NEW PARENTS’ GUIDE TO JOINING Reigate St Mary’s School 2021–22
“A caring school that doesn’t sit still.”
The Good Schools Guide
REIGATE ST MARY’S
CONTENTS Welcome 3 WHERE 4–5 Site Map 4 Parking 5 Bikes and Scooters 5 Walking to School 5 RSM Park and Stride Options 5 WHO 6–9 Senior Leadership Team 6 School Governors 7 Friends of Reigate St Mary’s School (FOSMA) 7 The St Mary’s Social Hub (SMaSH) 7 Smart School Council 7 Eco Committee 7 Form Reps & Classlist 8 Houses 8 House Competitions 9 House Meetings 9 House Tokens 9 Choristers 9 HOW 10–13 The School’s Aims 10 The School Ethos 10 Termly Values & Thinking Skills 10 Growth Mindset 11 Rewards & Sanctions 11 Education for Social Responsibility (ESR) 11 Teaching & Learning 11 Compassion 11 Communication Between School & Home 12 Weekly Email Bulletin 12 iSAMS 12 RSM Chronicle 12 Home and School Communication Books 12 Reading Record Books 12 Homework Diaries 12 Reports & Parents’ Evenings 13 WELLBEING 14–15 Our Approach 14 Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Provision at RSM 15
Team 15 Rooms 15 Support 15 WHAT (TO WEAR AND BRING) 16–17 School Uniform 16 PE & Games Kits 16 Additional Items 16 Snacks & Water 17 Stationery 17 iPads 17 WHEN 18–21 The School Day at RSM 18 Assemblies 19 Break Times 19 Lunches 19 Peripatetic Music Lessons 19 Sport 19 Day Trips 19 Residential Trips 19 Wrap Around Care 20 Termly Calendar 20 Holiday Clubs 20 Electives 20 Homework 21 WWW 22 Social Media 22 Tapestry 22 Firefly 22 SchoolsBuddy 22 Parent Portal 22 Sports App 22 School Policies 22 WHAT IF 23 Fire Drill 23 Medical 23 Pupil Absence 23 Medicines 23 First Aid 23 Contact Us 23
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WELCOME
W
e are delighted that your family will be joining Reigate St Mary’s this year. We are proud of our friendly, supportive and welcoming community, which I hope may be one of the reasons why you have chosen us. Once you start, we will help parents and children to settle in as quickly as possible, and it won’t be long before you’re helping other new joiners find their way around. This booklet is intended to provide some practical information and a little insight into day-to-day life at RSM, whatever stage of the school you’re joining us into. Of course we can’t cover everything here, so please let us know if you have any specific queries or concerns, and we will do our best to answer them: admissions@reigatestmarys.org. I look forward to getting to know you and your family during your time at the school.
Marcus Culverwell Headmaster
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WHERE SITE MAP Gate to footpath access to fields and Orchard Car Park
Gate to footpath access to fields and Orchard Car Park
Staff
SEN PODS
Early Years Play Area
GREEN SHOOTS
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WHERE PARKING
BIKES AND SCOOTERS
Parking at Reigate St Mary’s School is very limited and as Chart Lane is a popular ‘cut through’ with commuters, it becomes congested at drop off and pick up times. We advise all parents who need to drive to school to park a little distance away, either in the surrounding roads or in the school’s own Orchard Car Park off Lesbourne Road, accessed via the lane opposite The Venture Inn. From here, there is a pretty pedestrianised path running along our playing fields and leading directly to the back entrance of the school. Please see map for further information.
There are 2 scooter racks located inside the pupil entrance off Chart Lane and also a bike shelter just inside the main driveway available for those pupils who are able to scoot and cycle into school.
Should you need to drive to the main school entrance there is a one way ‘drop and go’ system in place at the front of the building or pupils can use the pedestrian entrance on Chart Lane. Both these points are supervised by members of staff in the morning.
WALKING TO SCHOOL The school promotes children walking to school whenever possible. This has health benefits for the children and also the added benefit of preventing parents from being delayed by the traffic issues on Chart Lane. Each year the pupils take part in the National ‘Golden Boot Challenge’: an event over a fixed period of time where all the pupils and staff are encouraged to take a more ‘Green’ travel method to school.
RSM PARK AND STRIDE OPTIONS
Parking is available in the staff car park for parents collecting children after 4.30pm. There is a permit system in the adjacent Church Hall car park for parents with very young children: please apply via the School Office.
A – Bell Street Car Park B – Bancroft Road Car Park C – RSM Orchard Car Park Road Parking – links to footpaths through RSM playing fields and St Mary’s Church Cemetery.
