Year 7 New Starter Booklet

YEAR 7 New starter’s handbook

A message to pupils from the Head of Key Stage 3 Dear Students and Parents, I want to introduce myself as the Head of Key Stage 3 at Sibford School.

We are thrilled to warmly welcome you as you embark on an exciting new chapter in your academic journey at Sibford School. As you transition into Year 7, we understand that this period can be both exhilarating and overwhelming, filled with anticipation and questions about what lies ahead.

To help ease this transition, we have developed this information booklet for you, and we are excited to invite you to our Transition Day on June 27th. This special event is designed to provide you with a glimpse into life at Sibford School, allowing you to explore our vibrant campus, meet our dedicated staff, and connect with fellow classmates who will soon become your friends and companions on this educational adventure. More information regarding Transition Day will be sent to you nearer the time.

Furthermore, we are delighted to announce our Induction Day, scheduled for Friday 30 August. On this day, you will get to grips with life at Sibford School before the rest of the school returns. This day marks the official beginning of your journey with us, during which you will participate in teambuilding activities, get acquainted with school policies and procedures, and immerse yourself in the supportive community that defines Sibford School.

YEAR 7 Parent’s handbook

At Sibford, we are committed to nurturing academic excellence and holistic growth. We foster an environment where every student is encouraged to explore their passions, develop their talents, and embrace new opportunities for learning and personal development.

My vision for all Key Stage 3 students is to develop a solid foundation for studying GCSEs, make the most of all the opportunities Sibford School has to offer and have fun.

As you embark on this journey with us, know you are not alone. Our dedicated staff, experienced teachers, and supportive community are here to guide and support you every step of the way.

As part of your Transition Day you will meet your Tutor who you will be registering with each day.

Your Tutor will also be the first contact for any enquiries both you and your parents may have.

We look forward to welcoming you and your family to the Sibford School community, where each day brings discoveries, friendships, and opportunities for growth.

In friendship, Stephen Nation-Grainger Head of Key Stage 3

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Year 7 structure Stephen Nation-Grainger Head of Key Stage 3

Head of Year 7

Year 7 Tutors* *Please note - your child will find out their Tutor on the Year 7 transition day on June 27.

Role of your child's Tutor The Tutor is responsible for the well-being of the pupils in their Tutor group. Pupils meet with their Tutors in the morning and afternoon for Registration and twice a week for a longer session when Tutor group activities take place, and PSHE (Personal, Social, and Health Education) is delivered.

In Year 7, the majority of lessons are held with Tutor groups, but increasingly, as pupils progress through the year groups, they will be with others of similar academic ability, particularly in Maths, Science and English.

YEAR 7 Parent’s handbook

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CO-CURRICULAR & ENRICHMENT There is a wide variety of lunchtime clubs and activities on offer covering a range of subjects including crafts, board games, Music, Drama and Sport.

All pupils in Year 7 must attend three lunchtime clubs/activities per week.

Monday

Tuesday

These will be chosen in the first week of each term and attendance at these is compulsory.

We also run a number of before and after-school clubs. Information on these will be communicated before September.

Please see below an example Year 7 timetable: Wednesday

Before school

Thursday

Friday

Climbing

Registration

Meeting for worship

KS3 meeting

Tutor time

Period 1/2

Science

Textiles

PE

House meeting

Science

PHSE

Horticulture

Break Period 3/4

Spanish

English

Science

PE

Design

Period 5/6

Mathematics

Religion and World Views

History

Drama

Geography

Lunch

Minecraft club

Period 7/8

Study skills

Games

Mathematics

Mathematics

English

Period 9/10

English

Games

Spanish

Textiles

PHSE

After school

Prep

Pottery

Debate

Prep

Badminton

Boarding tea and activities

Culture club

CURRICULUM ENRICHMENT WEEK

SPORT

Curriculum Enrichment Week takes place during the last week of the Summer term. All pupils in the Senior School (apart from Year 11 and Year 13) are taken off the normal timetable and given the opportunity to try an activity that is new and exctiting.

The core sports covered in Games are:

Experience and feedback tell us that the pupils benefit greatly from these activities and it also gives them the opportunity to enjoy time together as a year group.

There is a cost implication in taking pupils out of school, whether it be for residential visits or on day excursions; however, we try to keep this to a minimum, and we hope you will agree that it represents excellent value for money.

DAY HOUSE SYSTEM

Term

Girls

Boys

Autumn

Hockey

Rugby

Spring

Netball

Football

Summer

Cricket

Cricket

In PE, a variety of sports are covered, ranging from gymnastics to rock climbing.

