CO-EDUCATIONAL
INDEPENDENT SCHOOL
WELCOME FROM THE HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOL
I should like to introduce myself as the Head of Lower School, which encompasses Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9. My priority at this time of the year is to ensure the smooth transition from Prep school into Plymouth College Senior School. As we approach the beginning of the summer holidays, I should like to provide some information that will hopefully answer any questions you should have.
There are three Year 7 tutors:
Miss Haynes - 7KSH - khaynes@plymouthcollege.com
Mr Thompson - 7JWT - jthompson@plymouthcollege.com
Mrs Reynaud - 7AMR - areynaud@plymouthcollege.com
You will be allocated a tutor group, as well as a House. The four senior houses are: Sargents, Chaytors, Dales and Palmers. Throughout the year, there are an enormous array of house events ranging from: house drama, music, cross-country, netball, tag rugby and aquathalon.
Once all the pupils have completed the Whiteworks weekend, we will be hosting a tutor evening on Thursday 2nd October. This will allow you an opportunity to chat to their tutor about the settling in period and deal with any pastoral concerns. Further details will be sent nearer the time.
Please read all the information in this booklet to make yourself familiar with starting at Plymouth College.
There is much information here, but please do ask anything to either myself or the admissions team.
More information about the 3rd September will follow.
Rebecca Moore (Head of Lower School, English Teacher)
ABOUT PLYMOUTH COLLEGE
ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Plymouth College is a HMC independent day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 3 to 18. We are based in the very heart of Plymouth, known as Britain’s Ocean City, just a few minutes away from some of the world’s best coastline to the south and the beautiful countryside of Dartmoor National Park to the north.
We have been providing an excellent education to pupils from Plymouth, all over the UK and around the world since we were founded in 1877. Indeed, our most recent ISI inspection concluded that the quality of our education provision was excellent in every respect. Our original school motto is ‘Dat Deus Incrementum’ – God Gives The Increase. Our contemporary interpretation of this is ‘Plymouth College: Where Everything Is Possible’, reflecting our positive, can-do, growth mindset and our holistic educational ethos.
GOALS
• Develop pupils’ inquisitive nature and appreciation for learning
• Help pupils become well-informed members of society
• Inspire pupils to achieve more than they thought possible
• Help pupils develop a love of learning that will last throughout their lives
PLYMOUTH COLLEGE PRINCIPLES
OUR CORE PRINCIPLES:
ASPIRATION
We inspire our pupils to dream big and strive for excellence in all that they do. Aspiration fuels our learning environment, encouraging pupils to push their boundaries, set ambitious goals, and continuously seek personal and academic growth.
RESPECT
Respect is at the heart of our school community. We cultivate an atmosphere where every individual is valued, differences are embraced, and kindness is shown to all. Through mutual respect, we create a harmonious environment where pupils learn to appreciate diverse perspectives and collaborate effectively.
RESILIENCE
Challenges are an essential part of growth, and we instill resilience in our pupils, helping them develop perseverance and confidence to overcome obstacles. By fostering a mindset of determination and adaptability, we prepare our pupils to face the complexities of life with courage and optimism.
KINDNESS
Kindness is a fundamental value that shapes our school culture. We encourage our pupils to demonstrate compassion, empathy, and generosity in their interactions with others. By creating a supportive and caring environment, we nurture individuals who contribute positively to their communities.
INTEGRITY
Honesty and strong moral principles are the foundation of a trustworthy and ethical school community. We teach our pupils the importance of integrity, ensuring they develop a sense of responsibility, accountability, and a commitment to doing what is right, even when no one is watching.
