Parent Handbook 2025

Preparatory School

Pa r e n t H a n d b o o k

WITHAM HALL | WELCOME BOOKLET

Welcome 20 19 This handbook has been designed to provide quick answers and useful information for new and existing parents. Please do not hesitate to ask me, or any other member of staff, if anything is unclear or if you have questions – we are here to help. We want all new children and their families to feel settled and confident on arrival, and it is our aim for all members of the community to feel a part of the Witham family throughout their time at the School and beyond.

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Having been entrusted with this crucial phase of your child’s education, we will do everything we can to make sure they flourish both inside and outside the classroom. Your children are part of a wonderful school and I have no doubt they will continue to have great fun and make friendships that will last for their entire lives.

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William Austen Headmaster

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Main Hall Prep Building IT and Design Games Room Uniform Shop Pre-Prep Art Department Music and Drama Department 9 Music Practice Rooms 10 Stimson Hall 11 Rose Walk 12 Wilderness and Outdoor Classroom 13 Pre-Prep Car Park 14 Pond Courts 15 Sports Centre Car Park 16 Sports Centre 17 Top Courts 18 Astro-turf 19 Cricket Pavilion 20 Sports Fields 21 The Cedars 22 Walled Garden 23 AV Room 24 Tunnard Room

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WITHAM HALL | WELCOME BOOKLET

Where to Start Communication

SOCS

Social Media

There are several ways of communicating with the School, depending on the matter at hand:

SOCS is a system Witham uses to publish sport, music and co-curricular information for each child. Parents sign up for activities and boarding nights a term in advance using their SOCS parent login. Parents can also view their child(ren)’s timetable, music lessons, sports fixtures and club commitments using the parent log-in. For new families, the IT Department will be in touch to create your account and log-in.

The School provides regular updates through a number of social media accounts: Instagram @WithamHallSchool Facebook @WithamHallSchool LinkedIn @WithamHallSchool

Telephone: (01778) 590222 E-mail: secretary@withamhall.com Staff email addresses follow the format: first name initial, surname followed by @withamhall.com.

Regular Communications

Post: Witham Hall School, Witham-on-the-Hill, Bourne, PE10 0JJ

Parent letters from the Headmaster are regularly sent home, with updates, news, views, information and requests. Form Tutors and Class Teachers send out weekly emails which contain a summary of the week and any important information about forthcoming events.

The Head’s PA answers the telephone from 0815 to 1715 from Monday to Friday. At other times it will be answered by the duty staff. If you need to speak privately or perhaps at some length with a member of staff, either make an appointment or email the member of staff directly.

The Parent Portal

In an emergency: Please be sure to advise us of any changes to your contact details as it is vital that we are able to contact you in case of an emergency. Please also let us have an alternative contact telephone number and address if you are going to be away from home.

Parents can access their child(ren)’s school report, termly bill, school timetable and activities via their log-in on the Parent Portal. This link is available on the Useful Links and Log-ins page of the website. New parents will be sent their personal log-in details at the start of their child(ren)’s first term at Witham Hall.

Your child’s Form Tutor or Class Teacher is the first port of call for any pastoral or logistical queries. Questions about academic matters should initially be directed to the Subject Teacher, copying in the Form Tutor/Class Teacher/Deputy Head Academic.

Staff Your child will very soon get to know the staff and a full staff list with photographs is available on the school website. Witham staff are involved in all aspects of school life and will not only teach academic lessons, but run lunch and evening activities, coach sport and are present in the Boarding House. including Tommy’s Arc, Don’t Lose Hope and Hearts & Minds.

Useful Contacts Mr William Austen - Headmaster headmaster@withamhall.com

Social events run by the FOW include large events such as Bonfire Night, the biennial School Ball and the Winter Fair, but they also organise coffee mornings and year group gatherings to foster a sense of community amongst the parent body. Please contact your Year Group Rep if you would like to get involved, everyone is warmly welcome.

