Uppingham Cairo Senior School Parent Handbook 2026-2027

SENIOR SCHOOL PARENT HANDBOOK

WELCOME FROM THE HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to Uppingham Cairo. At UC we take particular pride in caring for the individual needs of our children and recognise that this is built very much on the commitment and skills of our staff and the support of our parents. The success of the school and the wellbeing of its pupils depends on co-operation, trust and respect between all members of our community.

This Parent Handbook is designed to provide the specific information you need as you prepare for your child to join us, as well as providing a general overview of life at UC. I hope that you will find the handbook useful and that it helps you and your son or daughter to quickly feel part of our wonderful community.

Natasha Alexander Head of Senior School Uppingham Cairo

WELCOME FROM THE HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOL

I wish you a warm welcome to Uppingham Cairo. We are thrilled to welcome you and your child.

The start of Lower School marks an important milestone in a child's life. At Uppingham Cairo we are dedicated to creating a happy, safe, and stimulating environment where every child is recognised as an important individual and supported to grow.

This handbook provides detailed information regarding the school's structures, processes and procedures. It should help you to feel confident to support your child in navigating their first term and beyond.

I look forward to meeting you and working together to nurture independent, confident, considerate, and responsible young people.

Ciera Peacock Head of Lower School Uppingham Cairo

WELCOME FROM THE HEAD OF SIXTH FORM I am delighted to welcome you to Uppingham Cairo Sixth Form – the final stage of your journey through our school and an exciting gateway to the future.

Education should extend far beyond the classroom. Sixth Form is a time when young people develop independence, resilience and confidence. As they develop from pupils to students, Whichever pathway is chosen, Sixth Formers are encouraged to think critically, communicate effectively and embrace new challenges, preparing them not only for university but also for life beyond school.

Our Sixth Formers are role models for our younger pupil and have an enormous influence in maintaining the ethos of the school and their houses. Beyond the classroom, they are encouraged to lead, contribute and make a meaningful difference within the school and wider community.

Iain Trafford Head of Sixth Form Uppingham Cairo

CONTENTS Introduction A note on UPPCNet and The Parent Portal 1 Contact Details 2 About the School 3 School Leadership 3 The Lower School 4 Collection at the End of the Day 5 Breakfast 5 Academic Matters Academic Monitoring 6 Introduction Evenings 6 Parents' Evenings 6 Reporting 6 Learning Development: EAL 7 Library 7 Prep (Homework) 8 Learning Development: SEND 8 Pastoral Care and Wellbeing Introduction 9 Accidents 10 Behaviour 10 Rewards and Sanctions 10 Commendations, Merits and Housepoints 10 Safeguarding Children 11 Supervision of Children 11 Suspension and Expulsion 11

General Information Admission 12 Adverse Weather 12 Attendance and Absence 12 Complaints 12 Communication with Parents 12 Contacting Other Members of Staff 13 Food 13 Head Lice 13 Illness 13 Collecting pupils who are unwell 13 To whom should I speak? 14 Late arrival / signing out 15 Lost Property 15 Medication 15 Parent Portal and UPPCNet 15 Newsletters 15 Policies 15 The Parents' Circle 16 School Diary 16 School Uniform and Dress Regulations 16 Security and Safety 16 Speech Day 17 Stationery and Pencil Cases 17 Taxis 17 Times of the School Day 18

Operational Matters Fees 19 Health and Safety or Fire Related Matters 19 Catering 19 Break Time Tuck 19 Birthday Celebrations 20 Nuts 20 Water 20 Parking and Driving on the School Site 20 Personal Property 20 Co-Curricular & Enrichment Co-curricular activities 21 Educational Day Visits 21 The Houses 21 Individual Music Lessons 22

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A note on ‘UPPCNet’ and The Parent Portal

The Parent Portal

Firefly

When we talk about 'The Parent Portal' we are referring to SchoolBase, our School Management Information System (specialist database). In the Parent Portal you will find your child's reports, make appointments for Parents' Evening and update your personal details. The Parent Portal is only for parents, and parents receive their login when they accept a place. If you have forgotten your login details please let us know.