SERVICE
Giving back to others is an integral part of our philosophy. Through acts of service, whether within the school or in the wider community, our pupils learn the value of selflessness, leadership, and making a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
KEY CONTACTS
Mr. Peter Watts, Head of School (PA Ms. Kate French, contactable at: kfrench@plymouthcollege.com)
Mrs. Moore (Head of Lower School): rmoore@plymouthcollege.com
Main School Reception (Open 8am - 5pm): 01752 505100 mail@plymouthcollege.com
Reporting a school absence: 01752 505138 absence@plymouthcollege.com
Accounts: 01752 505165 fees@plymouthcollege.com
The Bursar’s Office: bursar@plymouthcollege.com
School Nurse: schoolnurse@plymouthcollege.com
School Shop: schoolshop@plymouthcollege.com
SCHOOL FEES
September 2025 Fees (VAT Included):
DAY PUPILS
Years 7 & 8 - £6,511.20
Years 9, 10 & 11 - £7,420.80
FULL BOARDING (UK LOCAL)
Years 7 & 8 - £10,809.60
Years 9, 10 & 11 - £13,239.60
FULL BOARDING (INTERNATIONAL)
Years 7 & 8 - £14,250.00
Years 9, 10 & 11 - £16,550.40
WEEKLY BOARDING (5 NIGHTS/WEEK)
Years 7 & 8 - £9,399.60
Years 9, 10 & 11 - £11,523.60
TERM DATES
AUTUMN TERM
Term Begins
Tuesday 2nd September 2025 (new Boarder arrivals from 2pm)
Wednesday 3rd September 2025 (New pupils’ induction and existing Boarders return PM)
Thursday 4th September 2025 (ALL pupils return - Senior and Prep)
Half Term Starts
Monday 20th October 2025
Half Term Ends
Friday 31st October 2025
Term Ends
Friday 12th December 2025
SPRING TERM
Term Begins
Tuesday 6th January 2026
Half Term Starts
Monday 16th February 2026
Half Term Ends
Friday 20th February 2026
Term Ends
Thursday 2nd April 2026
SUMMER TERM Term Begins
Monday 20th April 2026
Half Term Starts
Monday 25th May 2026
Half Term Ends
Friday 29th May 2026
Term Ends
Friday 3rd July 2026
THE SCHOOL DAY
TWO WEEK TIMETABLE
Plymouth College run a Week A (green) and a Week B (red) timetable. The benefits of a two-week timetable are that more of the non-core subjects such as RE, Classics and the Humanities can be allocated more teaching time over the two weeks. All pupils will be given a paper timetable to keep in their blazer pocket. If they lose it, they can go to Mrs Moore’s classroom in the morning for a new one.
YEAR 7 INDUCTION DAY
You are invited to join us for our Year 7 ‘Fun Day!’ on Monday 16th June.
Please arrive at 8:45 to register with the Admissions team on the school field (next to the George Stephenson Pavillion.)
THE DAY INCLUDES:
Team building and games with the Year 7 Tutor team.
Morning Activities:
Zorbing in our battle arena
Human table football bungee run
A BBQ Lunch
A Fun Swim in our school pool (please ensure you pack swimwear, goggles and a towel)
Afternoon Activities:
Disco bouncy castle
Jumbo kick darts
Inflatable Axe Throwing Bungee run
Parents are invited to join us from 3:45pm for afternoon tea on the school field and to meet with Tutors and key staff before September to ask any questions you may have about the start of term.
16:30 End of Day!
WHITEWORKS
Whiteworks is Plymouth College’s outward bound house and is situated outside Princetown. For the first 3 Fridays of term, we take each tutor group in turn to spend an afternoon and night. It is a super chance for all the pupils to bond as a team and get to know each other.
When pupils are going on their Whiteworks Friday, they should come to school in the home clothes they will be wearing for walking across Dartmoor. No Plymouth College kit or uniform is needed for the trip.
After leaving the school at 1045, we drive the mini buses to Burrator Reservoir.
Pupils then have a very pleasant walk to Whiteworks with the Outdoor Education team and the tutors, including some games on the way.
At Whiteworks, there are many team building activities, we all cook the evening meal together before the night adventures and going to bed and sleep (hopefully!) in the bunk rooms. We return to school on Saturday morning at 10:00 for pupil collection.