B Bancroft Road Car Park
A Bell Street Car Park C RSM Orchard Car Park
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WHO SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM To meet some of our teachers, please visit the News section of our website and read the Friday Fast Five profiles.
Marcus Culverwell Headteacher
Annette Wright Deputy Head
Sam Selkirk Head of Lower School
Andrea Gower Assistant Head (Welfare)
Kate Gibb Assistant Head (Management)
Pippa May Assistant Head (Lower School)
Simon Williams Director of Digital Strategy
Roisin Gibbs Ops Manager & Privacy Officer
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WHO SCHOOL GOVERNORS The Chair of Governors is Mr James Dean who can be contacted via Mr Steve Douty, Bursar and Clerk to the Governors, Reigate Grammar School. E: bursar@reigategrammar.org, T: 01737 222231. You can access a list of the full Governing Body and teaching and support staff on the school website or request a printed version from the School Office.
FRIENDS OF REIGATE ST MARY’S SCHOOL (FOSMA) The Friends of Reigate St Mary’s School (FOSMA) organise fun activities and events throughout the year, including our sensational Fireworks Display, resulting in fundraising for extra equipment within school. Membership of FOSMA is open to all parents, volunteer helpers and committee members are always welcome, and an AGM is held in the first week of the Autumn Term. Contact: fosma@outlook.com.
THE ST MARY’S SOCIAL HUB (SMaSH) In addition to the social events organised within your child/children’s year groups, SMaSH coordinates a regular programme of school-wide clubs and activities, including Running, Book and Dog Walking Clubs as well as wine-tasting and other evening events. Contact: smashclubs@outlook.com.
SMART SCHOOL COUNCIL Involving every pupil in the school, our SMART School Council is the forum for students to discuss issues that concern them, and to make suggestions for ways to improve pupil experience. We want every pupil to use their voice and develop their ideas and leadership skills, whether via Class Meetings or through membership of Action or Communication Teams. Areas where the School Council have affected change range from ensuring there are enough footballs to play with during break times, to considering how to make the playground a friendly place. From improving after school provision, to giving feedback to the cooks and bursar about school dinners, the School Council is the voice of the students.
ECO COMMITTEE At Reigate St Mary’s we believe that protecting our environment is extremely important. Therefore, we run an Eco Committee and children from Year 3 to Year 6 represent their classes, headed up by our Year 6 Green Leaders. Their job is to monitor our progress as an Eco School with Green Flag status, ensuring that the school is run as efficiently as possible, keeping our carbon footprint down, recycling all that we can and embracing all eco-friendly best practice. 7
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WHO FORM REPS & CLASSLIST Representatives from each year group (usually one from each class) volunteer for the role of Form Rep and proceed to liaise with the school, organise volunteers for events, coordinate social gatherings and generally help parents within the same year group remain connected, informed and organised. Due to Data Protection controls, we cannot produce class lists with contact information for Form Reps to circulate. Instead, we encourage parents to register with www.classlist.com. This secure web-based social network enables parents to manage and update the information they wish to share with others in their own class and year group. Classlist is for parent-to-parent contact only and does not contain communication from the school to parents. To register, simply access the website, select ‘Join Now’ and follow the instructions. For security reasons, all parents’ registrations are verified and approved by the designated Form Rep.
HOUSES The system of Houses helps foster a family atmosphere within the school, enabling children to be part of a school-wide team, rather than just within their age group, and fostering a healthy sense of competition. All children are allocated a House and siblings are kept in the same House where possible.
HOBSON
MALCOLMSON
Named after the first Headmaster of Reigate St Mary’s. Head of House: Mr Tim Austin
Named after the first Chairman of Governors of Reigate St Mary’s. Head of House: Mr Peter Alden
(Green)
(Blue)
SEARLE
OSMOND
(Red)
(Yellow)
Named after Godfrey Searle who owned the house and set up the trust to help support the education of the choristers. Head of House: Mrs Philippa Rushby
Named after a former Governor. Head of House: Mr Simon Williams
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WHO HOUSE COMPETITIONS A variety of House competitions take place throughout the year. These include football, netball, cross-country, hockey, rugby, cricket, sports days, athletics, music and general knowledge quizzes. An annual Inter-House Charity Day is held at the end of the Summer Term. All pupils from Reception upwards are involved in House activities which add to the final House scores. The Godfrey Searle Cup is awarded at the end of each term for the most successful House in all of the combined Inter-House activities.
HOUSE MEETINGS Two or three times a term there will be a House meeting, led by the Head of House, for pupils to focus attention on the House team, discussing forthcoming events, successes and possibly areas for improvement. These take place at normal school Assembly time and often involve a story, activity and cross-age group challenges.