At Uppingham Cairo, and in this handbook, we refer to our Virtual Learning Environment as UPPCNet. UPPCNet can only be accessed by UC parents (and older pupils) via a secure individual login. Firefly is the main platform we use to share information with parents, staff and older children. It is where you can find out more about the curriculum, download forms, see photographs of the children learning and so on. It is also the platform that we use to deliver online learning if necessary.

Logins are sent to new parents shortly before their child starts at UC.

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Contact Details Headmistress Mrs Emma Webb Head of Senior School Miss Natasha Alexander nalexander@uppinghamcairo.com

Address Uppingham Cairo NEWGIZA KM 22 Cairo-Alex Road First 6th of October Giza Governorate

Head of Lower School Mrs Ciera Peacock cpeacock@uppinghamcairo.com

1584 Senior School Reception +20 1012777777 srschooloffice@uppinghamcairo.com

Head of Sixth Form Dr Trafford itrafford@uppinghamcairo.com

Admissions +20 1070222222 admissions@uppinghamcairo.com

Finance Team accounts@uppinghamcairo.com

School Shop +20 1070222222

Director of Day Boarding, Sport and Expeditions Mr Liam Hucknall lhucknall@uppinghamcairo.com

Website https://uppinghamcairo.com

Head of Music Mr Ian Hockley ihockley@uppinghamcairo.com Head of Learning Support Mrs Linda Turck lturck@uppinghamcairo.com

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About the School Our aim is to work with every child to bring out the best in them; we build independence and the skills to work collaboratively so that our children grow as learners and as people. Your child will be encouraged to think for themselves, to be ambitious, resilient and resourceful. The school is a happy, safe and stimulating place where every boy or girl is an important individual.

School Leadership The Headmistress holds overall responsibility for Uppingham Cairo and provides strategic leadership for the school, working closely with the Board to shape its long-term vision, development and success.

The Head of Senior School is responsible for the overall leadership and management of the Senior School, ensuring excellence in academic standards, pastoral care, pupil development and the day-to-day operation of the Senior School.

Our approach and teaching from the outset is designed to give the message that learning is fun and that how we behave matters.

Emphasis is placed on concern and respect for others, and on our responsibilities as members of a community. We work to build selfesteem in our pupils so that they grow into confident, compassionate, accomplished and well-rounded young people who leave us exceptionally well prepared for the next phase of their education.

The Deputy Head (Pastoral) leads the senior school's pastoral strategy, safeguarding culture, behaviour systems and pupil wellbeing, ensuring that every pupil is known, supported and able to thrive.

We aim to educate the whole person both academically and socially, so they become globally minded citizens.

The Head of Lower School is responsible for the day-to-day leadership and management of the Lower School, overseeing pupils in 1st to 3rd Form and ensuring a strong foundation for academic, pastoral and personal development.

The Director of Studies leads the academic life of the school, overseeing curriculum development, teaching and learning, assessment, reporting, and pupil progress to ensure the highest standards of academic achievement.

The Head of Upper School is responsible for the day-to-day leadership and management of the Upper School, supporting pupils through their IGCSE studies and ensuring high standards of achievement, wellbeing and engagement.

The Head of Sixth Form is responsible for the leadership and development of the Sixth Form, overseeing both academic progress and pastoral care, while preparing pupils for higher education and life beyond school.

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The Senior School Introduction

Forms

The Lower School is made up of the 1st Form, 2nd Form and 3rd Form.

Children join the Lower School when they are aged 11 and move automatically into the Upper School when they are aged 14 and in the 4th Form and 5th Form. The 6th Form is made up of the Lower 6th and Upper 6th.

The pastoral care of the children in the Lower School is the responsibility of their Personal Tutor, who should be your first point of contact in all matters. The role of the Personal Tutor is crucial to both the academic and pastoral care of the children. Regular communication with parents is an essential part of this care and forms the basis of the close partnership we endeavour to build with parents.

In the Lower School we aim to give the children the best possible start to their Senior School education. We recognise that this is a crucial stage in their academic and personal development, as they move beyond their Junior School years and grow in both independence and confidence. Our first priority is to help them settle happily into Senior School life, and to offer encouragement and support as they make this important transition.

In the Upper School our academic focus changes to achieving success in the IGCSE examinations. We work to provide a first-class, all-round academic education in the happiest, most nurturing and liveliest of atmospheres. This approach helps the children to grow into independent, confident, considerate and responsible young people, learning to value their work and enjoy their talents, as well as appreciating those of others.

