This Information Guide is designed to give a brief introduction to the essential ingredients of life at St. Edmund’s and parents are asked to take note of and comply with the guidance, recommendations and regulations contained in this booklet.
Headmaster
Dr AJ Walliker
Headmaster’s
Mrs J Wilcox hmpa@saintedmunds.co.uk
Deputy Head
Mr S Barnes s.barnes@saintedmunds.co.uk
Bursar
and Clerk to the Governors
Mrs JM Beeston bursar@saintedmunds.co.uk
(Lead DSL) and Director of Digital Learning Head of
Deputy Head
Academic Support
Mrs A-M Burke amb@saintedmunds.co.uk
School Office
Mrs S Wassell schoolsecretary@saintedmunds.co.uk
Mrs L King admin@saintedmunds.co.uk
Minibus Enquiries
minibus@saintedmunds.co.uk
Dr J Carlin jc@saintedmunds.co.uk
Health Centre
Mrs S Moxley
Mrs S Elston
Mrs J Johnston healthcentre@saintedmunds.co.uk
Telephone: 01428 604808
Website: www.saintedmunds.co.uk
Address: St. Edmund’s School, Portsmouth Road, Hindhead, Surrey GU26 6BH
General Information
Absences: If your child is unable to come to School, please let the School Office know. Children arriving after 8.30am must report to the School Office before they go to their Form rooms. Advance requests for permission to be absent from School during term time must be made in good time to the Deputy Head, Mr S Barnes.
Academic Support: The Academic Support Department operates an open door policy for all the staff and frequently visit classes to observe children and/or to offer advice. We are always ready to work together with professionals from other agencies to identify needs and provide the best learning opportunities for children.
Please note, individual academic support lessons are an additional cost and fees can be found listed on the website.
Activity Evenings: Activity evenings take place throughout the year for Forms 3 to 11. Bookings are made via the Parent Portal on the website.
Calendar: The School Calendar is distributed before the start of every term.
Parents are warmly invited to attend all events marked with an asterisk in the Calendar.
Chapel: St. Edmund’s has its own Chapel where regular visitors from different denominations talk to the pupils. Our Christmas Carol services are usually held at St. Luke’s Church, Grayshott.
Daily Routine: Please see individual school sections.
Divisional System: There are four Divisions (Houses) at St. Edmund’s: Arrow (Yellow), Wolf (Red), Crown (Blue) and Martyr (Green). Each term a cup and a party are awarded to the winning Division.
Dogs: Parents are presently allowed to bring dogs onto the school grounds on condition that:
a) the dog is kept on a lead;
b) the dog is super vised by an adult and not by a child;
c) that any mess made by the dog is cleared up;
d) dogs are not allowed inside any school buildings.
Food: The School caterers produce freshly prepared well balanced meals for pupils on a three week rotation which changes each term. During the mid-morning break pupils are offered sandwiches or a home baked biscuit or cake, fresh fruit and a drink. During the afternoon break they are offered fresh fruit and a drink. It is the School’s policy that pupils are not allowed to bring food into School, not even items such as birthday cakes due to the risk of allergic reactions. The School operates a ‘nut free’ policy.
If you have any queries, please contact the Health Centre.
Holiday Club: Reception (from age 5) to Form 9. Provider Ultimate Activities provides fantastic programmes at St. Edmund’s during the holidays. Visit our website for more information and to book: St. Edmund’s School – Holiday Camp Provision
Lost Property: Please do ensure that all items are named clearly. If you have any concerns about lost property, please contact the School Office.
Medical Matters: The Health Centre is located opposite the Dining Hall. Parents are informed of any accidents that occur and/or any treatment given. The Health Centre is responsible for the storage and administration of medicines and we ask that medication of any type is handed in for safe keeping. The Health Centre is open during School hours and the nurses can be contacted via email or Tel: 01428 604808 – Option 3.
Music Tuition: For all enquiries regarding private music tuition, including singing lessons and instrument tuition, please email music@saintedmunds.co.uk
Off Games: If your child needs to be off games for medical reasons, please email offgames@saintedmunds.co.uk before the start of the school day so that the games staff can be informed.
