hour.