In the 6th Form, pupils chose between A Level or the International Baccalaureate Pathways. Our focus is to prepare the pupils to become students and for life beyond school.

The Start of the Day Senior School pupils enter through Gate 3 from 8.00am each morning. Once on site children go immediately to their Personal Tutor.

This is an important part of our pastoral care and it is important that they arrive punctually each day. Each morning there is a focus to ensure children are set up for success. They have a very busy day ahead and it is never a good start to arrive flustered and late!

Children arriving after 8.20am must be signed in at the Reception desk at Gate 2.

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Collection at the End of The Day

Breakfast

Finish Times The formal school day in the Senior School finishes at 4.30pm.

We ask parents/carers to collect their son or daughter punctually from Gate 3 at the end of the school day, if they are not attending cocurricular activities or participating in the Day Boarder provision.

Parents/carers must inform the school by email if somebody different is collecting their child, even if it is another parent in the class. Without authorisation from the child’s parent, we are not able to release a child into the care of another adult.

Uncollected Children The School’s ‘Uncollected Children Policy’ applies to all children who are not collected at the end of the school day. The full policy can be found on UPPCNet.

At UC we understand that busy family and professional lives mean that it might be useful for some families to have the opportunity to drop their son or daughter off at school early in the morning.

Breakfast is available at 7.30am for all children who are Day Boarders.

The children are able to enjoy a healthy and balanced breakfast with a variety of different options available each day.

Uppingham Cairo staff look after, and eat with, the children during breakfast to ensure that they have a calm and nutritious start to the day.

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Academic Matters Academic monitoring

Parents' Evenings

Pupil progress and attainment are monitored regularly. Equally, a pupil’s approach to learning is monitored. We operate an intelligent approach to tracking this progress, understanding that progress is not always linear. We have various levels of intervention and support, ranging from support systems used by Personal Tutors to interventions led by the Learning Support Department. Such systems are designed to support every single pupil to achieve their potential.

We hold two Parents’ Evenings per year. The School operates an appointment based system and parents book appointments online using our Parents Evening System.

Introduction Evenings Parents of children in all year groups are invited to a Parents’ Information Evening and a Pastoral Parents’ Evening during the Winter Term. These provide parents with the opportunity to meet with their son or daughter’s Personal Tutor, as well as their specialist teachers, and to hear about the year ahead.

Reporting Over the course of an academic year, parents receive formal reports. A report consists of attainment grade, effort and comments. Full Reports are provided at the end of the Summer Term.

All reports are made available through the Parent Portal (SchoolBase).

We do, of course, monitor progress carefully and are proactive in contacting parents at other times should issues arise.

Learning Development EAL Although English is most commonly a second language for our pupils, this is not a limitation. At Uppingham Cairo, we expect our pupils to use their spoken English throughout their school day. Staff will offer guidance with any common mistakes made in conversation to ensure these are corrected promptly. If we identify any gaps in either written or spoken English, your child will be referred to the learning support department. For those who enter Uppingham Cairo with a lower level of written and spoken English, an additional English class may be available to them as part of their language block choices.

Library The Thring Library provides a wide range of resources to support pupils’ studies and encourage reading for pleasure. These include a fiction library and a well-stocked collection of non- fiction books.

Textbooks and library books are issued to children on loan. Any damage or loss will incur charges.

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Prep (Homework)

SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities)

At Uppingham Cairo, homework is called 'Prep', and forms an important part of the pupil experience at UC. Prep for our Senior School children is thoughtfully assigned and appropriately balanced. It is designed to support both their academic development and their study skills. Prep reinforces classroom learning, consolidating concepts and skills taught during the school day, which helps with long-term retention and understanding.

Uppingham Cairo’s Learning Support Policy and EAL policy can be found onUPPCNet. Parents are asked to inform the Head of Learning Support of any diagnosed Learning Needs or Disabilities and if their son or daughter has been receiving extra tuition at a previous school before their entry to UC.

Prep encourages self-discipline, time management, and organisational skills, all of which are vital for academic progression and personal growth. It also extends learning beyond the classroom, providing opportunities to explore topics in greater depth, fostering a deeper interest in academic subjects and encouraging a love for learning. Furthermore, it enables our pupils to learn to take responsibility for their work and to understand the importance of meeting deadlines, instilling a sense of accountability.