HOUSE TOKENS House point counters are awarded for individual work and behaviour and are collected and displayed in prominent colourful tubes in the foyer of Beech House. At the end of each term the totals are tallied and celebrated as a House effort in our end of term Assemblies.
CHORISTERS Reigate St Mary’s is one of an elite group of fewer than 40 schools with full membership of the Choir School Association (CSA). Led by Reigate Grammar School’s Head of Choral Music, Mrs Tali Glynne-Jones, the Choir sings regularly in school and church services and performs in concerts nationally. Entrance is open to boys and girls from the age of eight, and is normally gained following a voice trial. Choral scholarships are offered by the RGS Godfrey Searle Choir Trust and details may be obtained from the RGS Bursar’s Office. There is no obligation to join the Choir or to be a singer, although we are proud that all children throughout the school sing for enjoyment and there are various informal choirs for different age groups. The Choir Room is at the heart of the school with windows opening onto the playground, so everybody benefits from being able to hear beautiful choral music from early morning rehearsals or after school practice – truly a part of everybody’s daily experience at RSM. 9
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HOW THE SCHOOL’S AIMS
THE SCHOOL ETHOS
We are a community where:
OUR CHARTER OF VALUES: We treat other people as we would like to be treated
• We seek to make every child feel valued and safe and provide an environment where they can be recognised for their individual strengths, talents, effort and progress. • Children will develop emotionally and spiritually. They will be encouraged to develop a strong moral compass where academic excellence is balanced with an understanding of social responsibility and care for one another. • They will learn to work cooperatively and gain confidence in public speaking and performances. • Excellence in academic, sporting and artistic achievement are abundant, but where children enjoy coming to school and form happy and strong relationships which will often endure for life. • Children experience a broad range of extracurricular opportunities to develop skills and try new and exciting activities which might become leisure activities for life.
We forgive We are always honest, truthful and fair We listen to each other We are kind and helpful We do our best to be our best selves At RSM our shared values are based on Christian principles, but we welcome families of all faiths and none, as everyone in the school community subscribes to our values of kindness, honesty and forgiveness. As a Choir School not affiliated to a cathedral, we are extremely fortunate in having a world-class choir providing the music for traditional church services attended twice weekly by children in Years 3 to 6. Alongside the traditional services, children in Years 3 to 6 and the younger children enjoy interactive and fun assemblies with singing, moral teaching and prayers. There is no obligation to attend these assemblies or the church services if families prefer their children not to.
TERMLY VALUES & THINKING SKILLS On a two-year rotation we promote a set of Values and Thinking Skills which are discussed and taught in assemblies and integrated into the curriculum for all pupils throughout the year groups.
Values
For Year 1: Courage, Trust and Appreciation. For Year 2: Respect, Freedom and Patience.
Thinking Skills
For Year 1: Good Judgement, Risk Taking and Resilience. For Year 2: Empathy, Collaboration and Reflectiveness. 10
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HOW
GROWTH MINDSET
TEACHING & LEARNING
Instilled across all ages and in all parts of the curriculum, a growth mindset celebrates hard work and effort not innate talent. One Assembly a week is dedicated to talking about something children have tried really hard at, and at the end of the year, each form celebrates hard work instead of a traditional prize giving. In focusing on the journey and in embracing mistakes and failure as part of improving, your child will build the resilience and risk-taking required to succeed. Early Years are encouraged to “Have a go Hippo” and Years 1 and 2 learn about “The Power of Yet”.
RSM provides a rich, broad and stimulating curriculum covering STEM, Computing, Languages, Science, Philosophy, PHSE, the Humanities (History, Geography and Religious Studies), Art, Drama, Music and Sport galore as well as the core subjects of Maths and English. Committed staff are recruited for their desire to see children flourish and overcome hurdles, trained in the art of learning, focused on building relationships not CV’s. When coupled with staff ratios that facilitate individual attention and the conversations that matter, real growth happens. An emphasis on lifelong learning: right from Reception your child will be part of our Philosophy for Children programme which develops critical and abstract thinking. In discussing whether Red Riding Hood should have deviated from the path, for example, your child learns to question, evaluate, decide and articulate. In listening to others, and building on their ideas, academic standards are lifted for everyone and your child develops important soft skills such as communication and teamwork.
REWARDS & SANCTIONS Whole classes are rewarded marbles for excellent behaviour and, once sufficient have been collected, enable children to earn a ‘marble treat’ for their class. We have a restorative approach to behaviour management encouraging children to reflect on their actions and on how these impact others, and we operate a Step System for addressing inappropriate behaviour.