Open Mornings: Each term the school holds an Open Morning on a Saturday for prospective parents. All pupils from Form 3 upwards are expected to attend, unless otherwise advised. Form 11 are not expected to attend Open Mornings in the Lent and Summer terms.
Pupils need to attend between 9.30am and 12.30pm wearing school uniform. Request for absence from Open Morning must be given with as much notice as possible in writing to the Deputy Head, Mr S Barnes.
Parent Portal: The Parent Portal is accessible via the School Website Parent Area St. Edmund’s School - Secure Area and you will be given a log in and instructions on how to use it from the School Office in the holidays prior to your child joining St. Edmund’s. All co-curricular, minibus, school trips and ad-hoc events are booked on the Parent Portal. Useful documents and notices are also uploaded for parents to access.
Policies and Inspection Report: There are a number of policies available for parents to access, either via the School Website, the School Office or the Parent Portal.
School Trips: Parental permission via the Parent Portal is sought for children to take part in outings with the exception of local walks.
School Uniform: All items of School uniform can be purchased online from our suppliers, Stevensons (www.stevensons.co.uk). Please note the Guildford Store is currently closed. The uniform lists can be found on the Parent Area of the website, and for new parents, the lists are included in the joiner literature.
Second-hand Uniform: We are grateful to our parents who run the St. Ed’s School Uniform Buy and Sell Facebook page where second hand uniform is sold. Search Facebook for St. Ed’s Uniform Buy and Sell.
Security: All visitors to the School are required to report to the School Office on arrival.
Sports Clothes: All sports clothing relevant to the term should be brought in clean on a Monday morning – this includes swimming kit. Gum-shields are compulsory for pupils playing rugby and hockey, and shin pads are compulsory for football and hockey. Please refer to the uniform list for the appropriate match kit for your child’s sporting activity.
Sports Equipment: These may be brought into school and rooms are set aside for their storage. Please make sure items are clearly named.
Social Media and the Arrow: The School Newsletter ‘The Arrow’ is issued online each term. St. Edmund’s also has its own Facebook page, Instagram and LinkedIn account so you can keep up to date with everything that is going on in School. Find us at:
Instagram: @stedmundsschoolhindhead
Facebook: stedmundshindhead
LinkedIn: stedmundsschool
Travel, Pick-up & Drop-off: The main entrance to the School is from the A333 Portsmouth Road which may be used to enter the School site. A one way system operates and the exit from the School site is via Crossways Road when departing the School. Drivers are requested to ensure that they maintain a slow and safe speed when driving on School property.
Transport: If you are interested in your child using the minibus to get to and from school, please have a look at our minibus website (saintedmunds.vectare.co.uk). Minibus departure from School is at 5.40pm (Monday to Thursday) to allow children to benefit from supervised prep and 4.40pm on Fridays. For further information, please email minibus@saintedmunds.co.uk
Website: The School website is regularly updated with photographs and news reports relating to the pupils activities and is located at www.saintedmunds.co.uk
Forms 1 to 4 (Lower Prep)
This section is designed to give a brief introduction to the essential ingredients of life at St. Edmund’s in Forms 1 to 4
After School Clubs: Children can stay until 5.30pm every day of the week by joining our After School clubs. For children in Forms 1 and 2 staying for clubs, a healthy snack and drink is provided at 3.30pm. Optional pick up times are available after Fun for Free at 4.30pm and at 5.30pm after Late Club. Booking is done via the Parent Portal and children must be pre-booked in advance. There is a small charge for The Late Club which is added to your termly fee accounts.
Fun for Free: 3.30pm to 4.30pm (Forms 1 and 2)
Late Club: 4.30pm to 5.30pm (Forms 1 and 2)
Activity or Prep: 4.30pm to 5.30pm (Forms 3 and 4) –no booking required.
Assemblies: Children taking part in an assembly may be asked by their Form Taker to arrive at a specific time so that they are in place ready to start promptly at 8.30am. Parents are welcome to attend their child’s assembly.
Books: Children in Lower Prep take their reading books home daily and we ask that an adult hear the children read most nights.