During Games afternoon, Sibford regularly play against other schools in the above sports, whilst other students participate in a carousel of activities.

Sibford School operates four Day Houses: Clark Fry

Gillett Nansen

Each is led by a staff Head of House and a Year 9 and Year 13 House Captain.

STAFF The following staff make up the school Senior Leadership Team (SLT):

SOCS is used for the school calendar, displaying team sheets, signing up for Key Stage 3 clubs and much more. The SOCS link is here.

Rebecca Evans, Head Phil Tattersall-King, Deputy Head and Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Jessica Boyle, Director of Studies Edward Rossiter, Head of Junior School Ally Lynch, Business Manager

You will receive details on how to sign up at the start of term.

A full list of all staff who work throughout the school can be found on the school website here.

SOCS

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CATERING

BEHAVIOUR

At Sibford, we encourage all pupils to eat a nutritionally balanced diet. Our caterers, Thomas Franks, offer a creative and varied menu that caters to a wide range of tastes. Food is prepared at the school with ingredients from local, familyowned suppliers.

Our Quaker values underpin Sibford School in all areas of school life. Pupils and staff adhere to the Code of Conduct in line with our school ethos.

Pupils must attend lunch and may attend tea if staying for prep (48 hours’ notice via Reception is required).

Meals are served at the following times 8am: Breakfast From 12.50pm: Senior School lunch (Year group rotas are published at the start of term) 5.45pm: Tea Snacks are available for pupils to purchase during the morning break in the school dining room.

Fresh fruit is also available.

At 4.15pm (Monday – Thursday) a snack/fruit and a drink are served in the dining room for boarders and day pupils staying for prep/activities only.

Please note: Sibford School is a Nut Free Zone With a number of children suffering from food allergies, particularly nut allergies, Sibford School has decided to reduce the risk of allergic reactions by ensuring that no nuts or products containing nuts are present in the school environment.

We also ask that cakes or food brought into school for any reason (fundraising, celebrations, gifts, etc.) do not contain nuts.

At Sibford, we hope to recognise the ‘good’ within each person and try to find peaceful and reasonable resolutions to conflict, as a clear reflection of our Quaker principles. Our positive ‘culture of praise’ informs our day-to-day work with pupils and expectations that good behaviour and kindness are the norm.

We expect pupils to treat staff and each other with consideration and good manners.

An important part of the Quaker contribution to the spiritual life of the children is that through the silence of Meeting for Worship, they have time for quiet reflection on their behaviour and actions. As our overall aim, discipline is based on respect and trust as well as collective and individual responsibility.

We treat everyone as an individual and are strongly committed to promoting equal opportunities for all, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation or disability. However, there will be occasions when sanctions must be imposed in the interest of the wider community.

In circumstances where things do go wrong, guidance and support are offered through our pastoral system where strong Tutor/class teacher/house parent relationships exist.

Click here to read the Behaviour Policy.

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Laptops

Mobile phones and other electronic devices

Pupils in Key Stage 3, 4 and 5 should have a laptop or other device (not a mobile phone) which is capable of Office 365 and researching.

Students in Key Stage 3 are expected to leave their mobile phones at home. If they need to bring in their phone, they are to hand it in during registration and collect it at the end of the school day. Students that are on away fixtures will also hand in their phones and these will be taken to the fixture by a member of PE staff and returned to students at the end of the event.

Recommended specification The minimum recommended specification for a new student laptop for Year 7 onwards is as follows: Laptop with a minimum 14” screen Intel i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 processor 512GB SSD (Solid State Drive) Hard Drive 8GB Memory (16GB Recommended) Windows 11 PRO (not home) The school does not recommend the use of MacBook or Chromebook computers.

All pupils are permitted to use laptops during certain parts of the school day either at the discretion of staff. Personal laptops can only connect via the student network service. Pupils must use wireless connectivity – laptops should not be cabled to the network and must have up-to-date anti-virus software installed.

Laptops are expensive tools for work, and pupils should not abuse this privilege by using them for unsuitable purposes.

Pupils must comply with the ‘Laptop Code of Conduct’, this can be found under ‘Useful Documents’ on the Parent portal here. All laptops must be registered with the Head of ICT Pupils must also ensure that their laptop is locked away when not in use.

Any student in Key Stage 3 found to have a phone in their possession during the school day will have it confiscated. The student will be able to collect their phone from Reception at the end of the same school day. Five behaviour points will also be added to the student’s school record, and they will be given an after-school detention (a minimum of 48 hours’ notice is given to parents of the date and time of the detention).

FEES Details of current fees can be found on the school website here. School fees are set for the academic year but invoiced termly and are payable three working days prior to the beginning of term.

