parents' handbook 2015 senior
DESCRIPTION
Parents' handbook for girls starting the Senior School in September 2015TRANSCRIPT
Parents’ Handbook
2015-2016
Senior School
Artwork by
Nancy Meakin
Year 11
CONTENTS
WELCOME
Letter from the Headmistress 1
School Mission 3
Aims 3
School Motto 3
Statement of Care and Consideration for Others 4
WHO’S WHO
Academic Departments and Contacts 5
Governors 7
Housemistresses and Tutors
Senior Leadership and Management Teams 8
COMMUNICATION
Absences 9
Academic Concerns 10
Change of Personal Details 11
Head’s Breakfasts 12
Information Evenings 12
Parents’ Evenings 13
Parent Forums 13
ParentMail 13
Parent Portal 14
Pastoral Concerns 14
Reports and Academic Tracking 15
Twitter 16
GENERAL INFORMATION
Behaviour 17
Careers 17
CONTENTS
Coaches 18
Extra-Curricular Activities 20
Fees 20
Fees Assistance 21
FROG (Virtual Learning Environment) 22
Homework 22
Homework Diary 23
House System 23
Lunches 25
Medical Provision 27
Medicals 28
Mobile Phones 30
Music Tuition 30
Parking 32
Pastoral Concerns and Queries 33
Personal Possessions 34
Policies 34
Rewards and Sanctions 35
School Rules 37
Second-Hand Uniform Shop 40
Study Leave 41
Term Dates 42
Timings of the School Day 43
Uniform 43
WELCOME
1
June 2015
Dear Parents
Congratulations on becoming High School parents. I am
delighted to welcome you to the Senior School and wish you
and your daughters a very happy time with us.
To be sure, new starts can be daunting, but I’ve just
completed my first year at the High School and know just
how good a place it is to be new in. New beginnings are also
full of promise and opportunity and I hope your daughter
feels this as she gets ready for her new life at the High
School. Her induction will be swift and smooth and there are
plenty of people around to help should she need any advice.
Last year the Year 7s knew their way around before I did!
The relationship between school and home is of huge
importance to your daughter’s success and happiness and we
value open, warm and clear communication between parents
and the school. There are so many ways in which you can get
involved in the school: as a parent rep on the Parents’
Association, within the High School Association for example;
by attending the Head’s Breakfasts, and Parents’ Forums or
any one of the lectures and information evenings available to
parents.
WELCOME
2
Your daughter’s House Tutor will make contact with you
early in the Autumn term and will be a key figure for you.
Please do not hesitate to be in touch with the House Tutor
at any point if you have a problem or question during the
coming year.
The school’s aims: scholarship; adventure and integrity
inform all we do. Your daughter will experience an exciting
and scholarly curriculum and I know that she will enjoy her
learning and relish all the exciting opportunities available for
her in and out of the classroom. Whether she’s joining in
Year 7 or Year 12, we aim to ensure that she matures here,
develops her skills and talents and finds herself comfortably
and quickly at home here.
I look forward to working with you and your daughter over
the coming months and years.
Warm regards
Mrs J Brown
Headmistress
WELCOME
3
SCHOOL MISSION
Fostering scholarship and integrity, the High School provides
inspirational opportunities and strong support to develop a
lifelong love of learning and respect for others.
AIMS
Scholarship: to offer an education for girls, which promotes
intellectual confidence, curiosity and the joy of leaning.
Adventure: to build an outward looking community through
local, national and international curricular and co-curricular
programmes.
Integrity: to sustain a community in which every girl feels
known, supported, confident and ready to shape society in a
school which builds a strong ethic of service and responsible
citizenship.
SCHOOL MOTTO
Initium sapientiae timor Domini
“Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”.
WELCOME
4
STATEMENT OF CARE AND CONSIDERATION
FOR OTHERS: (written by the pupils themselves)
At St Albans High School for Girls we feel that it is important:
to respect others regardless of age, race, background,
ability or appearance.
to treat others as we would like to be treated ourselves.
to act positively against all bullying, to recognise when a joke ceases to be funny and becomes hurtful.
to rejoice in the successes of others and give
encouragement and support in times of success and disappointment.
to provide a caring environment where the relationship
between pupils and staff is open, fair and friendly.
to value extra-curricular achievement as much as academic success.
to have conviction in our own beliefs and to appreciate those of others.
that every girl leaves having had the opportunity to
achieve personal fulfilment, looking forward to the
future with confidence, humour and compassion.