Communication: The Class Teacher is the first point of contact for parents.
Appointments can be easily arranged for after school and an email is the preferred choice of written communication.
Daily Routine: Children can arrive from 7.45am and can go to a designated room to be supervised until 8.20am when they can go to their Form rooms. Registration is at 8.30am.
For Forms 1 and 2 the school day ends at 3.15pm but there is the option to join “Fun for Free” and stay until 4.30pm at no extra cost. Children can also stay until 5.30pm by joining Late Club at a small additional charge.
For Forms 3 and 4 the school day ends at 4.30pm with an optional finish time of 5.30pm. From 4.30pm to 5.30pm every day the children may participate in a wide range of after school activities or prep. The school buses depart at 5.40pm each day except on a Friday when they leave at 4.40pm.
DEPUTY HEAD (PREP ACADEMIC)
Dr N Roberts
n.roberts@saintedmunds.co.uk
DEPUTY HEAD (PREP PASTORAL)
Mr H Bowen-Perkins
h.bowenperkins@saintedmunds.co.uk
ASSISTANT HEAD OF FORMS 1 TO 4 (LOWER PREP)
Mr J Church jmc@saintedmunds.co.uk
Games and Activities: In the Lower Prep, the focus is on developing the skills and techniques for our core sport,s as well as continuing the development of the children’s motor skills. Pupils are introduced to core sports such as football, netball, hockey, rugby, and cricket, gradually honing their skills and understanding of game strategy. Emphasis is placed not only on individual development but also on fostering teamwork, communication, and sportsmanship.
As the pupils reach Forms 3 and 4, they have the opportunity to participate in matches against other schools every week on a Thursday afternoon. We are fortunate to have an indoor heated swimming pool and children in Forms 1 and 2 have weekly timetabled swimming lessons while Forms 3 and 4 swim regularly in their games lessons.
Haircuts & Jewellery: Haircuts must always be sensible. Latest fashions, hair in the eyes, shaved or very close cropped cuts, spiked or dyed hair are not allowed. For boys, hair should be cut above the eyebrows, ears and collars. Boys and girls must
keep their hair tied/clipped back if it reaches their shoulders. Hair ties/ribbons should be simple and navy. Pupils are not allowed to wear jewellery, nor hair products such as gel or wax.
Earrings should not be worn in the Lower Prep.
Smart watches are not allowed to be worn in School.
Homework: In Forms 1 to 4 the children learn spellings and the older children practice their multiplication tables.
Matches (Forms 3 and 4 only): Matches generally take place on Thursday afternoons. In order to see whether your child has been chosen for a team, you will need to access SOCS, our sports app, via the School website.
Children in Forms 3 and 4 only should come into school in their match kit on a Thursday morning. During the day they should wear St. Edmund’s tracksuit trousers over their match skort or shorts, as well as a track top / hoodie, which can be removed for matches.
If your child is playing a fixture against another School they may be collected and taken home after the fixture. In the case of a ‘home’ fixture the children are free to leave after the opposing team has departed, at approximately 4.20pm. In the case of an ‘away’ fixture pupils are free to leave after Match Tea. Please ensure that you inform the member of staff responsible for the team that you are taking your child home.
If your child is playing a fixture against another school they may be collected and taken home after Match Tea. In the case of a ‘home’ fixture the children are free to leave after the opposing team have departed, at approximately 4.30pm.
Mobile Phones: Mobile phones are not allowed in the Lower Prep.
Music & Drama: In Forms 1 and 2, children have a music lesson each week and individual instrumental tuition can also be arranged.
Pupils in Forms 3 and 4 can take part in Music Technology, as well as join a choir. Our esteemed Little Chapel Choir, ‘The Probationers,’ is made up of our Form 3 and 4 pupils. Individual music and voice lessons can be taken with peripatetic Music teachers. Booking information for lessons is sent out to parents at the beginning of every term.
Forms 3 and 4 have Drama lessons where they prepare for productions that take place during the year.