Prep also offers teachers valuable insights into their pupils' understanding and progress, allowing for assessment of individual and Form performance and enabling targeted feedback and intervention when necessary.

Whilst it remains tempting to help, please allow your child to complete their Prep independently. It is important that we understand what they can and cannot do on their own so we can plan the next steps in their learning.

We carefully monitor the academic progress of every child. Every child is different, and it is perfectly normal for children to struggle every now and again. Usually a little extra care and support is all that they need to get back on track. However, should any significant learning difficulties become apparent, parents will be informed right away and individual assessments will be recommended at Moonhall Cairo; a local specialist assessment centre.

Where a pupil has a diagnosed specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia or dyspraxia, the Head of Learning Support will contact parents before entry to discuss whether individual support should be provided from the outset. Even where this is not deemed necessary, monitoring by the Head of Learning Support will take place throughout the pupil’s career at Uppingham Cairo.

Those with a specific learning difficulty will normally be placed on the School’s confidential Learning Support Register to ensure they receive the necessary support required across their curriculum.

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Pastoral Care and Wellbeing Introduction The pastoral care and wellbeing of our pupils is at the very heart of everything we do here at Uppingham Cairo. We are here to guide, advise, support and encourage them through the challenging as well as the happy times. We are also here to inspire them to achieve their very best and to give back to society and to each other. When they leave the School we ensure they are well balanced, decent and generous human beings, prepared and ready to make the most of all that the world has to offer and ready to face the challenges life will present.

The strength of the pastoral system at Uppingham Cairo lies in the community and the staff, who are trained in and passionate about the pastoral care of our children and in the environment, the buildings, grounds and facilities which create such a wonderful and calm place to study.

At UC our pupils lead busy, happy lives with a full day in school, and with commitments for some out of school as well. We are careful to ensure that the demands placed on our pupils are monitored and balanced if necessary by their Personal Tutor.

Different pupils respond in different ways to pressure and expectations and therefore it is important that each pupil is treated as an individual. Equally, it is important that pupils have some relaxation time at home in order to give them a chance to rest ahead of another busy day.

In such a close-knit community there is, of course, a need for guidance and boundaries. All parents are reminded of the school rules, which can be found on UPPCNet.

Please note that pupils are not permitted to use or access mobile phones whilst on the Uppingham Cairo campus, and staff are not permitted to use or access mobile ‘phones in front of the pupils.

Pupils are permitted to bring mobile phones to school, as we understand that parents may wish their sons or daughters to have access to these devices on the way to and from school. However, these devices are placed in secure Yondr pouches when they arrive at school so they cannot be accessed during the day. Please see the mobile phones policy for further details of the very good reasons behind this policy and how it is enforced. If you need our support or advice in helping your child with these expectations at home please just let us know. We have years of experience helping children who resist the removal of their devices!

In addition, in order to assist the boys and girls in achieving balance in their young lives, the School recommends that pupils in all years, should: Have a minimum eight hours sleep every night Eat three nutritious, balanced meals every day Not have access to the internet/mobile phones after certain times (and certainly not for the hour before bedtime) Have limited access to electronic devices generally through the week Not be socially over-committed during the week Ensure they participate in sport or exercise regularly through holiday periods - at least one hour per day is recommended Make time for reading

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Accidents

School Rules

The School Medical Centre is managed by our fully qualified full time School Doctor, as well a team of nurses. A member of the medical team is on duty at all times when the school is open and, in addition, teachers and support staff receive regular training in first aid. We have an arrangement for emergency care with New Giza hospital which is located close to the school. The School First Aid Policy can be found on UPPCNet.

Our School Rules state clearly how we expect our children to behave so that the boys and girls and staff are able to enjoy learning, teaching and life in school.

In summary: All incidents that lead to injury are recorded electronically and treatment is provided by a fully qualified nurse or the School Doctor.

If the School Doctor feels the injury is at all serious then the emergency services are called. If emergency services are called or it is felt that the child should attend hospital, parents are informed.

Behaviour The way we work to promote positive behaviour in all our children is set out in the Behaviour and Anti-Bullying Policy documents which are available on UPPCNet. Extracts including Sanctions, Suspensions and Expulsions are reproduced below.