WHO’S WHO?
5
ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS & CONTACTS
A full list of staff can be found on our website at
www.stahs.org.uk under the Community tab.
Heads of Departments:
Head of French Miss Anna Burgess
Head of Classics Mrs Alison Chapman
Head of English Miss Emily Coutts
Head of Design and Technology Mrs Gillian Davies
Head of Spanish Miss Christina Foster
Head of Modern Foreign Languages Mrs Kajal Guille
Acting Director of Sport Miss Alexandra Hedley
Head of Religious Studies Mr Ben Kerr-Shaw
Head of Science Dr Sally Legg
Head of Art Mr Stephen McGuinness
Head of PSHEE Mrs Hannah McSherry
Head of History, Government and
Politics
Mr Stephen Mew
Head of Geography/Director of
eLearning
Mr Stephen Ramsbottom
Director of Music Dr Nigel Springthorpe
Head of Economics Mr John Stanford
Head of Mathematics Miss Kerry Sumner
Director of Music,
Wheathampstead House
Miss Hannah Watts
Head of Drama Mrs Holly Whymark
Head of ICT/Director of eLearning Mrs Carole-Ann Wright
WHO’S WHO?
6
GOVERNORS
We are fortunate to have a very active governing body who
are referred to collectively as the Council. Our governors
attend many school events throughout the academic year.
Miss Dorothy Henderson BA – Chair of Council
Mr Robert Allnutt LLB – Vice Chair of Council
Mr David Alterman MA
Mrs Kate Callegari BA CertEd
Ms Ellie de Galleani BA
Mr Gordon Follows BEng FCA DChA
Mrs Heather Greatrex BA MSc ACA
The Very Revd Dr Jeffrey John MA DPhil – Deputy Vice
Chair of Council
Mr Bruce Kettle FRICS MCIArb MAE
Miss Rosanne Musgrave MA MA PGCE
Mr Daniel Roe BSc MRICS
Mrs Jean Ross BA PGCE
Mrs Jenny Stroud MA
Mr John Thomson CA
Mr Robert Ward
Mrs Janice Woolley
Mrs Jenny Brown MA – Headmistress
Mr Fraser Campbell BSc FCMA – Bursar
If you wish to contact the Chair of Council, then please
send correspondence care of the Senior School
Office, and it will be forwarded to her.
WHO’S WHO?
7
HOUSEMISTRESSES & TUTORS
For any day-to-day or pastoral concerns, please contact your
daughter’s House Tutor in the first instance. If necessary, the
tutor will work with the Housemistress to resolve any
problems.
The best way of contacting the House Tutor is through
email, and the respective email addresses are given below.
HOUSEMISTRESSES
House Name Email
Julian Mrs K Trenor [email protected]
Mrs F Gee (Assistant)
Mandeville Mrs S Stewart [email protected]
Miss J Broman (Assistant)
Paris Mrs C Turkington [email protected]
Mrs E Schaffer (Assistant)
Verulam Miss N Collins [email protected]
Mrs A Bullen (Assistant)
TUTORS
Tutor Name Email
Year 7 TBC
Year 7
Year 7
Year 7
Year 8
Year 8
WHO’S WHO?
8
The School Chaplain, the Rev D Fitzgerald Clark, is available
to all girls for support and guidance and can be approached at
any time.
There is also a School Counsellor who works in the School
for 2 days a week. Any girl can make an appointment to see
her and conversations are treated as strictly confidential.
SENIOR LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT TEAMS
Senior Leadership Team:
Headmistress Mrs Jenny Brown
Bursar Mr Fraser Campbell
The Deputy Head Welfare Mrs Jo Taylor
Head of Wheathampstead House Mrs Judy Rowe
Assistant Head Curriculum Mrs Kathryn Gorman
Deputy Head Strategy &
Communications
Ms Jane Healy
Deputy Head Academic Mr Nicholas Hamshaw
Senior Management Team:
Senior Housemistress Mrs Jennie Douglas
Senior Teacher Mrs Rosemarie Frost
HR Manager Mrs Gillian Lusby
Registrar Mrs Rosemary Mason
Director of Higher Education &
Careers
Mrs Rachel McDermott
Head of Sixth Form Mr Ian Thomson
COMMUNICATION
9
One of the keys to a good parent/school relationship is
communication and there are a number of ways in which we
effect this.