COMPASSION EDUCATION FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (ESR)
Each year group sponsors the education of a child through the Compassion charity programme. This comprises both an annual, optional donation of £18 from parents and regular 20p donations from the pupils. The pupils from Reception to Year 6 learn about the life, culture and the life opportunities of their sponsored child and they write to them regularly.
Education for Social Responsibility (ESR) helps children to think about the core values that will lead to happy and fulfilled lives, within stable and caring communities while protecting the planet for the future. 11
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HOW COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SCHOOL AND HOME WEEKLY EMAIL BULLETIN
HOME AND SCHOOL COMMUNICATION BOOKS
Sent to all parents on a Friday containing news, photos and videos from the previous week as well as upcoming dates for your diary and important notices.
(Green Shoots and Kindergarten)
Please check the book on a daily basis as this is a vital means of sharing information with parents. Please also use this book to inform us if anyone else is collecting your child from school.
iSAMS The School has an email and texting alert service system in place which uses the school database iSAMS. Please keep the School Office up to date with any changes to your mobile phone, home or email address.
READING RECORD BOOKS (Reception,Years 1 and 2)
Please record the reading completed at home. Please also use this record book to inform us if anyone else is collecting your child from school.
HOMEWORK DIARIES (Upper School)
Please use these to note any specific feedback regarding your child’s homework, and to inform us if anyone else is collecting your child from school.
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HOW REPORTS AND PARENTS’ EVENINGS Reporting includes both verbal and written feedback to parents about their child’s progress. This takes place at regular intervals throughout the year.
AUTUMN TERM Lower School Parents’ Evening focusing on settling in and Form Teacher comments. Middle School Parents’ Evenings for Years 3 and 4 focusing on English and Maths with a Form Teacher comment. Upper School Parents’ Evening for Year 5 focusing on English, Maths, Computing, Music, Art and PE with a Form Teacher comment. Upper School Parents’ Evening for Year 6 focusing on English, Maths, Science and a rotation of half of the foundation subjects.
SPRING TERM Written reports for pupils in Years 3-6, in all subjects. Lower School Parents’ Evening focusing on Early Years Foundation Stage or Key Stage 1 Curriculum and Form Teacher comments.
SUMMER TERM Middle School Parents’ Evenings for Years 3 and 4 focusing on English and Maths with a Form Teacher comment. Upper School Parents’ Evenings for Year 5 focusing on English, Maths, Combined Humanities and Science. Upper School Parents’ Evening for Year 6 focusing on English and Maths with a Form Teacher comment. Written reports for Lower School pupils.
In addition to receiving a written report and having verbal feedback on Parents’ Evenings, parents may ask to have a meeting with their child’s teachers to discuss progress at other times if they wish. If you have any queries or concerns at any time, please speak either to the School Office or to your child’s Form Teacher in the first instance. The Office team or Form Teacher will alert the appropriate person to assist you. For sensitive matters please email confidential@reigatestmarys.org. 13
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WELLBEING OUR APPROACH Like you, we want your child to feel loved and to know how to love others. Belonging and relating to others fosters self-esteem, brings happiness and makes a life worth living. Without these cornerstones of wellbeing, your child’s potential will never be fully realised: everything else hinges on it. We all want good outcomes, but we want these accompanied by good mental health, confidence and resilience. The Five Pillars of our Wellbeing Approach can be read on on the Wellbeing pages of our website. Pastoral support at Reigate St Mary’s is led by Mrs Samantha Selkirk (Head of Lower School) and Mrs Andrea Gower (Assistant Head, Welfare), both of whom are also our Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL) for their respective sections of the school. Please see the Policies section of our website for our Safeguarding Policy. Educating children about how and why to look after their mental and physical health and wellbeing is fundamental to the ethos, values and curriculum at Reigate St Mary’s. All children have access to a School Counsellor one day a week. The new Wellbeing Hub is a centre and focus for wellbeing within the school. It provides a dedicated space for support groups to meet and a place for children to spend time exploring self-awareness or talking about their anxieties or worries. It has calming colours and comfortable and relaxing furniture, cushions and throws. Personal Social Health & Economic education (PSHE) is part of our curriculum and incorporates mindfulness into each session, each week. All staff received Mindfulness training in 2019 and we have “mindful moments” throughout the school day as and when we think necessary. Children benefit from regular sessions with external experts including Learning Space and Christian organisation Spark Fish, who facilitate ‘Think Space’ experiences for our children. Parents have been invited to evening talks on the subject of mental health for all the family and all ages are encouraged to support and participate in events such as Mental Health Awareness Week. Support is provided where needed by our own ELSA (Educational Literacy Support Assistants) team, and staff are also trained by the Rainbows charity to support children who have experienced bereavement. For sensitive matters please email confidential@reigatestmarys.org.