Rewards and Sanctions We recognise the need to balance rewards and encourgement with sanctions to register disapproval of unacceptable behaviour and to make the school a safe and happy place. The use of sanctions is strand of our strategy to develop in our boys and girls an understanding of how negative and inappropriate behaviour impacts upon themselves and others.

Commendations, Merits and Housepoints .

We seek to motivate our boys and girls to do their best in as many ways as possible. Children are nominated by their teachers to show the Headmistress any piece of work that displays particular achievement for that individual child. They are awarded a commendation and their achievement is recorded on their electronic pupil record.

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In giving awards and praise, we are looking to recognise and celebrate personal bests. In this way all our children have a chance to shine and have their efforts and achievement recognised. Children are awarded House Points for helpful behaviour and a positive contribution to school life. These are totalled at the end of the school year and the winning House is awarded the House Cup. Children are awarded Merits for academic effort and achievement. A running total of merits is kept throughout a child's time at Uppingham Cairo and they are awarded Merit badges and certificates for reaching particular milestones. For example, 20 merits = red badge, 40 merits = pink badge etc.

Supervision of Children The children are under the supervision and care of appropriate adults (teachers) from the time they enter school to when they are dismissed by their teachers at the end of the day.

Our school policy, ‘Supervision of Children’ sets out clear expectations and guidelines for staff on all aspects of this matter.

Other relevant policies are: Behaviour, Anti-Bullying, Educational Visits, Uncollected Children, Lost Children, Whistleblowing and Safeguarding and Child Protection, all of which can be found on UPPCNet.

Safeguarding Children Suspension & Expulsion When dealing with matters relating to child protection and safeguarding, our policy is to follow the very high standards set by the UK Government where possible and practical in Egypt, including Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023), The Children Act 2004, The Education Act 2011 and Keeping Children Safe in Education (2024).

Any safeguarding issues are referred to the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead, Mrs Rachel De Wet.

The Headmistress reserves the right to expel or suspend any child whose behaviour puts another child at risk or could damage the good order or good name of the school. This includes all forms of bullying, including cyber-bullying.

The Chairman of the Board would be fully involved in any case that resulted in the expulsion of a child. The Expulsion, Removal and Review Policy is available on UPPCNet.

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General Information Admissions All details about entry into the School at any age may be found in the Admissions Policy found on the School website.

Adverse Weather Teaching at Uppingham Cairo will function as best as possible in the event of adverse weather. Communication of any changes to pick up times will be sent by email if the weather becomes, or is likely to become, hazardous.

Attendance and Absence Uppingham Cairo takes a strong line on pupil attendance and has high expectations in relation to absence. Parents who take their children out of school, unless for illness or other valid reasons, such as medical appointments, are setting a bad example. It is also unfair to other pupils, as well as discourteous to teachers. Furthermore, it undermines the integrity of the School day. Uppingham Cairo does not permit pupils to leave School early at either half term or the end of term. The last day of term contains a number of lessons, assemblies or house activities. ‘Leave of Absence’ will only be granted in exceptional circumstances and any such requests must be made in writing using the form available on UPPCNet and well in advance.

The decision as to what constitutes ‘exceptional’ circumstances rests solely with the Head of Senior School. Pupils are expected to make up the academic work they have missed as a result of their absence and will be assisted by their teachers in this regard.

If an absence is prolonged, Personal Tutors will help to collate some appropriate work to be completed at home.

Complaints Uppingham Cairo prides itself on the quality of the teaching and pastoral care provided to its pupils. However, should the standard of care fall below what is expected, the School will ensure any complaint is taken seriously and is handled in accordance with the recommendations laid out in The UK Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2019.

Communication with Parents Parents may correspond with their son or daughter’s Personal Tutor by email.

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The majority of modern communication is now electronic, and at Uppingham Cairo, we recognise that this offers us the opportunity to communicate with parents more efficiently and effectively in many cases. However, in order to ensure all parties (staff and parents) find that email use continues to be effective and not too burdensome there are some simple guidelines listed in the document Email and WhatsApp Etiquette @ UC, which can be found on UPPCNet. Please note that the school implements an email curfew between 6pm and 7am each weekday, and from 6pm on Thursday until 7am on Sunday morning.