ABSENCES
If your daughter is unable to attend school owing to illness,
we ask that you contact the School by 9.15 am on each and
every subsequent day she is absent. Please either email or
phone the Attendance Officer, Mrs Paustian, as soon as
possible, giving clear reasons for her absence. On her
return, please write a letter to her House Tutor explaining
the reason for your daughter’s absence and certifying that
she is fit for school again. It is a legal requirement that we
receive such information and a reminder letter will be
generated and sent home every half term if there are
absences which have not been explained by letter. For those
who prefer it, an electronic absence form is available on the
Parent Portal and this can be used in place of the letter.
If your daughter has an appointment for medical/orthodontic
purposes or will be absent for less than a full day, then you
need to inform her House Tutor by email, a note, or via the
electronic form available on the Parent Portal for this
purpose.
Absence Line Tel. Number: 01727 853800
Email: [email protected]
COMMUNICATION
10
ACADEMIC CONCERNS
Should you have any concerns about your daughter’s
academic progress, then you should contact the relevant
Head of Department by email and ‘cc’ your daughter’s House
Tutor as well. Each subject has a Head of Department email
address (see below) and any concerns will be dealt with, in
conjunction with your daughter’s House Tutor, if
appropriate.
For Years 12-13, the Head of Sixth Form, Ian Thomson,
should also be copied into any emails: Thomson, Ian
Email addresses are:
Subject: Head of Dept Email Address:
Art Mr S McGuinness [email protected]
Biology Mrs Kathy Osborne [email protected]
Chemistry
Classics Mrs A Chapman [email protected]
D&T Mrs G Davies [email protected]
Drama Mrs H Whymark [email protected]
English Miss E Coutts
French
Geography Mr S Ramsbottom [email protected]
German
History Mr S Mew [email protected]
ICT Mrs C-A Wright [email protected]
Maths Miss K Sumner [email protected]
Modern
Foreign
Languages
Mrs K Guille [email protected]
Music Dr N Springthorpe [email protected]
PE Miss A Hedley [email protected]
Physics Mr Peter Duddles [email protected]
COMMUNICATION
11
Religious
Studies
Mr B Kerr-Shaw
Science Dr S Legg [email protected]
Spanish
CHANGE OF PERSONAL DETAILS
If any of your personal details should change such as email
address, address, phone numbers, then please let us know as
soon as possible so we can update our records. The simplest
way to do this is via the Update Details electronic form on
the Parent Portal and please make sure that we have both
addresses and contact numbers in cases where parents do
not live at the same address.
If you are temporarily away from home during term time,
please inform us of the alternative arrangements for your
daughter. This should include the name, address and
telephone number of the person responsible for her in your
absence.
COMMUNICATION
12
HEAD’S BREAKFASTS
As an opportunity to meet with parents, the Headmistress
runs a series of breakfast meetings to which parents are
warmly invited in year groups. They offer parents a chance to
talk to the Head about anything they want, over a tea and
croissant. These are held on fixed dates between 8.15 and
9.00 in the Jubilee Centre Rotunda, with one held every year
for each year group. The meetings are designed to be
informal and a social occasion and will coincide with
important periods for year groups (such as options choices)
but there is no fixed agenda. They also give the opportunity
to meet senior staff and to speak with fellow parents about
any issues relevant to your daughter.
Dates for each year group will be published in the
Michaelmas Term.
INFORMATION EVENINGS
Parent Information Evenings are designed to give parents key
advice on how to support their daughters academically and
pastorally. The themes covered are tailored to the needs of
each year group and include topics such as eSafety, option
choices and ‘Sixth Form Life”.
COMMUNICATION
13
PARENTS’ EVENINGS
There is a formal Parents’ Evening every year, for each year
group to which parents are invited.
We very much hope you will make a special effort to attend
these evenings which provide a vital link between parents and
the School and which are often timed at stages when
important decisions concerning your daughter's future have
to be made. The dates for these meetings are published on
the school calendar in Parent Portal.
If you have any concerns regarding your daughter, please
don’t wait until the Parents’ Evening to raise these with the
school, but contact her House Tutor as soon as possible.
PARENT FORUMS
Parent Forums meet once a term and are chaired by the
Headmistress. Comprised of representative parents from
each year group, forums explore school-related topics which
are published in advance. Forums enable the School to
consult regularly with its parent body.