Payment can be made by bank transfer or direct debit. A late payment charge of 5% will be added to any amounts outstanding after the due date.

The school’s bank account details are as follows: Allied Irish Bank Account Number: 26774108 Sort Code: 23-85-85 For international parents the IBAN reference is: GB53AIBK23858526774108.

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EDUCATIONAL VISITS School visits provide a great opportunity for pupils to gain experience and face a range of challenges that can contribute significantly to their personal development. Any overnight educational visits are reviewed and approved by the school’s governing body. Outings to the theatre, exhibitions, conferences etc are regularly arranged for all pupils. The cost of these trips is extra and can be added to the termly fee account.

In the Senior School, day pupils may be able to stay overnight in one of our boarding houses for a small charge if a trip/outing is scheduled to return to school at a late hour. Permission needs to be obtained from the House staff in advance.

The school also runs a number of residential trips, some directly associated with curriculum subjects e.g. Geography field trips and other more recreational visits such as the Ski trip.

VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT (VLE) Sibford School uses a Microsoft Teams based Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). This is a mixture of webpages where we keep you informed of Senior School and individual class activities, useful resources, and homework tasks.

When we are on residential trips, we use the VLE to create post blogs, with photographs, to keep you updated. You will also find useful letters and forms, a calendar, and links to other school resources. Each child has an individual login which they will use throughout their time at Sibford School to access all school computer services. Links to the VLE, as well as other useful resources, are sent out at the beginning of each school year.

EQUIPMENT AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES Essential equipment Pupils require the following equipment in school: Reading book Pen (ink or equivalent) Pencils and coloured pencils/pens Pencil sharpener Eraser Highlighters 30cm ruler Casio Scientific Calculator (not mobile phone calculator) Scissors Glue Protractor and compass PE kit (on appropriate days) Clear water bottle Laptop Charger Headphones Computers The use of the latest technology is actively encouraged at Sibford School but with this comes a responsibility to protect both students and the school from abuse of the system.

Pupils are expected to behave responsibly on the school computer network, as they would in classrooms and in other areas of the school.

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In addition, Sibford School also offers a number of other payment options which parents may find helpful: 1. Parents may choose to pay in monthly instalments by direct debit.

2. We can provide the facility for parents to pay termly fee bills by credit card or debit card.

3. For parents who wish to pay fees in advance, the school can fix the termly fee for an agreed future period, based on the appropriate published fee prevailing at the time such an arrangement is made (please note that where a fee increase has already been notified, then the advance payment would be based on the new fee). The amount payable will be in multiples of the agreed termly fee and will remain constant for the number of terms covered by the advance payment received.

4. To set up a direct debit or to discuss any other payment option please contact the Accounts Department on 01295 781212 or email accounts @sibfordschool.co.uk.

Scholarships, Bursaries & Sibling Discounts Sibford School awards a limited number of scholarships and bursaries and also operates a ‘sibling discount scheme’ and a ‘Sixth Form loyalty discount’.

Please note that financial assistance and/or discounts cannot be combined, and where pupils are eligible for multiple awards, the greater will be applied. For more information on scholarships and bursaries, click here.

Notice of Early Withdrawal You are required to give the school one clear term’s notice, in writing, if you intend to withdraw your child from the school. Failure to give notice will result in a full term’s fees being charged.

Full terms and conditions of admissions can be found on the school website here.

Sibford School is a company limited by guarantee.

Registered in England under number 3487651, Registered Charity No. 1068256.

Additional Payments and Supplementary Charges

Pupil Insurance

Supplementary charges (known as ‘extras’) of a value up to and including £25 may be added to your bill automatically. For charges that are higher in value, a written notification will be provided.

We provide Personal Effects and Personal Accident Insurance for all pupils at no extra charge. Further information is available under the ‘Useful Documents’ section of the Parent portal here.

Pupil Absence Insurance

A £5 per term payment to Sibford PSFA will automatically be added to your bill. Should you wish to opt out of this payment, email accounts@sibford school.co.uk.

This scheme is available to help with the cost of school fees if your child is forced to miss school for an extended period of time. This is an ‘opt in’ scheme.

Conditions apply and further details are available here.

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HEALTH CENTRE

LIBRARY

Sibford School has its own Health Centre and employs two school Health Advisors. The school also has a separate wellbeing room and employs a trained wellbeing coach who is available to talk to students on a confidential basis on two days a week during term time.

The school Library is open every school day, from 8.30am until 4.30pm, and during Prep from Monday to Thursday.

