Click Here to download a copy of the Middle School handbook in PDF format.

We are delighted to welcome your child to a new year in the Middle School and we hope that the following information will be useful to you.

The Organisation of the Middle School

There are four forms in the Middle School: two of seven year olds and two of eight year olds.  The seven year old forms constitute the first year of the Prep School and the form teachers take most of the lessons.  By the second year more subjects are taught by separate specialists as the children prepare to move on to the Upper School, although the form teachers continue to teach several subjects, including English and maths.  Setting arrangements exist in maths and spelling lessons.  This helps us to meet the various needs of all the pupils and we also have assistant teachers in the department who support the work of the form teachers.

The Middle School Staff

Mr Christopher Hallion (3CH)
Miss Elizabeth March (3EM)
Miss Kathryn Creed (4KC) - Head of Middle School
Mrs Suzanne Ward (4SW)

Assistant Teachers:
Mrs Sue Halliday
Mrs Sally Hume

Learning Support:
Mrs Marianne Lewis
Mrs Alexandra Lord

Subject Teachers::
Mrs Jenny Macdonald - Science
Mme Colette Patten/Mrs Chantal Marnham  - French           
Mrs Sue Halliday  Geography
Mr John Ridgway - Music
Mrs Rebecca Checkley-Mills - Drama
Mrs Jane Russell - ICT
Mrs Suzanne Ward - Design Technology
Mrs Helen Owen/Mr Greg Das Gupta - Games
Ms Sally Ewins - Recorder

Various staff assist with the daily games sessions and matches.

School Matrons
Mrs Janet Allen - Head Matron
Mrs Jill Stewart - Resident Assistant Matron
Mrs Denise Pargeter - Assistant Matron

School Administrative Staff
Mrs Alison Castillo Bernaus - School Secretary
Mrs Hazel Wright - Administrative Assistant
Mr Peter Tullett - Front Hall Porter
Mrs Edomé Moss - Bursar
Mrs Jane Brown - Bursar’s Assistant
Mrs Suzy Robinson - Development Manager/Registrar

The School Day

1.  We like all pupils to be settled in their form rooms by 8.30 for registration each day.  Staff will take responsibility for children in the Middle School from 8.25 each day, but should you need to deliver your children before then, they should wait in the Oak Room (off the front hall in the Manor House) and not outside the Middle School.  Please make sure that staff in the Manor House know if this is happening.

2.  School ends at 4.30 and members of staff will be present in Middle School ready to deliver your child to you, unless he or she is taking part in an activity.  A register is taken at 4.30 and, although this may take a few minutes, we believe that it gives peace of mind to all concerned.  Any pupils who have not been collected by 4.45, and not staying for an activity, will be taken to the Day Room to be supervised by the Matrons until their parents arrive.

3.  There are activities/clubs each day until 5.30 should your child wish to take part.  You will be asked to complete a form for the start of each term setting out your wishes.

4.  Children may stay for clubs and/or tea and prep.  They are always welcome to board and the house staff are happy to answer any queries you might have regarding this option.

5.  There are usually two exeat weekends each term and children should be collected at 4.30 on the Friday preceding an exeat as there are no clubs. This also applies to Fridays preceding half-terms and ends of term. All exeats are marked in the calendar for your information.

Contact With Staff

The Middle School staff are always happy to talk to you.  Please feel free to make an appointment after school should you have any concerns as we like to try to sort them out quickly.

Parents' Evenings and Reports    

You will be invited to parents’ evenings in two of the three terms and there will be a full written report on your child’s progress at the end of the first and third terms.  At half-term each term and at the end of the second term, there are grade sheets which will give you information about your child’s effort in each subject.

Medical Matters

If, on any day, a pupil is unable to take part in games for any reason, a letter or note should be given to the Matrons during registration that day.

If it is necessary for your child to be absent from school for a doctor’s or dentist’s appointment during the day, please let the form teacher know in advance.

All medicines should be given to the Matrons at the day room and not to the form teachers please.

Prep

Children will be given half an hour’s prep on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and this will most often be in English or maths.  We will also ask your child to read each evening and would ask you to sign your child’s reading record every day as a way of helping us to monitor his or her reading.  On the occasions that your child is too tired to read, we find it extremely helpful if he/she listens to you read his/her book instead and would also ask you to make a note of this in the reading record. 

On Wednesday evenings an extended reading prep will be set.  Your child will also benefit on that evening from any help that you can give hjm/her in learning number bonds, multiplication tables and spellings.  This is also the evening when there are sometimes concerts or lectures in school which you may wish to attend with your child.

Please use the homework diaries as a means of communication with form teachers.  It is very helpful if you sign it each day to show that you have overseen the work and are happy that it caused no problems.  If there have been any difficulties, it is also most helpful if these are noted so that we can sort out queries the next morning.

We hope that your child will have a very successful and enjoyable time in the Middle School.
Kathryn Creed - Head of Middle School

Equipment

The children will need the following equipment and we would be grateful if it could be clearly labelled.

4HB Pencils, 1 30cm ruler, a sharpener, several rubbers, coloured crayons
A black or blue fine fibre-tipped handwriting pen
A protractor and set square (second years only)
A descant recorder - 2nd years only (which can be purchased from the school)

Please provide your child with a sturdy bag or briefcase in which to carry books to and from school. It is important to have bags of a shape to avoid damage to children’s backs, whilst protecting books. We have found a bag which we feel is suitable and which may be purchased from school at a price of £14.00.

Sports kit should be clearly labelled and delivered to the Sports Hall (in which lockers will be allocated at the start of term) on Monday mornings at 8.30. It should also be collected for washing each Friday.

Typical Features of the Middle School Year

Christmas Term
Inter-House Sports Matches
Harvest Festival Service
Half-Term Concert
Parents’ Evening
School Examinations
Christmas Entertainment
School Carol Service
Reports

Spring Term
Spring Concert
Inter-House Sports Matches
Inter-House General Knowledge Quiz
Parents’ Evening

Summer Term
Summer Form Outings
Inter-House Sports Matches
School Examinations
Sports Day
Tennis Tournament
Moving Up Day
Open Day
Swimming Gala
End of Year Reports

Sports Fixtures & School Outings
Please check the school calendar and look out for team lists which are posted at the main entrance to Middle School. These lists include times of departure and return for away matches.

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