PARENTMAIL
The School uses ParentMail. This is a system which uses
email to send you any notices, information and forms
pertinent to your daughter. If urgent notifications need to be
sent, email and SMS (texts) are used, to ensure that you
receive them on time.
It is therefore imperative that you inform us of any changes
of email or phone numbers as soon as possible.
COMMUNICATION
14
PARENT PORTAL
The St Albans High School Parent Portal provides an online
link between parents and the school to ensure that parents
are kept informed. It is a useful way for parents to find out
important information and keep updated with:
Latest announcements
School clubs
Pupils progress reports
Pupils timetable
Latest publications
School calendar
School policies
School rules
All new parents will automatically receive their own login
details when their daughter joins the school. A generic logon
is available for you to use before you receive your own
personal login details.
PASTORAL CONCERNS
The High School takes the pastoral care of your daughter
very seriously and operates a House System to manage this
care. Please see Pastoral Queries and Concerns in the General
Information section.
COMMUNICATION
15
REPORTS AND ACADEMIC TRACKING
It is the school’s policy to inform you of your daughter’s
progress every term, either at a Parents’ Evening or by a
report. In terms when no Parent Evenings are scheduled, you
will receive either a short report or an extended report.
These reports are accessible via the Parent Portal so you can
view them online at any time. If you would like a hard copy
as well, you will need to request one via your daughter’s
House Tutor.
Throughout her time at the High School, your daughter’s
academic progress is tracked by her House Tutor,
Housemistress and Head of Sixth Form. Students in Years 7
and 9 complete a test in September, devised by the CEM
Centre at Durham University. The outcome gives us an
indication of academic potential in the shape of MIDYIS
(Middle Years Information System) predictions and this, in
turn, informs the tracking process. The information helps us
to encourage each student not only to meet her potential
but to exceed it. Your daughter is encouraged to measure
her own attainment and effort against her own potential and
standards and not that of others.
If it is required, the House Tutor will offer your daughter
advice on how to improve; if she is already doing well, the
House Tutor will discuss with her how she can excel even
further. In the Sixth Form the tracking system emphasises
independent study and incorporates discussions related to
preparation for the student’s UCAS application.
COMMUNICATION
16
The school has its own Twitter @STAHS (and Facebook)
account which parents can follow. It is used to communicate
the High School’s vision and successes to parents, students
and the community and to promote and celebrate pupil
voice.
Photos and posts are also used on individual departmental
Twitter accounts to share girls’ activities when they are away
on school trips. The school does include photographs or
images (including moving images) of pupils in the school's
promotional material such as the prospectus, Newsletter,
website and the media, including social media. We would
never disclose a pupil’s home address, but may include a
pupil’s first name in any accompanying text. Parents who do
not want their child's photograph or image to appear in any
of the school's promotional material must make sure their
child knows this and must write immediately to the Head
requesting an acknowledgement of their letter.
GENERAL INFORMATION
17
The following information is in alphabetical order and will
hopefully provide you with all you need to know (or where
to find out the information) for your daughter’s time in the
School.
BEHAVIOUR
The school has high standards of behaviour and endeavours
to encourage good habits of work and behaviour from the
moment a girl enters the school.
For more information, please see the Behaviour and Exclusion
Policy on the Parent Portal.
CAREERS
Careers education and guidance is a fundamental part of a
High School education.
In Years 7-10 girls learn about the wide range of choices
available to them and the skills they require for the 21st
century workplace. This is delivered through interactive
PSHEE lessons and reflective sessions with their House
Tutor. Included within this framework for Year 8 is the
opportunity to participate in work shadowing.
Years 9 and 10 have targeted Careers Days that support the
GCSE and A Level options process by illuminating the
possible academic routes into the world of work.
Years 8-13 and their parents enjoy exciting careers
breakfasts. At these events girls develop their networking
GENERAL INFORMATION
18
skills when they engage with a variety of professionals in
discussion about their careers.
All Year 10 and 12 girls have the option to undertake
Cambridge Occupational Analysts’ higher education and
careers tests and follow up interviews.
Speakers are specially invited to talk to girls and parents
about their professions at our Inspiring Choices careers
events.
COACHES
We have a wide range of coach routes and the up-to-date list
of these is on the Parent Portal.