The wellbeing coaches are available for appointments that can be arranged by emailing help@sibfordschool.co.uk or via Tutors or Head of Key Stages.

The Library provides books and magazines for all to encourage leisure reading, independent learning, support academic studies etc.

The Health Centre is open between the hours of 8am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday and can be contacted via school Reception on 01295 781200.

Pupils wishing to access the Health Centre or see the school Health Advisor must go via Reception.

The school Health Advisors are responsible for collecting in and dispensing medication. Pupils should not have any medication in school other than that kept by the school Health Advisors.

Students use the Library during break and lunchtime for study and reading.

Our English specialist and librarian promotes good use of online resources providing links to many useful websites as well as offering sessions to promote study skills and encouraging reading.

If students need advice, recommendations or support, our school Librarian is ready to help them.

PERIPATETIC LESSONS The Music Department provides peripatetic teachers who offer tuition in most orchestral instruments, piano, singing, drums and guitar.

All medication should be brought to school in its original packaging clearly labelled, in English, with the pupil’s name and the dosage required.

Lessons take place during the school day and are organised to cause the minimum disruption to curriculum lessons.

A permission form is required for any medication administered at school. This form is available here.

The school can provide a piano/keyboard, double bass, violins, cellos, clarinets, flutes, oboe, cornets, french horns, trumpet, trombone, saxophones, guitar/ukulele and drums.

Out-of-hours first aid is covered by a team of first aid-trained staff.

Any pupil experiencing diarrhoea and vomiting should not come to school for 48 hours after they are symptom-free.

Pupils studying other disciplines will need to provide their own instruments.

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Music staff are happy to advise on the suitability of an instrument and recommend taster lessons to help with the choice of instrument.

Individual Instrumental Tuition takes place during the school day. Current fees are £310 per term per instrument. The cost of individual music tuition is in line with the recommendation of the Incorporated Society of Musicians.

LAMDA Classes Sibford also offers LAMDA classes, which give young people the opportunity to receive tuition in Solo Acting, Verse & Prose and Public Speaking. These lessons are either individual or paired.

LAMDA lessons are charged at a rate of £262 per term for weekly individual lessons and £158 per student for paired lessons.

Half a term’s notice must be given of intention to withdraw from these lessons.

PREP Prep is assessed and marked on a regular basis and should be a reflection of the pupils’ own work.

A prep timetable will published at the start of the academic year.

Pupils in Year 7 should spend approximately 2030 minutes on each prep set and also complete at least 10 minutes of private reading.

Missed Prep Failure to complete prep or to produce work of a satisfactory standard will be followed up, in the first instance, by the subject teacher. If pupils have a valid reason for late or poor-quality prep, an extension may be given to allow for satisfactory completion.

If pupils are absent from school or miss a lesson, they are expected to check Teams and catch up on work missed.

All Senior School prep is posted on Teams for pupils to access.

PSFA The PSFA (Parent, Staff and Friends Association) is run by volunteers drawn from the ranks of parents, teaching and non-teaching staff, school management and members of the school community.

The PSFA exists to: Give parents a voice Organise fundraising events and provide skills and resources to enable the school, its teachers and pupils to realise goals and to undertake special projects.

Help the school to communicate effectively with current and prospective parents.

Organise activities and events that build a sense of community.

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QUAKER EDUCATION

Quaker Grace

Sibford School was established in 1842 as a boarding school for the children of Quaker families. Over the years, the school has undergone many changes and developments, as it has adapted to meet the needs and aspirations of its pupils. However, there is one factor that has remained constant in the life of the school, our Quaker values that recognise that of God in everyone.

We don’t have a spoken grace at lunchtime but frequently during the lunch-time sittings we will have a Quaker Grace, a short period of silent thankfulness for the meal and for each other.

Translated into everyday life, this means: valuing and nurturing individual talents; respecting each other; and helping each individual to become the very best they possibly can.

Although the majority of pupils and staff at Sibford School are not Quakers, there are three main factors that set us apart from other schools.

Meeting for Worship Instead of having an assembly, the school community gathers together for a Meeting for Worship. This is a time when all staff and pupils, of whatever faith, share in a period of quiet reflection - a rare opportunity in today’s world.

Meeting for Worship is also an opportunity to pass on congratulations, messages and notices.

All pupils are expected to attend.

Meeting for Worship is held at the beginning or end of the week for the whole School, with various split meeting by house and year group inbetween.

Quaker Form of Address The Quaker form of address, especially in correspondence, has no titles, simply the full name. Hence Mrs R Evans becomes Rebecca Evans. Letters are addressed not with a ‘Dear Sir’ but with ‘Dear John Smith’ and, respectful of our Quaker tradition and heritage, we encourage pupils throughout the school to address their teachers in the same waY. The Head, therefore, should be addressed as Rebecca Evans.