LAMDA (London Academy of Musical and Dramatic Arts) is also offered as a co-curricular option from Form 3. Private lessons are available by arrangement. Please email Mrs J Darrington on j.darrington@saintedmunds.co.uk for more information.
Reporting to Parents: The pattern of reporting at St. Edmund’s is as follows:
Forms 1 and 2: Parents receive a written report at the end the Michaelmas and Summer terms.
Forms 3 and 4: Reports are published each academic year on the Parent Portal (and include details of general progress academically and pastorally as well as a brief résumé of the child’s activities so far that term).
‘Symbols’ are issued every half term and include effort grades and targets from the teachers of the major subjects.
Parents are invited to attend two parents’ evenings per academic year for Forms 3 and 4.
Rewards and Sanctions: A Divisional card system is used for both rewards and sanctions. Rewards are called ‘plus points’ and are awarded by members of staff for academic work, effort, sporting achievement and participation, and for displaying an excellent or helpful attitude outside the Form room.
When a pupil has collected ten plus points on their card they are awarded a ‘star’. They then present this to the Headmaster and receive a sticker (Form 1 and 2), a ball in their Divisional colour which goes down a ball tube and a treat known as ‘stodge’.
Similarly, pupils in Forms 3 and 4 can be awarded a ‘minus’. A minus is given when a child has not behaved as is expected at School. Five minus points make a stripe, which must also be presented to the Headmaster and the points are deducted from the Divisional total.
Saturday Activities: Saturday Activities normally runs every other week and booking is open from the Wednesday beforehand for children to sign up to join a range of activities which take place between 9.30am-1.00pm. The variety of activities changes throughout the term. Children attend in their home clothes and a tuck shop is available during the break where they can spend a maximum of £2.
Stationery: All pupils in each year group use a St. Edmund’s school bag for their books and stationery which can be purchased from Stevensons, our uniform supplier.
Reception, Forms 1 and 2: The school provides all necessary stationery with reading, spelling and library books kept in School book bags.
Forms 3 and 4: The school provides all exercise books and folders. Pupils should bring to school a named pencil case to include; coloured pencils, at least two long HB pencils, a rubber, pencil sharpener and a 30cm ruler. Children typically make the move from pencil to pen in Form 4 and the School will provide the pen (a Berol handwriting pen).
Children in Forms 3 and 4 will also need a named 2ltr Tupperware container for Food Technology lessons to be brought to school on the day of their Food Technology lesson.
Travel, Pick-up & Drop-off: The School operates a ‘kiss and drop’ procedure whereby parents should remain in their car and drop off or pick up their child at the relevant point.
In brief, these pick-up/drop-off locations are:
Forms 1 & 2: Puntabout car park for drop-off and EYFS car park for 3.15pm pick-up. A member of staff will be present in the EYFS car park.
Forms 3 & 4: Puntabout near Puntablock
Forms 5 to 8 (Prep)
This section is designed to give a brief introduction to the essential ingredients of life at St. Edmund’s in Forms 5 to 8.
Communication: The role of the Form Taker from Forms 5 to 8 is to register the pupils at 8.20am every morning. In Forms 5 and 6 the Form Taker is also the child’s personal Tutor who is responsible for their tutee’s academic and pastoral needs.
Pupils in Form 7 and 8 have another member of staff who is their personal Tutor and pupils meet with their personal Tutor several times a week.
A child’s Tutor should be the first port of call for any academic or pastoral matters.
Curriculum: Pupils have lessons in the following subjects: English, Mathematics, Science, Food Technology, French, History, Geography, Spanish, Religious Studies, Drama, Art, Music, Technology (incorporating Information Technology and Design Technology), Classical Civilisation, (Form 6 upwards), Computer Science (Form 7 upwards), Latin (Form 7 upwards) as well as Physical Education and Sport Science (Form 8 upwards). All subjects are taught by subject specialists.
Forms 5 to 8 are mixed ability and they are reorganised each academic year. From Form 5 all teaching is by subject specialists and pupils are taught in academic differentiated sets for core subjects and not their Form groups. Each pupil has a bespoke timetable.