This means that if you send an email to a member of staff during the curfew it will be delivered, but the member of staff is not expected to read or respond to the email until the curfew is next lifted. This is to protect the wellbeing of our staff so that they are able to provide the highest quality of care and education that we expect for our pupils, having had sufficient time to rest and recuperate after each busy school day.

Letters are sent to parents on a regular basis via email. When a letter requires a response, a link to the relevant form will be included in the email. Copies of these letters are also available on the Parent Portal (SchoolBase).

Contacting other members of staff Please see the next page for details of who to contact for different enquiries and concerns.

Food The chlldren are provided with a generous, nutritionally balanced, high-quality diet at school and they are not permitted to bring any other food into the School.

Head Lice We ask that parents take a proactive stance in order to prevent the spread and re-infection of head lice. Parents are expected to inform the school if they find their son or daughter has head lice so that the rest of the School can be alerted, although the name of the child will not be mentioned.. Should a child be found to have head lice, the parents will be contacted and asked to collect him or her so that they can have the necessary treatment at home. We also ask that parents co-operate with our school expectation that girls should have their hair tied back neatly to discourage the spread of lice.

Illness In the case of illness, parents are requested to inform the School Office by email to abscence@uppinghamcairo.com or phone +20 1012777777 by 8.20 am.

On returning to school after absence, we must receive a written note/email from their parents or carer explaining the reason for and length of absence. Please note that to prevent the transmission of stomach viruses, children must remain at home for at least 24 hours after their last episode of vomiting.

Illness: Collecting pupils who are unwell If pupils are unwell, the Medical Team will contact their parents to arrange for them to be collected. They will be looked after in the Medical Room while they are waiting.

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To whom should I speak? Contacting staff for different enquiries and concerns.

If you have a specific enquiry for a specialist teacher, for example about curriculum content.

PUPIL

SPECIALIST TEACHER

If you have general enquiries about your child’s schooling (pastoral, academic or co-curricular)

If you have a concern about an aspect of academic provision or a general enquiry about academic matters

HEAD OF DEPARTMENT

If you have a query or concern about an aspect of co-curricular provision DIRECTOR OF DAY BOARDING & ENRICHMENT

PERSONAL TUTOR

If you have a serious pastoral / disciplinary concern or a general enquiry about pastoral matters

HEAD OF LOWER OR HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL

If you have a more serious concern or a query about H senior School policy

HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL

If your child is late, ill or if you need to pass on a message during the school day

SCHOOL SECRETARY

Any child protection (safeguarding) concerns

DESIGNATED SAFEGUARDING LEAD

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Late arrival/signing out Pupils are expected to arrive promptly for registration at 8am each day, and to be collected promptly at the end of the day. Pupils who arrive at school after 8.20 am must sign in with the School Secretary in Reception. When any pupil leaves the site their parent, or other authorised adult, must sign them out at Reception and state who has given them permission to leave.

Lost Property Lost property is handed into the School Secretary. If the items are named they will be returned to the owner. Unnamed uniform will be stored for one term and then donated to charity or to the second hand uniform shop.

Medication Pupils are only permitted medication in school following the completion of the relevant form which is available in the Medical Room or on UPPCNet. Please see the 'Medicines in School' policy for further details.

Parent Portal and UPPCNet The Parent Portal and UPPCNet are secure websites and are an essential part of our communications with you. One of the main features of the Parent Portal is the publishing of pupil reports to this secure facility, which will allow you to view and print your child’s most recent and past reports. You are also able to view all the contact details which we have for you and your child on our database and you can update these as often as is necessary. It is vital that we have your up-to- date contact telephone number, address and email addresses at all times.

UPPCNet provides parents with a wealth of information and is our Virtual Learning Environment, used for online learning when necessary. If you should have any difficulty using the Parent Portal (Schoolbase) or The Virtual Learning Environment (UPPCNet) we are on hand to assist. Please email ITHelpdesk@uppinghamcairo,com.