Mr Rupert Candy - Deputy Head Academic rcandy@withamhall.com Miss Katy Rule - Deputy Head Pastoral and Designated Safeguarding Lead krule@withamhall.com

Classlist

Miss Alice Jenkins - Head of Pre-Prep ajenkins@withamhall.com

The FOW use a parental communication app called Classlist to enable parents to connect directly to build friendships, to make arrangements with other Witham families and to stay in the loop regarding activities organised by our wonderful Year Group Reps and FOW Committee. Classlist is a UK-based and fully GDPR-compliant app that is already being used successfully by hundreds of thousands of parents in other schools in the UK. New parents receive an email invitation from no-reply@classlist.com to join at the end of the term prior to their child’s entry and will be able to communicate with other parents using Classlist. Once a parent joins, they can contact other parents in their year group and it gives parents full control over which contact and personal details they share with other parents.

Mrs Lucy Meadows - Head of Boarding lmeadows@withamhall.com

Website Withamhall.com aims to provide you with all the information you need, as well as featuring curriculum information and links to our social media feeds. Relevant school policies are also available on the website.

Mrs Donna Dimeloe - PA to the Headmaster secretary@withamhall.com

The School Calendar

The Friends of Witham (FOW) is the Witham Hall parents association. Every parent is welcome to attend FOW meetings. The Committee and Year Group Representatives organise social events for parents while helping to raise money for the chosen school charity, as well as projects that benefit Witham pupils. In previous years the FOW have contributed to the building of the Tree House, the Reception playground and the new Pre-Prep playground, and the Committee have raised significant sums for charities

The Friends of Witham (FOW)

The school calendar provides details of trips, sports fixtures and events that involve pupils, such as celebrations, Sports Day and concerts. The school calendar is kept up to date on the website; this is best used during the term.

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The Classlist app sends a notification for every communication when a new member joins. Parents will want to amend the notification settings so the app is not sending constant alerts and emails. The Notifications Settings are in a member’s profile (click on your photo) and it is listed below Privacy.

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WITHAM HALL | WELCOME BOOKLET

Behaviour, Expectations and Rewards

Pastoral

Boarding As a school with a strong family ethos, boarding plays an integral part of Witham life, with many pupils opting to board in some form from Year 4. Pupils can opt to weekly board or flexi board and many parents use this freedom of choice to build up the children’s experience of boarding before moving on to their choice of senior school. New boarders are assigned a ‘buddy’ and a Boarding Family to to help support the transition into the Boarding House.

The Houseparents provide a comprehensive, stand-alone Guide to Boarding for both pupils and parents which can also be found in the boarding section on the school website. Packing lists can also be found on the school website.

We follow The Witham Way, a set of principles that apply to school life and beyond: Treat others as you would like to be treated and Be your best self ● Share ● Respect ● Forgive ● Listen

Pastoral care has a vital role to play at Witham and is one of our great strengths. We place a priority on the safety and security of our pupils. We have a rigorous and effective Safeguarding Policy that all staff and visitors in school adhere to and which is available on the website. The School’s Designated Safeguarding Leads is Miss Katy Rule.

Prefects and Leadership Positions

High standards are expected across all year groups, but on the rare occasion that a child’s behaviour falls below the acceptable level, and verbal warnings have not had the desired impact, the relevant member of staff will record details on our behaviour monitoring system. The details of the incident are recorded, and the pupil will be given a ‘Minus’ resulting in a negative House point. The system is looked at regularly by the Form Tutor or Class Teacher who will discuss entries made with the pupils concerned and the Pastoral Senior Management Team take an overview on a weekly basis of behavioural incidents in school. If a pupil gains multiple minuses in a half-term period, this can lead to additional intervention or sanctions being imposed and parents being informed.

The happiness and welfare of your child are of paramount importance. If your child is unhappy for any reason please come and talk to either the Form Tutor or Class Teacher in the first instance. Most problems are easily solved and a triangulated approach between the pupil, home and school prevents small problems growing into something bigger.

Because of our smaller class sizes and the family atmosphere, it is often easier to give all children more individual attention and care. Children are also encouraged to feel confident and comfortable with everyone, and able to speak to the staff freely about concerns.