Whilst every effort will be made by the operators to comply
with route schedules, it may be that bad weather,
operational difficulties, or other circumstances
beyond our control will cause delays. In extreme
weather, the coach operators will take the girls to the
nearest safest point to their final destination, from which
parents can collect their daughters. In such circumstances
only, the drivers would remain responsible for the girls until
they are all collected.
Drivers are instructed to stop only at official stopping points
and not to leave earlier than scheduled. Girls are requested
to be at the coach stop at least five minutes before the
scheduled arrival time. Passengers are expected to find a
seat as quickly as possible, to remain seated throughout the
journey and wear their seatbelts.
GENERAL INFORMATION
19
Whatever the reason, should the coach be delayed, we
recommend that the girls wait for 30 minutes before seeking
alternative travel or making other arrangements.
Parents should be aware that they are responsible for the
safety of their daughters while they are travelling on coaches.
Please help us by insisting on the cardinal importance of
wearing seatbelts throughout the journey.
Conditions of Use for the coaches and the School Coach
Regulations are on the Parent Portal under General
Information, Whole School.
Casual Travel
Any girl wishing to travel on a coach other than her normal
coach must email the Bursary at [email protected]. by
9.00 am on the day of travel.
Registers of girls travelling home on each coach are in the
lower corridor. If a girl’s coach arrangements change, it is a
girl’s responsibility to change the register accordingly before
2.00 pm. Regular checks will be made and girls not
following procedure will be given order marks. In an
emergency, where circumstances change after 2.00 pm, she
should report to the Main Reception. Some coaches may be
full and therefore casual travel would not be possible. If
there is no space on the coach, alternative arrangements
must be made.
Casual travel undertaken by pupils not paying for termly
coach use will be charged at £7.00 per journey, added to the
next termly bill.
GENERAL INFORMATION
20
Year 7 parents are advised to make sure their daughter
knows the route she will travel and her stop in advance of
coach use as coach drivers cannot accept responsibility for a
girl who misses her stop.
If you should need to phone PPH Coaches, their number is
01727 864988
Late Coaches
Late coaches run on Mondays to Thursdays to cater for late
activities. These leave at 5.10 pm.
EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
The School runs a wide range of activities at lunch time and
after-school (4.00-5.00 pm) and all girls are encouraged to
attend at least one of these. Most after-school activities are
timetabled on Monday to Thursday evenings to enable your
daughter to travel home on a ‘late’ coach if this is her mode
of transport.
A list of all clubs on offer and what they involve is on the
Parent Portal, under “Clubs”.
FEES
Tuition fee charges are normally reviewed once a year and,
at present, are announced in April for the following academic
year.
GENERAL INFORMATION
21
Fees are payable in advance and are due by the first day of
term. A late payment charge of 2% per month will be added
for payments received after the due date.
Details of methods of payment will be sent to you with the
details of the tuition fee charges. Further details are available
from the Fees Administrator who can be contacted on 01727
792540 or by emailing [email protected]
Most books are provided by the School, but where girls
should be annotating texts, they will be charged for such
books on their termly bill. Please help us to keep down
costs by encouraging your daughter to look after her books.
If school or library books are not returned on time or
returned in such a condition that the member of staff
concerned feels that it is due to careless treatment or wilful
damage, then you will be charged the full replacement cost.
FEES ASSISTANCE
In the present economic climate the Governors feel it is right
to remind parents that a proportion of the School’s income
is budgeted to be available to provide fees assistance to
parents who encounter financial difficulties. If parents find
themselves in this situation and wish to explore the
possibility of assistance, they should contact the
Headmistress or the Bursar who will be happy to provide
further details of the scheme.
GENERAL INFORMATION
22
FROG VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
The School is committed to providing remote access to
school resources and does so using a Virtual Learning
Platform (VLE), Frog. The VLE provides teaching and learning
materials, but is also the administrative hub of the school. It
is your daughter’s responsibility to check school notices and
school emails on a daily basis; this is part of a structured
framework for her growing independence.
For convenience, those girls who have a smartphone, or
other portable device, are permitted to access these
resources and their school emails via school Wi-Fi: the
instructions for doing so can be found on Frog. However, it
should be noted that smart devices are not a requirement
and the Acceptable Use Policy and Mobile Device Policy rules
apply at all times: access is with teacher permission only.
Girls should not expect to enjoy this access until they have
completed an eSafety program. More information regarding
Frog is on the Parent Portal.
HOMEWORK
All subjects set homework on the same day as the lesson
takes place.