Each Form has Personal, Social & Health Education (PSHE) during the term. This subject covers a huge variety of topics ranging from manners to moral and health education. St. Edmund’s has its own Statement of Academic Policy which is available on request from the Deputy Head (Prep Academic).
Daily Routine: All Form groups are welcomed into their classrooms from 8.15am with registration promptly at 8.20am. Pupils who arrive in school earlier than 8.15am (from 7.45am) will be supervised in a designated area of the school.
The school day ends at 4.30pm with an optional finish time of 5.30pm. From 4.30pm to 5.30pm every day the children may participate in a wide range of after school activities or prep.
The school buses depart at 5.40pm each day except on a Friday when they leave at 4.30pm.
Games and Activities: All pupils in Forms 5 to 8 have games lessons four days a week, with competitive matches played on a Wednesday afternoon for all pupils.
DEPUTY HEAD (PREP ACADEMIC)
Dr N Roberts n.roberts@saintedmunds.co.uk
DEPUTY HEAD (PREP PASTORAL)
Mr H Bowen-Perkins h.bowenperkins@saintedmunds.co.uk
DIRECTOR OF GIRLS
Mrs S Richardson s.richardson@saintedmunds.co.uk
HEAD OF GIRLS FORMS 5 & 6
Mrs S Penfold s.penfold@saintedmunds.co.uk
HEAD OF GIRLS FORMS 7 & 8
Mrs M Morrissey m.morrissey@saintedmunds.co.uk
ASSISTANT HEAD OF FORM 5
Mr S van Oudtshoorn svo@saintedmunds.co.uk
ASSISTANT HEAD OF FORM 6
Mrs K Lyall k.lyall@saintedmunds.co.uk
ASSISTANT HEAD OF FORM 7
Mr P Messina pmm@saintedmunds.co.uk
ASSISTANT HEAD OF FORM 8
Mr P Chichester pc@saintedmunds.co.uk
There is also the option available to receive coaching from external specialists in golf, judo, tennis and mountain biking. These sessions take place in the Friday games lesson. Haircuts & Jewellery: Haircuts must always be sensible. Latest fashions, hair in the eyes, shaved or very close cropped cuts, spiked or dyed hair are not allowed. For boys, hair should be cut above the eyebrows, ears and collars. Boys and girls must keep their hair tied/clipped back if it reaches their shoulders.
Hair ties/ribbons should be simple and navy. Pupils are not allowed to wear jewellery, nor hair products such as gel or wax.
Skirts for girls in Forms 5-8 should be no more than 1 inch above the knee.
If girls desire to get their ears pierced, it is expected that this is arranged within the summer holidays so that studs can be removed for school in September. Earrings should not be worn at School in Forms 5 and 6 and only a small round gold or silver stud may be worn at School in Forms 7 and 8.
Matches: Matches generally take place on Wednesday afternoons. In order to see whether your child has been chosen for a team, you will need to access SOCS, our sports app, via the School website.
Children in the Prep (Forms 5 to 8) should come into school in their match kit on a Wednesday morning. During the day they should wear St. Edmund’s tracksuit trousers over their match skort or shorts, as well as a track top / hoodie, which can be removed for matches.
If your child is playing a fixture against another School they may be collected and taken home after the fixture. In the case of a ‘home’ fixture the children are free to leave after the opposing team has departed, at approximately 4.20pm. In the case of an ‘away’ fixture pupils are free to leave after Match Tea. Please ensure that you inform the member of staff responsible
Mobile Phones: Mobile phones are not allowed in the Prep School. The only exception is for walking to school/bus stop.
To obtain permission for your child to bring a mobile phone into school with them, please email the Deputy Head, Mr S Barnes. If permission is granted, your child must sign in their phone with the School office on arrival.
Music/Drama/Dance: For children in Form 5 upwards, there are lots of choirs and orchestras available to join. Participation in the Chapel Choir requires success at audition.
All pupils who learn an orchestral instrument in Forms 5 to 11 are invited to be part of the School orchestra, a large ensemble that rehearses weekly. Individual music and voice lessons are taken with peripatetic Music teachers who visit the school.
The Chapel Choir also participate in a choir tour once every two years.