POLICIES Click here to access all the schools policies.

WHOLE SCHOOL COUNCIL At Sibford, we recognise the value and importance of our students contributing their opinions about all aspects of school life.

The group consists of a member of each Tutor group in the Senior School, with Year 7 represented from the Spring term onward.

Minutes are taken, and the members are required to feedback to their Tutor groups on projects and ideas. The group has a small budget to work from to improve some aspects of school life.

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SHAPE OF THE DAY 8.40am 8.45am 9.10am 10.15am 10.35am 11.45am 12.50pm 1.50pm 2.00pm 3.10pm 4.15pm

4.30pm

5.45pm

Pupils to register in form rooms Meeting for Worship/Tutor Time Periods 1 & 2 Break Periods 3 & 4 Periods 5 & 6 Lunch Pupils to register in form rooms Periods 7 & 8 Periods 9 & 10 End of lessons Snack for boarders and day pupils staying for prep available in dining room.

Prep/Activities Pupils who have booked to stay for prep are registered in prep room.

Pupils staying for activities register in Reception.

Tea for boarders Day pupils may stay for tea provided they have booked 48 hours in advance.

Any pupil who is late or for any reason has changed their plans must notify Reception.

If their parents are late collecting them or if they miss the school bus, they need to report to Reception and sign-in on the prep register.

Before and After School Care General Staff are deployed to ensure the proper supervision of pupils.

Members of the PE Department supervise pupils on both home and away matches.

At least one member of the teaching staff is always present in order to supervise pupils whenever they are in the school outside normal school hours. Arrangements are made to ensure pupils are supervised during play and concert rehearsals, or other events that bring small groups into school out of hours.

Suitable staff/pupil ratios are in force during outings and visits abroad. Whilst appropriate staffing ratios are adhered to, school may vary this as necessary according to the nature of the activity and the age of the pupils.

Before School Early morning swimming club is on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays (spring term) from 7.15am to 8am. Pupils who wish to take part return the sign-up form at the start of term. Pupils are expected to go to the dining hall for breakfast after swimming, before going to their Tutor bases for the start of the school day. There is a small charge for breakfast.

After School Parents of day pupils complete and return the sign-up form at the start of each term indicating if they wish their child to stay for prep/an activity on a regular basis. Parents are requested to let Reception know if their child cannot attend for any reason. Additionally, pupils are aware that they must notify Reception staff of changes to their routines.

Duty staff go to the dining room at 4.15pm to supervise the After-School Snack session until 4.35pm when all pupils go home or to prep/after school activities.

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Supervision of Prep:

TRANSPORT

Prep (during the period from 4.35pm. until tea at 5.45pm) for Years 7 - 9 takes place in the English rooms or Library.

Own Transport

Duty staff supervise the dining room at tea from 5.45pm until 6.30pm at which time day pupils are collected by parents and boarders return to their boarding houses.

CURRICULUM Sibford school believes in providing an education for the ‘whole person’.

We offer pupils a broad and balanced curriculum which includes experience in linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, horticultural, human and social, physical, aesthetic and creative education.

Our curriculum extends beyond the classroom and includes a wide range of extra-curricular activities and experiences, appropriate for the ages and aptitudes of all pupils, including those with a statement of Special Educational Needs.

UNIFORM The Senior School uniform list can be found on our website here along with a link to SchoolBlazer.com.

The PSFA also run ‘The Green Uniform Shop’.

This is a second-hand uniform shop that is open weekly on Tuesday from 8.30am - 9.30am and Thursday from 3.45pm to 4.45pm.

Parents who bring their child to school by their own transport should use the school’s Hook Norton Road entrance. To keep our pupils safe, please do not use any other entrance.

Senior School pupils should be dropped off and picked up at the ‘kiss and drop’ point.

Buses We use a mixture of coach hire and our own minibuses. The routes we currently operate can be found here. This is subject to change based on demand each September.

For further information (including details of charges) please contact: travel@sibfordschool.co.uk.

Bicycles Any pupil in Year 7 upwards may bring a bicycle to school. It must be registered with the main school office using the ‘Riding a bicycle to school’ form, available from the school office. Bicycles must be kept padlocked in the designated area when not in use.

Insurance for bicycles is the responsibility of parents. A cycle helmet must be worn at all times when the cycle is in use.

TERM DATES Click here to see the 2024/25 term dates.

Please email carolyn@familywhites.co.uk for more information.

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