For Years 7-9, all homeworks are expected to take 20
minutes each and for some subjects, one longer homework is
set for 40 minutes. All homework must be written into your
daughter’s Homework Diary at the time it is set.
In Years 10-11, homeworks are expected to take 30 minutes,
except for English homework which should take 45 minutes.
GENERAL INFORMATION
23
HOMEWORK DIARY
Filled with essential information for life at the High School,
your daughter should write down all the homework set for
each day in her Homework Diary so she knows exactly what
she should be doing. Your daughter’s diary will also provide
her with the opportunity to record her extra-curricular
activities and achievements on a termly basis.
HOUSE SYSTEM
The School’s aim is to protect the school’s close and kind
community, offering spiritual, emotional and moral support.
To facilitate this, there are four House groups for
administration, pastoral and some teaching purposes and
every girl is placed into one of these Houses. The House
system also provides a valuable opportunity for girls of all
ages to work together and to take on responsibilities as they
move through the School
GENERAL INFORMATION
24
House
Badge
House Name
and Colour
Named after:
Julian (Red)
Lady Juliana Berners, a
fifteenth century
prioress of Sopwell,
famous for her learning.
Mandeville
(Green)
Sir John Mandeville,
associated with a book
of travels in the
fourteenth century
Paris (Blue)
Matthew Paris, a monk
of St Albans Abbey in
the thirteenth century
and well-known for his
Chronicle of local
events.
Verulam
(Yellow)
Francis Bacon, first Earl
of Verulam, philosopher
and writer.
GENERAL INFORMATION
25
LUNCHES
A large proportion of girls have school lunches where there
is a wide choice of foods, including vegetarian options. We
offer nutritious, healthy food, using as much fresh produce as
possible. Nuts are not knowingly used, with the exception of
coconut (Senior School only). The promotion of healthy
eating is a priority. Themed days and the introduction of new
foods help to make a positive impact at lunch time. A
Healthy Eating Committee is made up of staff and girls at
school.
Weekly menus are available to view on the Parent Portal.
Girls eat according to a year-group rota, which varies daily.
Packed lunch girls eat with the rest of the year group in the
Dining Room.
School Lunch Charges
Termly lunch £275
Casual lunch £5.95 per day
The School does not make a profit on lunches and every
endeavour is made to keep these charges as low as possible.
Days missed through illness, etc. cannot be refunded. The
charges will be reduced for the Trinity term for girls in Years
11 and 13 who go on extended study leave. Notice of
intention to change must be emailed to [email protected]
no later than the first day of term or half term at the end of
which notice is to take effect.
Parents are reminded that a full half-term’s notice to
withdraw from school lunches is required and you should
email [email protected] to give notice.
GENERAL INFORMATION
26
It matters to us that girls enjoy their lunch and we encourage
feedback from girls and from you to ensure that their dining
experience remains a very good one.
Lunch Cards
Each girl is issued with a lunch card at the beginning of the
school year, required for entry to the Dining Room.
Emergency Lunch Tickets
In an emergency, a girl may obtain an emergency lunch by
obtaining a card from the School Secretary at Reception after
1.20 pm. The Secretary will record her name and the cost
will be added to the next fees bill.
Lost Cards
If a girl loses her card, she may obtain an Emergency Lunch
ticket (see above) but if, after three days, she still has not
found her card, she must obtain a new one from the Bursary
(via Frog), giving them 24 hours’ notice. Third and
subsequent replacement cards per year will cost £5.00 and
the charge will be added to the next fees bill.
Change of Lunch Cards
Any changes to lunch cards should be made on the first day
of term or half term. A new card can be collected from the
Bursary.
Packed Lunches
Packed lunches must be consumed in the Dining Room. Cold
chilled water is available in the canteen at break and lunch
time.
GENERAL INFORMATION
27
As we are encouraging healthy eating throughout the School,
we would be grateful if the content of packed lunches reflects
our values.
In addition, the School requests that packed lunches do not
include nuts nor food containing nuts.
Girls may wish to bring in a small snack to eat at mid-
morning break and there is a tuck shop in the Dining Room
and in Michael House operated by the Catering department.
MEDICAL PROVISION
The Senior School has two nurses and other members of
staff who hold First Aid qualifications to deal with accidents
and illness as they arise, during the school day. The nurses
may administer paracetamol, ibuprofen, antihistamine and/or
throat lozenges, following receipt of a signed school consent
form if your daughter is under 16. Girls over 16 may self-
consent.