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WELLBEING SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND DISABILITY (SEND) PROVISION AT RSM TEAM
SUPPORT
Lisa Masarati (SENCO) plus her team of especially trained staff provide a mixture of 1:1 and small group support and interventions.
1:1 support (paid for additionally by parents) is available in a range of areas, and provided either by external practitioners or school staff. We have two specialist dyslexia teachers, a weekly Speech & Language therapist, Occupational Therapist (two full days a week) and a School Counsellor one day a week. In-class 1:1 support can be provided at a high level (e.g. 15 hours per week) through to weekly or twice weekly individual sessions to work on specific targets.
ROOMS We have designated ‘pods’ (modern, Scandinavian style cabins) in the playground for 1:1 and 1:2 support lessons, small group sessions and Occupational Therapy support. The Treetops Office pod in the centre is the SENCO office and meeting room for parents.
Group support intervention (provided by the school at no extra cost) includes Maths booster groups, handwriting interventions, fine motor group, social and emotional support group, writing intervention, study skills group, touch typing and phonics.
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WHAT (TO WEAR AND BRING)
SCHOOL UNIFORM School uniform can be bought from SWOTS in Church Street, Reigate. The shop also has an online ordering system: www.schooluniformsonline.co.uk. Uniform is reviewed on an annual basis to accommodate minor changes. A Uniform List is available under the Information section of our website or at the end of this booklet. A Nearly New uniform shop is run in the playground at various occasions by FOSMA. Dates of sales appear in the Weekly Bulletin and in the Termly Calendar.
PE & GAMES KIT In Years 3-6 requirements change from a drawstring house colour bag to a larger School Kit bag, and children need a Kukri tracksuit and specialist Games kit for rugby, football, hockey and cricket (boys) and hockey, netball and cricket (girls). All PE and Games clothing and equipment, including for swimming, can be bought from SWOTS: please see Uniform List on our website.
RSM LOGO NAVY RUCKSACK
WATERPROOF TROUSERS
See uniform list. Available from SWOTS. Two sizes available: smaller size recommended until Year 3.
Green Shoots, Kindergarten, Reception
PLAYTIME TOY
ART APRON
Up to and including Year 2. Pocket-sized please, not expensive/precious/breakable/collectable.
Reception, Year 1 and Year 2.
WELLIES Green Shoots, Kindergarten, Years 1 and 2.
OLD OUTDOOR TRAINERS For use during playtime on the Bund from Y3 upwards. 16
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WHAT (TO WEAR AND BRING) SNACKS & WATER While hot, freshly cooked lunches are provided, we do ask parents to provide two daily snacks for children, and a water bottle. • Strictly no nuts or sesame (including peanut butter) please: we operate a Nut Free Policy as we have severe allergies in school. • No chocolate, crisps or sweets allowed in school, please. • Please don’t include items in need of refrigeration. • Snacks should be sent in small container/s rather than lunch boxes as they need to fit into the child’s tray.
√ Water bottle filled with still water. Water fountains and dispensers available on site. √ Morning snack = fresh or dried fruit or vegetables (please cut grapes in half lengthways for Lower School). √ Afternoon snack = as above, or fruit loaf, rice cakes, bread sticks, simple sandwich, crackers, popcorn, smoothies, cereal bar. √ After-school snack = older children doing active Electives would benefit from some extra fuel at the end of the school day. The Early Years pupils may have milk which is provided free of charge until the month of their 5th birthday (see separate consent form if applicable).
STATIONERY Early Years (Green Shoots, Kindergarten & Reception) Provided by school, no additional requirements.
Year 1 & 2
Small, single-layer pencil case containing writing pencils, colouring pencils, felt tips, glue stick, rubber, pencil sharpener, scissors and ruler.
Year 3
Small, single-layer pencil case containing 3 HB pencils, rubber, sharpener, 15-cm ruler, 12 coloured pencils (max), scissors, glue stick. iPad provided by school, for use at school and at home.
Year 4
Pencil case as per Year 3, plus a fibre-tip Berol/Swash/Stabilo handwriting pen. iPad provided by school, for use at school and at home.