The House System When a child starts at Witham, they are allocated a place in one of four Houses, which are named after past Headmasters or people important in the history of the School:

Equality of opportunity

● Maitland ● Banks ● Tate ● Lyons

Witham Hall School is committed to equal treatment for all, regardless of an individual’s race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, learning difficulty, body image or social background.

Siblings are put into the same House unless specifically requested otherwise by a parent. When pupils reach Year 2 they attend regular House Meetings, but from the outset, pupils earn ‘Golds’, which are collected weekly and count towards a House total. Termly, the winning House receives a treat for accruing the most Golds and points from a variety of competitions. In addition, all Houses contribute to the money collected for the chosen charity each year by their participation in selected events.

The School is an academically non-selective school, although it does assess pupils on application to the School to ensure that it can provide the best education for each child and to enable the School to plan accordingly.

The School believes that the educational experience can only be enriched if children are exposed to as wide a range of cultural experiences as possible while they are developing.

Mentors A mentor system is also in place for children from Years 2 to 8, where members of staff from the House support a group of pupils throughout their time at Witham. These smaller groups allow for the younger pupils to ‘buddy up’ with older pupils and provides an additional adult in school who will be available for guidance and help.

The School also welcomes applications from pupils with special needs and/or disabilities, and refer parents to our SEND Policy and Accessibility Plan.

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Some Year 8 pupils may be chosen as Prefects or Heads of House. The most senior positions of responsibility are the two Heads of School, their deputies and the Chair of School Council. These are appointed by the Headmaster and announced on Speech Day. All Year 8 children act as ‘senior pupils’ and carry out school duties in support of staff members. All provide a very useful role in school and can be most helpful with the younger and newer children.

During the Trinity Term, Year 7 pupils are given the opportunity to carry out school duties and demonstrate their desire to be considered for a prefect or leadership position the following year.

Golds form an integral part of the Rewards System. Golds are given to children for a variety of reasons: for effort or good work, working well with others or trying hard at something new, as some examples. These are logged electronically and count towards their House’s total which is displayed on the House boards in the Main House; the winning House is announced each term and is based on an accumulation of Golds and points awarded during House competitions that term.

Individual totals run annually and Prep pupils are rewarded with a special Witham Hall highlighter once they reach 20 Golds. House badges are awarded in assembly when children reach 50, 100 or 150 Golds in the year, and the top accumulators are awarded certificates at the end of each term.

In the Pre-Prep, children earn bronze, silver or gold leaves which are displayed in the main entrance to the PrePrep building. In addition, for outstanding effort or attainment on a piece of work, teachers can nominate children for a Headmaster’s ‘Show’; they take their work to the Headmaster to be congratulated and given a small prize, plus three Golds are awarded.

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WITHAM HALL | WELCOME BOOKLET

The academic curriculum at Witham Hall is designed and delivered by knowledgeable and enthusiastic teachers.

Working alongside and far beyond the National Curriculum, the curriculum from four to 13 takes into account the needs of individual children and cohorts, with the firm emphasis on preparing every child for the next step in their education, while promoting intellectual curiosity, creativity, selfdiscipline and autonomy. More information on specific subject areas and age groups can be found in the Curriculum Information booklet available on the website.

Curriculum The School follows a broad curriculum aimed at preparing children for Common Entrance and, for some pupils, Scholarship examinations, with generous provision for Games and the creative and performing arts. Children are initially taught in mixed-ability classes; however, setting is introduced in Year 5 for maths, and in Year 6 for maths, science and Latin. In Year 7, there is an extension teaching group orientated towards those who are aspiring to academic scholarships; some of these pupils then move into a distinct Scholarship set in Year 8. The remainder of Year 8 continue the Common Entrance course and are set for maths, science, Latin and French.

Academic

In Year 4, the children are taught most subjects by their own Form Tutor, in their form room, as well as being taught by subject specialists for French, Music, Computing, Art and Sport. In Year 5 and above, pupils are taught by degreeholding, subject specialists. See the Prep School Curriculum Information booklet for more details.