Form lessons for Drama are included in the weekly timetable and LAMDA is available as a co-curricular subject. Children work towards Form productions, participate in Drama workshops, prepare for their class assemblies and learn about theatre productions. Private LAMDA (London Academy of Musical and Dramatic Arts) lessons are available by arrangement. Please email Mrs J Darrington on j.darrington@ saintedmunds.co.uk for information.
Parent’s Evening: There is a formal Parent’s Evening for your child every other term to discuss their work with their subject teachers.
Reporting to Parents:
Symbols are issued every half term and include effort grades, achievement grades and comments from teachers of the major subjects. The effort grades and the Tutor’s targets are recorded on the children’s Divisional cards.
Reports are usually published at the end of term on the Parent Portal area of the School website but different Form groups have different reporting structures each term. Please contact Deputy Head (Prep Academic), Dr N Roberts for further details.
Rewards and Sanctions: A Divisional card system is used for both rewards and sanctions. The rewards are called ‘Plus Points’ and are given by members of staff for academic work, effort, sporting achievement and participation and for displaying an excellent or helpful attitude outside the classroom.
When a pupil has collected ten ‘Plus Points’ on their ‘Card’ they are awarded a ‘Star’, which they present to the Headmaster who gives them a ball in their Divisional colour and a treat (‘stodge’).
Similarly, a pupil can be awarded a ‘Minus’ point which is given when a child has not behaved as is expected at School. Five ‘Minus’ points create a ‘Stripe’ which must also be presented to the Headmaster, the points are deducted from the Divisional total and an explanation of the infringements are sent home for parental signature.
Saturday Activities: Saturday Activities normally runs every other week and booking is open from the Wednesday beforehand for children to sign up to join a range of activities which take place between 9.30am-1.00pm. The variety of activities changes throughout the term but regularly includes woods and camp craft, swimming, archery, cookery, wide games, model making, and mountain biking. Children attend in their home clothes and a tuck shop is available during the break where they can spend a maximum of £2.
Sports Clothes: All sports clothing should be brought in clean on Monday morning. Swimming kit must also be in school every day.
Gum-shields are compulsory for pupils playing rugby and hockey. Shin pads are compulsory for football and hockey for both boys and girls. A left handed field glove is recommended for pupils playing hockey.
Children in Forms 5 to 8 should come into school in match kit on a Wednesday morning ready for matches that day but must also have a spare change of kit in case of bad weather.
Stationery: The School provides all exercise books, folders and prep diaries. Pupils should bring to School a blue handwriting pen or blue ink fountain pen (not a biro), coloured pencils and at least two HB pencils, a rubber, pencil sharpener, Pritt stick and 30cm ruler.
In addition, departmental requirements are:
Maths: Forms 5 & 6 require a basic calculator, Forms 7 & 8 require a pair of compasses, a protractor and a scientific calculator (we recommend the Casio fx83GT CW+, Casio fx85GT CW+ and Casio fx991CW+ UK).
Forms 5 & 6 Handwriting Pens: Our recommended list of suitable pen options is: Swash Komfigrip Handwriting Pens (with a sculpted triangular grip to support finger placement), Pelikan Twist pens (designed for both leftand right-handed writers), Pelikan Twist rollerball pens (ergonomic and refillable), Uni-ball UM-153 Gel Impact pens (smooth ink flow with good control), LAMY pens (well-balanced with excellent grip and consistency). We do not encourage the use of biros, novelty-style pens (including many Legami designs), or erasable Frixion pens. We also ask that all pupils write in blue ink.
Food Tech: Forms 5 to 8 require a named 2ltr Tupperware container for Food Technology lessons.
Travel, Pick-up & Drop-off: The main entrance to the School is from the A333 Portsmouth Road which may be used to enter the School site. A one way system operates and the exit from the School site is via Crossways Road when departing the School. Drivers are requested to ensure that they maintain a slow and safe speed when driving on School property.
The School operates a ‘kiss and drop’ procedure for morning drop-offs and afternoon pick ups, whereby parents should remain in their car and drop off their child at the relevant point.