TRIP DATES
7KSH - Friday 05/06th September
7AMR - Friday 12/13th September
7JWT - Friday 19/20th September
KIT LIST
• Sleeping bag/ small pillow
• Suitable walking gear
• Comfortable boots
• Waterproofs.
• Hat, gloves, warm clothing/ sun-cream etc.
• Snacks for the walk across Dartmoor
• Change of clothes/night attire/toothbrush
You need 3 bags:
• BAG 1- School bag. You have 2 lessons in the morning
• BAG 2- Day rucksack. Inside will be a water bottle, waterproofs, extra jumper, snacks
• BAG 3- Your overnight bag. Complete with a sleeping bag, small pillow, change of clothes, warm kit, sleeping attire, torch, footwear.
Your overnight bag will go by mini-bus to Whiteworks and you will walk to the house with your day rucksack.
School bags will be stored at school and collected when we return on the Saturday morning.
CO-CURRICULAR
GAMES SESSIONS
Year 7 and 8’s games sessions will be Monday, Period 5 and 6 and Friday, Period 3 and 4. Please ensure ALL kit is labelled! Pupils come into school on their games days in their Plymouth College branded sports kit. It is expected that pupils will also bring in their tracksuit top and trousers/ leggings to change into, should they be muddy after games. This is especially important on Fridays as they will be going into their regular lessons in the afternoon.
BAG STORE
All pupils are encouraged to leave their games kits in the bag store. The bag store is opened every morning around 07:45 and locked each evening from 17:30. Many pupils choose to leave their games kit on the bag racks around the school, but I discourage this as sometimes, like any school, some kit can go missing.
There is full CCTV covering the bag store, so the monitoring system is particularly good at preventing any losses. On the days when pupils come into school with extra sports kit/boots etc. they should get into a habit of arriving at
school and going straight to the bag store to deposit their sports bag. When they have games, swap the school bag for the sports bag. This will cut down on the sheer quantity of bags around the school site and will also protect your computer!
SATURDAY GAMES FIXTURES
If you are part of the school sports teams, it will be required that you attend the training sessions. All games are shown in the school sports calendar which can be accessed through SOCS. If selected, you are expected to represent the school and parents are most welcome to come and watch. School fixtures take priority over outside club fixtures.
AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
All published on SOCS. We have an extensive list of after school activities that run from 15:50-17:00, ranging from all the major sports clubs, DT club, space club, dance- around 142 over the week! It is envisaged that all pupils do a minimum of 2-3 sports/activities/preps per week. Prep (homework) is available every day and is a supervised session in the library.
SCHOOL SYSTEMS
SOCS
The ‘one stop shop’ app Plymouth College use is SOCS. All pupils can access their academic timetable and they can find which activities they have signed up to do. SOCS also has the sporting fixtures and the whole school calendar for your perusal. Once pupils are logged onto the school system, they can access SOCS using their username and chosen password.
All parents will be given their own login details to SOCS so they can retrieve all the calendar information and see any sporting updates/ team sheets.
iSAMS
All pupils will need to download iSAMS Pupil which is the system Plymouth College uses for information and communicating. iSAMS will have their timetables on it as well. School reports and grades are all stored on iSAMS. Parents will have full access to the system, and you will be given login details once the pupils have accessed their accounts.
The link below will take you to information about the iSAMS system. https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/iparent-app/ id959615129
GOOGLE CLASSROOM
This platform is a great addition to share your child’s classroom work and homework through. In lessons, teachers upload their power points and worksheets so pupils can access the work, should they miss the lesson.
Homework is posted, and you as parents have access to the Google Classroom so you too can monitor their work. Assignments are set and handed in online in some subjects. The form tutors will send an email ‘invite’ for you to join the Google Classroom.
Parental login details will be sent to you at the beginning of the term and pupils will be given their details on the first day of school.