Examinations Pupils in Years 5-8 have formative internal exams in the Trinity and Michaelmas Term. Annual standardised tests in reasoning, English and Maths are administered in a lowprofile way; they provide useful indicators of achievement and identify problems on which attention can subsequently be focused.

Reports All pupils receive a school report at the end of the Michaelmas and Trinity terms. Interim effort grades are awarded at the end of each half term for Prep pupils. Year 8 pupils also receive a full report in the Lent Term.

Learning Support The Learning Support Department offers a range of interventions for those who require additional support. This ranges from chargeable one-to-one Learning Support lessons with qualified teachers or targeted intervention groups, to having Learning Support Assistants supporting teachers within the classroom. For further information, please contact the Head of Learning Support (learningsupport@withamhall.com).

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WITHAM HALL | WELCOME BOOKLET

After School and Extra-Curricular Clubs There are a wide range of clubs and activities on offer for all year groups, boarding and day, which change on a termly basis. Choices are made during the second Exeat of the preceding term using SOCS.

Sport

From Year 3, pupils are provided opportunities to play in inter-school matches where parents are warmly invited to watch if they wish and sample the famous Witham match tea afterwards.

Details of all these events can be found in the School Calendar or on the School’s sports portal, SOCS (sport.withamhall.com). SOCS includes all timings and team sheets, along with match reports and images. Parental support is most welcome. Please visit SOCS regularly to keep up to date with your child’s sporting commitments and to find out if there have been any changes to fixtures.

Good sportsmanship is fostered both on and off the field of play. The hosting of visiting sides is an important part of the matchday routine. All team members must stay until after match tea at both home and away fixtures.

If your child is unable to attend Games sessions, please send an email to the Matrons and Form Tutor to excuse them. The Matrons will excuse boarders if necessary.

Performing Arts There is a strong dramatic tradition within the School. All children in Years 4, 5, and 6 perform in a year group play in the Trinity Term. Pupils in Years 7 and 8 can audition for the Senior Production; rehearsals take place on Thursday evenings, and the performances are at the end of the Lent Term.

Extra-Curricular

The School Choirs and Bands perform in a number of concerts during the year as well as at the Exeat Services each term. All pupils in Years 4 and 5 sing in the Junior Choir, all pupils in Year 2 and 3 in Pre-Prep choirs.

Individual Music and Drama Tuition Children can start music lessons in Reception, with many taking up the option by Year 2. Individual lessons are available to pupils, with a high success rate in LAMDA examinations.

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WITHAM HALL | WELCOME BOOKLET

Medication All medicines, including vitamins, creams, ointments etc. brought to school must be handed in at the Surgery or PrePrep Class Teacher in their original container with an accompanying form (available on the website) giving details of dosage and frequency of use. Children are not allowed to keep medicines of any kind, with the exception, in some cases, of inhalers or Epipens.

(uniform@withamhall.com). Opening times are currently Monday morning and Wednesday afternoons and the current uniform and stationery lists are available on the website.

Personal Belongings Pupils should not bring expensive or delicate items into school – they may get lost or damaged and we cannot take responsibility for such items. While it is often relatively easy to return named property to its rightful owner, it is extremely time consuming to locate and return unmarked property. Please make sure that all your child’s clothing and belongings are clearly named, including stationery.

Witham Hall is a mobile free school. Pupils are not to bring in personal devices such as smartphones, smart watches, e-readers or computers.

Requesting Absence

Logistics

If parents need to request their child’s absence from school for reasons other than illness, please email the Headmaster’s PA with details of the dates, times and reason for absence who will reply on the Headmaster’s behalf. School Term Dates are published well in advance and parents are requested not to plan family holidays or extend leave beyond the already generous school holidays. Please refer to our Attendance Policy.

Pupils’ Appearance

If a child fails to register, the School is obliged to ring the parents to ascertain the whereabouts of their child.

Girls with long hair should wear it tied back with navy, grey or black hair bands, bobbles or ribbons. Boys’ hair should be neatly cut and off the collar: hair gel and wax are not allowed, and neither are extremes of style.