Should your daughter need to take any medicines during the
day, a letter of consent stating your daughter's name, the
medicine, quantity and time to be administered should be
sent to school. Please ensure that the medicine is fully
labelled, in the original container and then please ask your
daughter to give the medicine to the nurse, so that it may be
given at the appropriate time. The nurse will supervise the
taking of the medicine.
A register of asthma sufferers, girls with severe allergies and
other medical conditions is kept by the nurses. Girls with
asthma should have their named inhalers with them at all
GENERAL INFORMATION
28
times. A spare inhaler may be sent to the medical room to
be kept as a back-up should a girl misplace or forget her
inhaler. The school can administer salbutamol (reliever
inhaler) if your daughter’s inhaler is not accessible. This can
only be given with parental consent. Girls with severe
allergies should carry their Adrenaline Injector with them at
all times. The nurses have a spare injector for use in
emergencies. Girls must remember to take their inhaler
and/or injector with them whenever they leave school for a
games lesson or an excursion, etc.
If any girl feels unwell, she must go to see the nurse. In cases
where the nurse deems it necessary for your daughter to be
sent home during the school day, she will notify you and ask
you to collect her. Girls should only be collected on
the recommendation of the Nurse, not at the request
of the girl herself.
In the rare event of a serious accident which requires
emergency hospital treatment, the School will make the
necessary arrangements and you will be contacted
immediately with all the details.
In order for the foregoing to work smoothly it is essential
that parents advise the School immediately if there is any
change to telephone numbers, to enable us to contact you
straightaway should an emergency arise.
MEDICALS
School medicals are arranged for all girls in years 7 and 10 on
entry to the School. Parents are strongly recommended to
take advantage of this and will be invited to attend if they so
GENERAL INFORMATION
29
wish. We also follow up any concerns as appropriate. The
School Medical Officer would be pleased to consult with
parents on any matters which concern their daughter(s) if
required.
To facilitate the best care possible, parents are asked to keep
the nurses informed of any medical condition or problem
pertaining to their daughter during her time at St Albans High
School for Girls.
As part of an overall approach to healthcare, girls will be
regularly weighed and their height measured.
Communicable Diseases
There is a list of communicable diseases on the Parent Portal.
If your daughter contracts any of them, you need to inform
the School by telephone immediately.
We recommend that girls are absent from school for the
following periods for the illnesses listed below:
Vomiting and diarrhoea Return when there has been
no recurrence for 24 hours
Measles and chickenpox Return 5 days from onset of
rash
Mumps Return 5 days from onset of
swollen glands
GENERAL INFORMATION
30
MOBILE PHONES
Mobile phones are permitted in school but the School cannot
take responsibility for their security, and girls must be
responsible for them by locking them away securely in their
locker.
Rules regarding the use of mobile phones can be found in the
Mobile Phone Policy on the Parent Portal.
MUSIC TUITION
A full list of extra music lessons is on the blue sheet sent to
you and also on the Parent Portal.
The majority of lessons are given during school time on a
rota basis with fixed lesson times guaranteed only for girls in
Year 11 and above. Whilst every effort is made to avoid
disruption of music lessons through expeditions and school
functions, this is sometimes inevitable.
Requests for music tuition and all correspondence
connected with the taking of music lessons should be
addressed to the Director of Music, Dr Nigel Springthorpe,
email address: [email protected]. Normally lessons can be
arranged to start within half a term.
Lunchtime theory classes to prepare girls in the Senior
School for Grade 5 are also available (free of charge) please
contact the Music Administrator for details:
Musical Instruments
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31
Before starting piano lessons it is assumed that there will be
a suitable instrument available at home for regular practice.
In the case of orchestral instruments, we can usually arrange
for beginners to hire a school instrument for a year, although
saxophones and guitars are not available for hire and parents
are asked to make their own arrangements for these.
Orchestras and Bands
There is a rich provision of extra-curricular instrumental
groups and several have regularly achieved success on a
national level. Full details of standards required and times of
rehearsals will be available to view on our Parent Portal. It is
hoped that girls who have reached a suitable musical
standard will be able to participate in these ensembles.
Smaller ensembles also rehearse before school and at lunch
time.
Choirs
Choirs participate in services in the Abbey, in concerts in
school as well as in concerts and local, national and
international competitions.