BASELINES TESTS
These are known as MidYis Tests (Middle Years Information System) and they test: vocabulary/maths/non-verbal/skills. The tests will be completed online during the first two weeks and take about 1.5 hours. There is no need to prepare or revise and no need to worry! Information and Q & A is on the internet
ELECTRONIC DEVICES
BYOD - BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE
Computers are being utilised in all lessons within Plymouth College and it is now part of the equipment list for pupils. Teachers put lessons, PowerPoints and worksheets onto Google Classroom and this allows all pupils access to work and revision all year. From experience, laptops are easier for pupils than iPads and keyboards. My advice with regards to the type of computer, is that pupils need a basic model. There are charging lockers in the library which will require a small padlock to ensure the laptop’s safety.
On 3rd September (Induction morning) we will be running all the pupils through their login process, so please can they arrive with their laptop all charged. More details will follow for this date.
MOBILE PHONES
In the Lower School, we run a policy of not allowing pupils in Year 7 and 8 their phones during the day. Year 7 and 8 pupils hand their phones in at the start of schooland collected them when they leave to go home. Each year, this has been maturely actioned by all the pupils and we have seen a fantastic change in their social communication and friendship groups.
I fully expect all pupils to bring their phones into school in the morning as safety and communication is important whilst travelling to and from school.
We will collect their phones before 08:40 and safely store them in my classroom. At the end of the day these will be returned for those leaving site, or at 17:00 for the pupils who have after school activities.
I do understand that this may cause alarm to some parents and I have not taken this decision lightly but am acting upon positive results. Asking the opinion of many parents and staff bears the overwhelming consensus that they advocate this decision. If any parent needs to contact their child please either ring the school office, 01752 505100 and leave a message with the receptionist who will notify us, or email me and I will convey the notification.
Should any pupil need to access their phone during the day, we are very happy to hand it back with a valid reason. Pupils wanting to access iSAMS during the day/ prep session can use their computers.
1 - History (H1), Geography (G1), RS
2 - Geography (G3)
3 - Geography, RS (G2)
4 - Biology (B2 Ground floor, B1 First floor)
5 - Biology (B3 & B4 Ground floor), Prep School (Year 5 & 6)
6 - Music (Practice rooms, Office of the Director of Music Ground floor)
7 - Music (A&C, Recording Studio Ground Floor), OPM Suite, Common Room (First floor)
8 - Sixth Form Centre (Bistro, Head of Sixth Form Office Ground floor), Psychology (Second floor), Study Rooms (Second floor)
9 - Classics (CL1, CL2 Second floor), Domestics Services (Ground floor)
10 - Maintenance Department (Porter’s Lodge Ground floor), ICT (CS2 & 3, Network Manager First floor, CS1 Second floor), Economics, Business Studies & BTEC (EC1, 2 & 3 Second floor)
11 - Outdoor Activities (Side entrance basement), SENCO (side entrance)
12 - CCF (basement), Wellbeing Hub, Bursar, Accounts, HR, Director of Sport, Deputy Head Co-Curricular and Operations (First floor), Director and Deputy Directorof Swimming (Second floor)
13 - Senior Deputy Head, DSL (Ground floor), Board Room (First floor), Exams Officer(Second floor)
14 - Sports Centre Reception, PE Office, PE Classroom (First floor)
15 - Bag store
16 - Fencing
17 - Maths (Room 1 Ground floor), Library, English (Rooms 8 & 9 First floor)
18 - Old Gym, Physics (P4), Maths (Rooms 2, 3 & 4 Ground floor), MFL (L1 & L2), English (Rooms 5, 6, 7, 10 & 11)
19 - The Michael Ball Drama Studio (DRS), Physics (P1 & P2 Ground floor), Chemistry (C1A, C1B & C2 First floor)
20 - Art (A1 & A2)
21 - Cricket nets
H - Staff Accommodation
T - Thompson House (Staff Accommodation)
DEVONTERRACE
Cricket & Rugby Pitches
COLLEGE VIEW
BEECHWOOD