Year 5 & 6
Pencil case as per Year 3, with a 30-cm as well as 15-cm ruler, fibre-tip Berol/Swash/Stabilo handwriting pen, orange ink and turquoise/blue ink pens (for peer/self-assessment), a pair of mathematical compasses, protractor (ideally coloured), basic (not scientific) calculator, a thesaurus and an English dictionary. iPad provided by school, for use at school and at home.
Everything clearly labelled, please!
iPADS All pupils from Year 3 – 6 are issued with iPads which are used throughout the school day and are sometimes taken home for further study. The children sign an iPad Acceptable Use Policy. 17
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WHEN THE SCHOOL DAY AT RSM Morning bell sounds at 8.25 am. All pupils, with the exception of Green Shoots and Kindergarten, line up with their Form Teachers in the main playground before going into their classroom, unless it is raining, when they will go straight inside on arrival. Parents are welcome to stay in the playground with their children until the bell rings, or to leave earlier than that, according to the age of the children. At the end of the day, teachers bring those members of their form not going on to Electives or Wraparound Care back to the playground to be collected.
GREEN SHOOTS AND KINDERGARTEN
7.30 am
Breakfast Club (optional)
8.00 am
Early Care (optional) – held in Green Shoots and Kindergarten
8.25 am
Bell rings and the morning session begins
12 noon
Morning session ends
12.00 – 1.00 pm
Lunch session
1.00 pm
Afternoon session begins
3.30 pm
Afternoon session ends
3.30 – 4.00 pm
Sibling Late Care provision (optional)
4.00 – 6.00 pm
Extended Day provision (optional)
Green Shoots and Kindergarten pupils do not line up in the playground before the bell rings, but should be taken directly to their classrooms where they will be greeted by one of their teachers. Pupils should also be collected from their teachers in their classrooms at the end of the day. Green Shoots and Kindergarten children leaving at midday or 1.00 pm are collected from the five-bar gate, accessed through the pedestrian gate on Chart Lane.
RECEPTION TO YEAR 2 7.30 am
8.25 am
Breakfast Club (optional) Early Care (optional) is available if arriving before 8.15 am, otherwise please wait with your child in the playground for the morning bell.* Bell is rung to line up for registration
3.30 pm
End of school
3.30 – 4.00 pm
Sibling Late Care provision (optional)
3.30 – 6.00 pm
Electives (clubs) (optional) / Extended Day provision (optional)
8.00 am
* From the Autumn Term in Year 2 children may be left on the playground under teacher supervision from 8 am. 18
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WHEN YEAR 3 – YEAR 6 7.30 am
Breakfast Club (optional)
8.00 am
Early Care (optional) – pupils may wait in the playground under teacher supervision
8.25 am
Bell is rung to line up for registration
8.35 – 9.10 am
Matins – Tuesdays and Fridays in St Mary’s Church
3.50 pm
Years 3 and 4 end of school
4.00 pm
Years 5 and 6 end of school
4.00 – 6.00 pm
Electives (clubs) (optional) / Extended Day provision (optional)
ASSEMBLIES
SPORT
Regularly throughout the week, varying per year group and interspersed with Form Time.
PE & Dance: Throughout the school, at least twice a week. Games: Ball skills and team sports are introduced in the Lower School, progressing to two full afternoons each week for the Upper School dedicated to a variety of team sports including rugby, hockey, football, netball, cricket and athletics. Swimming: Reception pupils swim weekly all year round on a Friday. Year 1 and Year 2 swim on rotation during the three terms; all Early Years use Donyngs Sports Centre. Years 3 to 6 have swimming lessons at Reigate Grammar School pool on a rota with other PE activities. Electives enable children to develop their skills in specific sports or disciplines including dance and martial arts.
BREAK TIMES All pupils have a morning break of 25 minutes, a lunchtime break of approximately 1 hour, and an afternoon break of 10 minutes, unless they are in Years 3–6 and have Games that afternoon.
LUNCHES School lunches, which are provided for all pupils are freshly prepared and cooked each day on site by our caterers Chartwells. A vegetarian option is available daily. Menus change weekly and rotate every three weeks: please ask the Office for current examples. The cost for lunches is included in the fees, and please note that no refund is made if a child does not take school lunches. Most allergies can be catered for but if you have any specific dietary concerns please contact the Office.
PERIPATETIC MUSIC LESSONS In addition to weekly music lessons as part of the curriculum, individual vocal tuition or instrumental lessons can be arranged in piano, classical guitar, flute, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, drum kit, violin, cello, trumpet and recorder. Please speak to the School Office for further information.
DAY TRIPS Each year, pupils take part in educational day trips linked to their curriculum topic. The cost of these trips is extra to the termly school fee and payable in advance of the trip via SchoolsBuddy. Examples include Hever Castle, Brighton Sealife Centre, Merrist Wood or Wisley Gardens.