Policies UC makes a large number of school policies available to parents on Firefly. These include: Accessibility Plan, Administration of Medicine, Admissions Policy, After-School Care, Aims and Ethos, Anti-Bullying, Behaviour, Complaints Procedure, Curriculum Policy, Data Protection Policy, Educational Visits, Email Etiquette @ UC, Equal Opportunities, Expulsion Removal and Review, EYFS, First Aid, Health & Safety, Prep (Homework), IT – Pupil Acceptable Use, Lost Child, Safeguarding & Child Protection, Staff Privacy, Supervision of Children, Uncollected Children, Whistleblowing. Please note that the list of policies and procedures above is not exhaustive and is subject to amendment and update. If parents wish to have paper copies of any of these policies, they should contact the School Office.

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The Parents' Circle

School Diary

The Uppingham Cairo Parents' Circle brings together parents, pupils and staff through social events, functions and new initiatives.

The Parents' Circle raises funds for charity and exists to enhance the parent experience. The structure of the Parents' Circle is a committee comprising a representative from each Form, plus a Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. All roles are voluntarily undertaken by parents. The Parents' Circle is intended to support parents and it is hoped that its events and functions will be well supported by the parent body. Further details can be found on UPPCNet.

You will receive a pocket-sized school diary outlining the events for the term ahead at the beginning of each term. Whilst we endeavour to adhere to the published diary, there may be occasions when the timings or dates of events may change, in which case you will be informed by email. The calendar of school events is also published online and updated regularly. The calendar on SOCS and the Parent Portal always contains the most up-to-date information.

It should be noted that issues relating to the operation of the school, and school communications with the parent body as a whole do not come within the remit of the Parents’ Circle Representatives.

The School Uniform Handbook can be found on UPPCNet. Pupils’ hair should be neat and tidy. No jewellery, make up or nail polish of any kind may be worn, with the exception of a single simple pair of stud earrings for girls. Please ensure that all uniform items are clearly named.

School Uniform and Dress Regulations

Security and Safety The security of our pupils is a priority. With this in mind, all visitors to the School are required to report to Reception in the 1584 Building.

They should sign in before entering the School.

Security guards are on duty at the school 24 hours a day, and will only allow access to parents or visitors registered in advance by a member of staff. All parents are issued with an electronic car pass at the beginning of the academic year. During the School Day the school is secured so pupils cannot leave the site, except when accompanied by a member of staff or when collected by a parent or adult authorised in advance by a parent.

Speech Day Speech Day takes place at the end of the Summer Term. All pupils are required to attend from the 5s, and all parents are invited.

Stationery and Pencil Cases Pupils in the Lower School should bring their own sensibly sized named pencil case. The stationery list is sent to all parents before the beginning of the Winter Term. Pupils should not have additional items of stationery beyond this list.

Times of the School Day

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Operational Matters Fees

Catering

All financial matters are dealt with by the Finance Department. Please make certain that your payments are made on or before the due date which you will find noted on the Claim. If, for any reason, you anticipate difficulty in meeting this timetable, please do get in touch with the Finance Department either in writing, by email or by telephone.

All children and staff eat school lunch in the Dining Rooms. Parents may opt for a vegetarian or non-vegetarian menu at the start of the school year. Children are given a daily choice of a healthy, freshly cooked and nutritionally balanced Middle Eastern or Western dish.

All children also select from the fruit platter. Day Boarders also have the option to enjoy breakfast, afternoon tea and supper at school.

Notice is required for withdrawing a pupil from the School.

The flourish menus are available to view at the beginning of the term and will be sent to parents if any changes are made.

Please see the Standard Terms and Conditions for details.

Health and Safety or Fire Related Matters The Director of Security and Safety, Karim El Mouseli, is responsible for the Health and Safety of the school. He can be contacted via email at ksmouseli@uppinghamcairo.com if you have any concerns or questions.

The School recognises the importance of fire protection measures.

The School carries out extensive and comprehensive fire risk assessments and fire practices are held on a regular basis. Clear procedures are adopted and adhered to. Fire orders are displayed throughout the School. The fire alarm system is checked every week in term time.

Parents of children who require special diets for medical or other reasons should inform the School Office using the form provided on admission.

Break Time Tuck At morning break children in the Lower School are provided with a piece of whole fruit. We ask that parents do not supplement this and food is not permitted to be brought into school by pupils.