Uniform and Other Equipment Catering

Accidents or Illness

All food is freshly prepared on site and each week a different menu is prepared and displayed giving all the children a balanced and nutritious diet. Dietary requirements that are religious or on grounds of formal medical diagnosis are, wherever possible, catered for and our Catering Manager is happy to talk to parents if a need arises.

If your child is unable to come to school through illness, we ask that you please email the School Office secretary@ withamhall.com copying in matrons@withamhall.com and the Form Tutor or Class Teacher is helpful.

In Pre-Prep, fruit and biscuits are provided for all children in the morning and after school for those staying for activities. They are encouraged to drink water regularly.

Staff serve the food for Pre-Prep in the Dining Room and then sit with their table. Everyone is encouraged to try different food and can ask for different portion size and have a second helping if they wish. Reception start with a family-service style lunch with their Early Years staff and transition into the main dining room in the final few weeks of the Trinity Term.

Prep boarders start their day with a varied breakfast including hot and cold options. Fruit and biscuits are provided at morning and afternoon breaks respectively.

Lunch is an enjoyable meal with a wide and varied menu. All pupils staying after 1715, whether for activities or to board, have tea in the Dining Room, and hot chocolate and cake are available to boarders before bedtime.

The weekly menu is displayed outside the Dining Room, in the Pre-Prep entrance, in the Boarding House and on the website.

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If a child has an accident in school, an accident form is filled in by the teacher supervising them; you will usually be notified of any minor accident at the end of the day or by a telephone call or e-mail if appropriate.

We try to maintain a very smart standard of dress at Witham Hall and your help and co-operation with this is much appreciated. All children should arrive and leave wearing the full and correct school uniform, including their blazer. Pupils need a bag to carry their belongings about school. Please make sure that it is clearly named inside and out.

The wearing of jewellery is not permitted, with the exception of small, discreet stud earrings for girls who have pierced ears. Watches (other than ‘smart’ watches) are allowed, and should be clearly marked with the owner’s name or initials.

Pupils are not permitted to wear make-up, cosmetics or nail varnish in school with the exception of school performances.

The majority of the uniform should be purchased at the Uniform Shop. For your initial uniform fitting, it is advisable to make an appointment with the Uniform Shop Manager

If an injury involves a head or is more serious then the child will be taken up to Matron and parents often called immediately or another course of action followed if needed (e.g. taking a child to the nearest available Accident and Emergency department).

At the beginning of their time at Witham, parents are required to fill in a Child Health Questionnaire for each child. We ask to be informed as soon as possible if any information needs to be altered or added so we have a clear picture of all needs. On the form, you may also choose to give consent for administering Calpol or other nonprescription medicines.

To avoid the spread of illness or infection, we ask for your help by ensuring that children remain at home for 48 hours after any bout of sickness or diarrhoea.

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WITHAM HALL | WELCOME BOOKLET

Pre-Prep Specific Information

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The School Day TIME

DETAILS

0815 - 0830

Pupils arrive in school

0845

Assembly

Children are taught most subjects by their Class Teacher, as well as being taught by subject specialists for PE and Games, French, Music and Computing.

ACTIVITY

The Pre-Prep car park, located at the end of the Rose Walk, is designated for Pre-Prep parents. Further car parking is available by the Main Entrance if needed, but please be aware of the one-way system in operation.

The doors to the Pre-Prep open at 0815. Children can arrive between 0815 and 0830, when the register is taken. The 15-minute rolling start to the day allows the children to come into school in a calm and relaxed way and for you to have a brief chat with the Class Teacher if necessary.

0900 - 1030

Learning and activities

1030

Break time

1050 - 1200

Learning and activities

1200 - 1245

Lunch

1245 - 1315

Play time

1315 - 1530

Learning and activities

1530

Collection at the end of the day

1530 - 1600

Activities and clubs for Reception and Year 1

A full programme will be sent to you at the end of the previous term

1600 - 1700

Activities and clubs for Year 2 and 3

A full programme will be sent to you at the end of the previous term

1530-1800

Crèche available

Payable by time used and run by the Pre-Prep staff

The children are always dropped off and collected from the Pre-Prep building. In order to ensure that all children are collected safely, please notify us if you wish anyone to collect your child who may not do so regularly and therefore be recognisable to staff.