RESIDENTIAL TRIPS Starting in Year 4, children have the opportunity to take part in residential trips. The cost of these trips is extra to the term’s fees. All pupils are strongly encouraged to attend the annual residential trip for their year group if they are able to. Our annual Year 6 trip to Snowdonia for four nights is a wonderful finale to prep school, Year 4 spend one night in Juniper Hall, Mickleham, and Year 5 have two nights in the PGL Windmill Hill in Sussex. 19
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WHEN
WRAP AROUND CARE
HOLIDAY CLUBS Reigate St Mary’s recognises that parents have busy lives and our holiday clubs ensure that all children from Green Shoots upwards can be looked after at school from for 48 weeks of the year.
BREAKFAST CLUB 7.30 am – 8.00 am
This is a paid for service available for all pupils.
SUPERVISED EARLY CARE
Holiday clubs are either run by RSM staff and provided by us, or by our partner; Camp Beaumont. RSM Holiday Club includes activities such as gymnastics, treasure hunts, swimming, bowling, roller discos, art & craft and visits off-site to Box Hill or Bocketts Farm.
8.00 am – 8.25 am
Free of charge. Green Shoots, Kindergarten, Reception and Year 1 are inside in a designated classroom, and Year 2 upwards stay on the playground from 8.00 am under teacher supervision until the bell rings at 8.25 am.
Camp Beaumont are experts in their field, providing high-quality Ofsted-accredited day camps offering children the chance to try over 40 sports, games and creative activities on a daily timetable, all based on the RSM site. https://www.campbeaumont.co.uk
SIBLING LATE CARE 3.30 pm – 4.00 pm
For Green Shoots to Year 2. For children waiting for older siblings to finish at 4.00 pm. No charge. Children can go from here to Extended Day.
Green Shoots and Kindergarten have their own Early Years Holiday Club which runs alongside the main school’s but is designed for the youngest pupils. Based in the dedicated Green Shoots and Kindergarten areas, and run by familiar staff, it provides continuity for our youngest children, with activities designed especially for that age group.
EXTENDED DAY 3:30 pm – 6:00 pm
For Green Shoots to Year 6. A hot tea is served between 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm in the Dining Room.
Holiday Clubs are booked through SchoolsBuddy.
Wrap Around Care should be pre-booked through SchoolsBuddy and is charged in 30 minute slots.
ELECTIVES A rich variety of pre-school, lunchtime and afterschool activities known as Electives are offered, with options changing termly. Some are run by Teachers and Teaching Assistants, and some by third party specialists. A list including timings, group sizes and prices is sent out to all children before each new term and Electives can be paid for via SchoolsBuddy.
TERMLY CALENDAR Each Term the School issues a printed Termly Calendar which contains the major planned events for the term, this is also posted onto the school website and sent via the school email system.
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NEW PARENTS’ GUIDE
WHEN HOMEWORK Homework is set to support children in their learning. This is designed to be positive and should not be an onerous experience for either the child or parent. We aim to provide work that can, in most cases, be completed independently. All homework is thoroughly discussed in class by the teacher and each pupil should be able to complete homework without help, unless specified. (Children who receive SEND support in school may still need additional help at home, even with the differentiated work that is provided.) However, continuing to read each night to/with your child, and to discuss reading matter with them, is important for all ages and all areas of the curriculum. For children in Years 3 and 4, spelling and times tables are also a priority. As the pace of work accelerates from Year 3 to Year 6, self-organisation and responsibility are emphasised. Your child will benefit from a desk away from distractions if possible. Homework reflects our core aims to support each individual child in developing good study habits and provide support where necessary. We ask that you encourage your child to always do their best, maintain a high standard of presentation and to take advantage of optional activities where they occur. The teacher may have suggested particular skills to improve or develop a given area. Homework should be completed in a concentrated session. Therefore, we advise that you stop your child when they have completed the set amount of minutes of work, or if they are struggling. A short note to the relevant teacher explaining this would be helpful and save unnecessary worry on the part of your child. Homework is set and recorded either in a homework diary, on Firefly or on iPads according to your child’s year group. Children at Reigate St Mary’s have a busy and stimulating day. After careful consideration the following guidelines have been set for homework: Reception
Daily reading at home (10 – 15 minutes). Phonics practice.
Year 1
15 minutes daily of reading aloud and the discussion of content in reading books. Weekly phonics challenge and supportive handwriting.
Year 2
15 minutes daily of reading aloud and the discussion of content in reading books. Weekly phonics homework and supportive handwriting. Weekly Maths homework (from October half term).