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Birthday Celebrations

Parking and Driving on the School Site

Pupils may bring individual cup cakes or similar to share with their class on their birthday. Please note that sufficient cakes should be provided for every child in the class. Whole cakes, party bags and gifts are not permitted to avoid unnecessary pressure being placed on parents to provide extravagant gifts for the whole class. Parents may, of course, invite whoever they please to their child’s birthday party outside of school. However, we sincerely hope that an invitation will be extended to all members of the class as it can cause a great deal of upset in school when children are excluded from events that the majority attend.

Please be aware that the speed limit on the school site is 10 mph and pedestrians should be given priority at all times. Cars should be parked considerately in defined parking areas so as to keep roadways clear. The School has dedicated drop-off gates for different sections of the school on the perimeter of the of the campus. Please ensure that your car pass is clearly displayed on the front windscreen of your car.

Nuts In order to ensure the health and safety of all our children, please take special note that the school is a nut-free environment. All parents are asked to be very mindful of this if they bring in any food to school in the form of birthday celebration cup cakes and so on.

Water The children should bring their own named Uppingham Cairo water bottle to school each day. These should be taken home each day to be cleaned. The children are encouraged to drink water throughout the day. Water bottles are kept on desks and taken out to the garden at breaktimes and PE lessons. Ultra clean fresh water is dispensed from the water machines located around the School.

Personal Property No personal possessions should be brought to school, including mobile phones (unless stored in Yondr pouches) and electronic games. However, pupils are asked to wear a conventional analogue unbranded watch to support their ability to manage their time and schedule. All personal property should be clearly marked with name and Form. All personal property is brought to the School at the owner’s risk.

Pupils should not bring money to school (other than to deposit in the School Bank) or for a specific purpose, such as a Parents’ Circle Charity Bake Sale. Particularly where valuable items such as tablets, computers and musical instruments are concerned, parents are advised to consider insuring them under their own policies.

Co-Curricular & Enrichment Co-Curricular Activities Uppingham Cairo offers a rich variety of co-curricular activities to our Lower School pupils through the UPP&Out programme. Children choose their activities from the given list and places are allocated as fairly as possible. Once the children have been allocated a place in a club we ask that they continue to attend. The start and end dates of Co- Curricular sessions are published in the school diary and on the website.

Educational Day Visits We place great emphasis on providing the children with as broad an educational experience as possible with educational visits forming a significant part of that process. We make full use of the cultural opportunities afforded by our location in Cairo and the children enjoy frequent outings. Details of visits/additional activities are found in the School Diary which can be found on SOCS. To reduce the administrative burden on parents, a consent form is filled out at the beginning of each academic year to provide consent for all non-residential educational trips and visits in the school year.

Uppingham Cairo Senior School Parent Handbook | 22

The Houses There are four Houses at Uppingham Cairo; Farleigh, Fairfield, Brooklands and Johnson’s, named after Houses at Uppingham School UK. Every pupil is allocated a House when they join the school, and extended family members are always in the same house. House ties are worn by all pupils in the Lower School.

Brooklands

Johnson’s

Our distinctive Houses are central to life at Uppingham Cairo, and pupils develop a deep affection for their houses. The House families eat together at lunch and afternoon tea, which is an important and distinguishing feature of our pastoral care. The House Common Room is a sanctuary; a place for rest and contemplation, as well as a hub for communal activity. The experience of being in a House builds friendships that last a lifetime. It teaches pupils to empathise, to motivate, to lead and to play their part in a community of diverse individuals.

There is an atmosphere of healthy competition between the Houses, which is encouraged and celebrated through inter-house competitions in sport, music, debating and general knowledge.

House Shout is the traditional annual singing competition that is held both at Uppingham School in the UK and at Uppingham Cairo. . .

Farleigh

Fairfield

Peripatetic (Individual) Music Lessons Music lessons are taught on a one-to-one basis by the Visiting Music Teachers. Lessons are offered in a wide variety of instruments. Pupils learning instruments are expected to participate in orchestras, bands, choirs or ensembles when they have become proficient.

To provide motivation, progress and fulfilment, we encourage all pupils to take examinations and perform in concerts. All pupils will be encouraged to improve their general musicianship (reading notation, sight reading, aural skills).

If you wish your child to have instrumental music lessons please contact the Head of Music. If your child is to learn an instrument outside of Uppingham Cairo we would still like to involve them in school ensembles, so please also contact the Head of Music.

Please note that a term's written notice is required to cancel music lessons.