Pre-Prep Performances There is an annual Harvest Service, Nativity play and Spring Service in which all children in Pre-Prep participate. Year 3 also present a Farewell to Pre-Prep Concert at the end of the Trinity Term. Parents are warmly welcomed to support these events.

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WITHAM HALL | WELCOME BOOKLET

Prep Specific Information

TIME

AC T I V I T Y

0815 - 0825

Registration

0835 - 0900

Assembly

0900 - 1100

Lessons

Timings

Prep School Sign Out Procedures

Though the school day in Prep is longer, this allows for a varied and exciting curriculum.

Pupils must find the member of staff on duty and sign out before they leave the school site. If a pupil is unaccounted for, staff will ring of an evening to ensure pupils are safely with parents and accounted for. Prep pupils must leave the school site in their uniform. Pupils should leave and arrive at school with their blazer. If a pupil leaves the site at any point during the day between 0830 and 1715, they must sign out in the School Office.

1100 - 1135

Break

1135 - 1250

Lessons

1255 - 1400

Lunch

1400 - 1600

Lessons

1715 Sign Out: Children who are not taking part in an activity or club should be collected from the AV Room at 1715 next to the Sports Centre car park. Pupils must ask the Senior Leadership Team member on duty if they can sign out and should not depart until this member of staff arrives and says it is okay to go. On Saturday afternoons at 1230, pupils who are not taking part in a fixture must do the same.

1600 - 1615

Snack

1615 - 1715

Prep time: The children undertake prep in their Form Room, usually with their Form Tutor. On some days the Year 4 and Year 5 children may have Junior Choir/ Junior Band practice or another activity.

Sign Out after 1715: Pupils who are staying for a club or activity must find the member of staff on Major Duty and sign out before they leave the school site. The name of the member of staff on duty each evening is posted in the Front Hall outside the Library. At 1900, when most pupils attending an evening club are collected, Major Duty staff will wait in the Main Hall to sign pupils out. Please can parents come into the school Main Hall to collect children rather than waiting in cars to ensure pupils’ safety and to avoid children crossing the school drive or walking through the car park unattended.

1715

End of School day: Children who are not boarding or staying for an activity then go home. Children who are boarding or staying for an activity have tea between 1715 and 1800. After tea, they then go to their activity or are free to play.

1740 - 1900

Activities: There is always a variety of activities on offer in the evenings and the children are encouraged to join in. It is prudent to watch that your child does not sign up for more activities than they can cope with. Some activities finish early – 1830 – and some late – 1930 – so please note when your child’s activity finishes in order to avoid a long wait!

From 1905

Day end: Before going upstairs all children are given a drink of hot chocolate or milk, and a biscuit or cake. The Year 8 children also have the privilege of being able to make toast.

Pupils arrive in school at 0815 to be in their Form Rooms and should be ready by 0825 for morning registration and Assembly. After being dropped off at the side entrance to The Cedars. it is a very short walk to their Form Room in the Prep building. If a pupil arrives after registration, they must sign in as late in the School Office.

On Monday mornings, there is no assembly and classes have pastoral time with their Form Tutor until the start of first lesson at 0900. This is an opportunity for pupils to talk to their Form Tutors and undertake administrative tasks such as making a note of music lesson times etc., have their diaries signed and check for any communications from parents.

From 0835–0900 on a Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, all pupils go to the Stimson Hall for School Assembly.

Wednesday mornings operate on a rotation with pupils having House, Mentor or Year Group meetings, or have additional form time while Councils meet.

On Saturdays there is no Assembly and the lessons start at 0835. At the end of lessons on a Saturday, pupils either go home at 1230 or prepare for afternoon fixtures.

