Your first week

Autumn Term starts for all students on Thursday 31st August, however you will be taking part in our Year 7 Activity Residential to Bewerley Park from 31st August until 2nd September. You and your parents or guardians should now have all of the details for this trip, but if there is anything else you need to know you can contact the Head of Year 7, Mr Cusick. His contact details can be found on page 15.

When you arrive at school on Monday 4th September, you will be welcomed at the main school entrance and taken to your form room for registration. Spend some time familarising yourself with this map of the school, as it’ll help as you find your way around in the first week.

Timings for the school day

Morning Registration 8.45am

Form Period or Assembly 8.50am - 9.10am

Period 1 9.10am - 9.50am

Period 2 9.50am - 10.25am

Morning Break - 10.25am - 10.45am

Period 3 10.45am - 11.20am

Period 4 11.20am - 12 noon

Lunch Break - 12pm - 1.10pm

Period 5 1.10pm-1.50pm

Period 6 1.50pm - 2.25pm

Travel time 2.25pm - 2.30pm

Period 7 2.30pm - 3.05pm

Period 8 3.05pm - 3.45pm

Afternoon Registration 3.45pm - 3.50pm

What do I do at break time?

After the end of Period 2, you will have a morning break. During this time you can choose what you want to do:

• Spend time in your form room where other members of your form might be.

• Visit the school canteen to pick up a snack which you can eat there or underneath the canopy.

• Spend some time outdoors - there are benches by Abi and Bedes Memorial Garden, or outside the Sports Centre.

What about lunch?

There are lots of enrichment activities to get involved with and this is a fantastic opportunity to meet new people and have fun. As we start each year, we recommend that you embrace the opportunity to try out a range of different activities - you can always decide that they are not for you and refine your choices later on. Some activities are scheduled over the lunch break, so you can make the most of the time between lessons.

You can also choose to spend time in your form room, get outdoors for some fresh air or head to the library to read. Whatever activity you choose, you will also need to make time to eat. There are a few options for lunch:

• ‘Grab and go’ food, such as ready made sandwiches are available from the theatre foyer.

• Hot food is available in the canteen and the menu changes daily. So whether it’s a baked potato and salad, a helping of freshly made lasagne or a warming bowl of soup, you will find something to fuel you for the afternoon. If you choose food from the canteen then you will need to eat it there.

• You can bring a packed lunch and this can be eaten either in the school dining hall or outside underneath the canopy.

What happens at the end of the school day?

The school day finishes at 3.50pm and after you have been to registration you can:

• Get involved in one of the enrichment activities that take place after school - if so, head straight to the activity and enjoy!

• If you travel home on a school bus, head towards the outside canopy to wait. Buses that have already arrived will be listed on the board and you can go to the front of the school and board your bus. Members of staff will be on duty to guide you. Buses leave at 4pm prompt so it is important to keep a close eye on the time.

• If you don’t catch a bus then you’re free to make your way home.

• If you are being picked up later, then you are welcome to wait in the library. Mr Neilson, the school’s Librarian will be there to supervise until 6pm. This is a quiet space so provides a good opportunity to get ahead with your homework. If there is a problem with pick up, your parents/guardians can contact Reception until 5pm to let a member of the leadership team know.

From a safety perspective, it is important that an adult is aware of where you are. You must be in one of the locations above - please do not walk off the school site and then return later on.

What enrichment activities can I get involved with?

We offer an array of enrichment opportunities covering a wide range of interests. There are opportunities to help raise money for the school’s chosen charities, sharpen your debating skills with the Model United Nations, experiment at the science clubs, grow your own veg with the gardening club or scale new heights over at the climbing club, to name a few!

A priority timetable for Drama, Music and Sports will start up quickly, giving you chance to get stuck in right away. The enrichment options are launched at SocFest which happens in the second week at school. This is a fun event that takes place in the Senior Hall and is an opportunity for you to find out more about each of the different enrichment options from members of staff.

If you don’t see what you’re looking for then we encourage students to set up their own activity club - these are often very successful. Past examples have included a ‘Magic: The Gathering’ Card Game Club and Lego Club. If you are interested in setting up a club, or activity, then speak to your form tutor or Mrs Hackett who is the Director of Enrichment and Outreach at the school.

Who do I talk to if I have a problem?

The Grange is a friendly school. If you get lost or need help, do ask anyone - a student or a teacher - and they should be able to help you. Whilst we want you to be happy at school, there are times when things might not go according to plan. If this happens, it is important that you talk to someone:

• Your Form Tutor - they should be your first port of call as they will be best placed to guide you through what to do, or what happens next.

• Mr Cusick, your Head of Year.

• Peer support - this is a group of trained, older students who will be able to offer advice.

• Pupil support - this is an area where you can get specific advice.

• Mrs Eaton (Deputy Head) or any member of the leadership team.

Mobile phone policy

The use of mobile phones is not permitted at The Grange School. Studies have shown that the presence of a mobile phone can be a distraction from learning as attention is pulled away from the learning or task at hand. We encourage all of our students to be more independent of technology rather than relying on it.

We are also very aware that every interaction that you have online shapes your longterm ‘digital footprint’. As a school we are committed to supporting you to create the best digital footprint for future university, training and career prospects.

All students from Year 7 to Year 11 are required to hand in their mobile phones to form tutors at the start of the school day. These should be switched off but clearly labelled with your name. Mobile phones are stored in a locked safe in your form room throughout the day and when you finish lessons at 3.45pm you will return to your form room for afternoon registration and will have the opportunity to collect your phone before the end of the school day at 3.50pm.

If you know that you will be leaving before the end of the school day, for example for an appointment or a sports fixture, then you should hand your mobile phone in at the school’s Reception desk. This will be kept there securely for you to collect before you sign out and leave the school site.

Should they need to get a message to you, parents can still contact the school office during the school day and equally, if you wish to get in touch with your parents then you can do so through the school office or by reporting to your Head of Year who has access to a telephone in their office.

It is worth considering whether a mobile phone is needed in school at all. If you are concerned that you need a phone for before and/or after school for arranging pick up or for safety purposes then there are non-smart mobile phones available to buy from various retailers for less than £20.