Year 3
Daily reading and discussion of reading material with an adult. Revision of spelling and times tables. English or Maths task once per week, on alternate weeks.
Year 4
Daily reading and discussion of reading materials. English and Maths set once each per week. Spelling/times tables set once per week. Occasional Science homework.
Year 5
Daily reading and discussion of reading materials. English and Maths set once each per week. Occasional Science or Combined Humanities homework is set to support or extend class work.
Year 6
Daily reading and discussion of reading materials. English and Maths set once each per week during the Autumn and Spring terms. Extra work may be set at the discretion of English and Maths Teachers as appropriate. Occasional Science or Combined Humanities homework is set to support or extend class work. Project work set after assessments in the Summer term instead of English and Maths homework. 21
REIGATE ST MARY’S
WWW SOCIAL MEDIA
SCHOOLSBUDDY
Do follow us for latest news, photos and stories from the classroom, trips and sports pitches: Instagram @rsm_prepschool Facebook @reigatestmarys Twitter @rsmprepschool
In 2019, we adopted a new online system called SchoolsBuddy. This can be used on desktop or via mobile app, and we have been using SchoolsBuddy very successfully for the following purposes: • Payment for Electives. • Sign up and payment for Wrap Around Care including Breakfast Club, After-school care and RSM Holiday Clubs. • The ability to pay by card or childcare vouchers, receive refunds and view your balance. • View diary of confirmed events. • Receive communications from us. • Towards the start of term you will receive an activation email from SchoolsBuddy to set up your account.
TAPESTRY Early Years teachers use our secure online learning journal Tapestry (up to and including Reception) to build a record of each child’s learning journey, using photos, videos and diary entries. You will be provided with your log-in before the start of term and can not only view your child’s progress and snapshots of their time at school, but can also leave comments and upload your own files to the journal.
PARENT PORTAL
FIREFLY
All letters and other information relating to trips, curriculum jigsaw maps, and other non-urgent documents are uploaded on our Parent Portal for which you will be given a username and password once you have joined the school.
The remote learning platform Firefly brought in during school closure in 2020 for Years 1 to 6 will become more integrated across the school in a variety of other areas going forward, including as a system for setting and submitting homework.
SPORTS APP Sports calendar, news and fixtures are found on our dedicated sports website: www.rsmsports.org/ which can be accessed and used as an app on your phone. The password to access fixture and team information is “sportspass”.
SCHOOL POLICIES School policies ranging from Admissions to Safeguarding and Privacy can be found on the school website or are detailed in the School’s Terms and Conditions, available on request from the School Office. 22
NEW PARENTS’ GUIDE
WHAT IF FIRE DRILL
MEDICINES
Fire drills are held regularly and all pupils are instructed on what to do in the event of a fire.
All medicines must be taken to the School Office. Staff will only administer medicine prescribed by a GP with written authorisation from the parents. Medication such as inhalers or epi-pens are kept either in the classroom (EYFS and Lower School) or held centrally in the School Office.
MEDICAL If you have any concerns regarding your child’s medical needs, please contact the School Office and we will arrange for you to meet our lead first aider and have an individual action plan drawn up if appropriate to do so.
Children in Year 5 and 6 are encouraged to take responsibility for their inhalers and epi-pens and carry them with them. Children who are prescribed an inhaler or an epi-pen may not leave the school site to attend a school trip or a match without their inhaler or epi-pen with them. The school has universal inhalers that may be used in case of emergency with parental permission.
PUPIL ABSENCE The Department for Education requires that all absences must be explained by a note from the parent. The school discourages any absences for reasons other than sickness during term time. Permission for absences other than sickness must be sought from the Headmaster in advance.
FIRST AID All staff hold a certificate in emergency first aid. Children who are unwell or injured are taken to the Medical Room. In addition to this the school have staff with specialist Paediatric, Sports and First Aid at Work qualifications.
Any child who has been sick or had diarrhoea must not return to school within 48 hours of the last episode occurring.
CONTACT US School Office: office@reigatestmarys.org, 01737 244880 Ops Manager & Privacy Officer: Mrs Roisin Gibbs rmg@reigatestmarys.org Admissions Officer: Mrs Jenny Myddleton jmy@reigatestmarys.org Headmaster: Mr Marcus Culverwell headmaster@reigatestmarys.org SENCO: Mrs Lisa Maserati lmm@reigatestmarys.org
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Reigate St Mary’s, Chart Lane, Reigate, Surrey RH2 7RN 01737 244 880 | office@reigatestmarys.org www.reigatestmarys.org