Absence from School Fixtures

All drivers must adhere to the 5 mph speed limit across the school site. Children are not permitted to cross the school drive unattended except at the two safe crossings. Please help us to ensure that the children adhere to this safety measure.

Pupils are expected to be available for matches against other schools unless specific permission has been sought from, and granted by, the Headmaster. Any request should be made well in advance, at least one week before the fixture and copied to the Director of Sport.

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WITHAM HALL | WELCOME BOOKLET

Further Information Exeats

Prep Diary

Exeat weekends are distributed equally through the school year, with four in the Michaelmas Term, three in the Lent Term, and two in the Trinity Term. Exeats begin at 1715 on the Friday afternoon following Prep. School Services take place in St Andrews Church in the village once a term, usually on the Friday of Half Term at 1430 and all pupils and staff attend. The Junior and Senior Choirs always performs a piece and there is often a guest speaker from a senior school.

Parents are welcome to join the congregation.

Every child in the Prep is given a Prep Diary which they should take to every lesson. It helps to develop personal organisation and independence, and can be used to communicate between home and school. The Form Tutor checks the diary every Monday morning to make sure that children are writing down the prep that has been set and when it is due in.

Prep

There is an opportunity for parents to talk formally to staff about their child’s progress at least once a year, but should you wish to talk with your child’s Form Tutor, Class Teacher or a subject teacher, an appointment can be made by emailing the subject teacher directly.

Parents’ Evenings

Prep is designed to consolidate work undertaken in class and to develop pupils’ autonomy as learners. The prep set is designed to be completed comfortably in the supervised prep session between 1615 and 1715. You may find it very useful and informative to talk to your children about the work they are doing at school, particularly those children who board, and you are always welcome to look at their books on a regular basis.

Extras While extras that are added to the account are kept to a minimum, a charge is made for certain extra-curricular activities, such as theatre visits, private tuition and external examinations.

While prep is undertaken in school, this does not mean that parents should feel excluded from the process. In particular, for younger pupils, parental support with vital ‘little and often’ tasks such as reading, spelling and times tables is valued. Should a child be absent from prep, for a music or tennis lesson, for example, they should make up the work as soon as possible.

Trips There are lots of opportunities for your child to participate in both day trips and residential trips, and details will be sent out for individual visits when appropriate.

Wrap-around Care

Please note the following:

In an effort to ease the pressures of busy family logistics, Witham offers a Breakfast Club starting with a 0730 drop off which can be booked through the School Office. There is Crèche provision for Pre-Prep pupils extending to 1800 which is booked with your child’s Class Teacher. Please visit the Wrap-around Care page of the website for more details regarding costs and timings.

• The provision of a birthday treat is entirely optional.

• To accommodate for food allergies, dietary or medical requirements, ingredients and allergen information must be provided. We cannot serve food without this information.

• We are a nut free school, so please do not send in nutbased recipes (this includes hazelnut spread).

Bus Routes

• If parents choose to send something in, we ask parents to provide either cupcakes, doughnuts or individual baked goods to help with distribution, rather than a cake that needs to be cut and served. This makes it much more manageable to serve at breaktime.

There are a number of mini-bus services from Tilton-on-theHill, via Oakham; Oundle, via Stamford; and Caldecott via Uppingham, to Witham Hall Monday to Friday mornings.

Please visit the Bus Routes page of the website for detailed routes and contact the School Office for costs and bookings.

Please note that minibus routes are subject to change and there availability is limited.

• We ask that additional sweets, chocolate or crisps are not brought into school.

Boarders’ birthdays If a boarder’s birthday falls on a night they are in school, we will provide a Boarders' Birthday Tea, including cake. As with daytime celebrations, we ask that additional sweets, chocolate, crisps or fizzy drinks are not brought into school.

Photographs Each year, whole school, individual, family, class, team and group photographs are taken and may be purchased.

Birthdays If your child’s birthday falls on a school day, you are welcome to bring in a birthday treat for them to share with their Form/Class at breaktime.

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Preparatory School

Boys and Girls | Age 4-13 | Day and Boarding

WithamHall.com