There are un-auditioned choirs open to all, as well as more
select chamber choirs. Parents are also invited to take part in
the annual Choral Society concert, rehearsals for which take
place in the Lent term leading up to a major concert with
orchestra and professional soloists in the Abbey in March.
For information about each of these choirs, please see our
website.
GENERAL INFORMATION
32
PARKING
Being located so close to the city centre, unfortunately
parking can be difficult. Townsend Avenue can get very
congested particularly during coach pick-up times (between
3.20 – 4.00 pm). There is a public (pay-and-display) car park
at the entrance to Townsend Avenue from St Peter's Street
should you need to park for a longer time. Parking on the
School premises is reserved for staff only.
Please would you always avoid waiting or turning in Maple
School entrance in Hall Place Gardens as this area is also
very congested.
For safety reasons parking is not available for parents in the
Sports Hall car park and you are asked not to drive into this
car park to leave or collect your daughter. Please do not
drop off your daughter in the staff car park for the same
safety reasons.
If a girl drives herself, drives others or is a passenger in a car
driven by another pupil, it is entirely at her own risk and she
should check her own and others’ insurance to make sure
she has adequate cover.
GENERAL INFORMATION
33
PASTORAL CONCERNS AND QUERIES
Your daughter’s welfare is of paramount importance to us.
In order to support her as effectively as possible, open and
efficient communication between home and school is
essential. If there is something that is troubling your
daughter, please contact us sooner rather than later. Rest
assured, we will be doing the same if we notice any changes
in your daughter at school.
In general, your daughter’s House Tutor, the person who
sees her every day, will be the first contact for most queries.
In the case of Year 7, this House Tutor will be her Assistant
Housemistress as well. You can contact your daughter’s
tutor by email or by phone. Her tutor will need time to
address the query after having acknowledged receipt of your
message, if she has not spoken to you in the first instance.
This is the case, especially, if queries raised become more
complex than they initially appeared.
Where your concern is of a more serious nature, it would be
advisable to phone your daughter’s House Tutor/Assistant
Housemistress (with responsibility for Year 7 and 8), her
Housemistress (with responsibility for Year 9 to 11) or the
Head of Sixth Form and Assistant Head of Sixth Form (with
responsibility for Year 12 and 13) directly.
There is a large pastoral team lead by the Deputy Head
Welfare and Senior Housemistress who will work together
with you to support your daughter. Along with her Tutor,
Housemistress, Assistant Housemistress, the Head of Sixth
Form and Assistant Head of Sixth Form, there is the
Chaplain, the counsellor and the medical centre with two
GENERAL INFORMATION
34
nurses and a general practitioner. Whilst we can provide a
high level of support in school, there are times when specific
problems require the involvement of outside agencies. The
pastoral team will support you in finding the most
appropriate care for your daughter.
PERSONAL POSSESSIONS
The School does not accept any liability for personal
possessions. All uniform, musical instruments, watches,
calculators, mobile phones, electronic equipment and purses
should be clearly and permanently marked with the
owner's name. Money and watches or other valuables
must either be carried on the person or handed to a
member of staff for safe keeping. Large amounts of money
or valuable items should not be brought to school.
Borrowing is allowed only with the consent of the owner
and the express permission of a member of staff.
Unmarked property is not kept in school for more than half a
term and a final Lost Property clearance takes place at the end
of each term.
POLICIES
The School has a large number of policies, all of which are to
be found on the Parent Portal under Information, Policies.
They include:
Admissions Policy 2014 Anti-bullying arrangements – Pupils 2014
GENERAL INFORMATION
35
Assessment Policy 2015 Attendance and Absence – Jan 2015 AUP for Pupils 2014
Behaviour and Exclusions Policy – June 2014 Child Protection Policy (Safeguarding) 2015
Complaints Policy 2015 Curriculum Policy 2014 Data Protection Policy 2014
Discipline
Educational Visits 2014 Equal Opportunities 2014
Exam Concessions 2014 First Aid Policy 2014 Health & Safety Policy 2014
Misuse of Substances 2014 Parent Portal AUP 2014 PSHEE 7-11 Overview (Personal, Social, Health & Economic
Education) 2014-2015
SEND (Special Educational Needs) 2014
REWARDS AND SANCTIONS
We have a system of merit marks and prizes throughout the
School which recognises and rewards girls who make
consistently positive contributions.
Merit Marks
These are awarded in recognition of good work, effort or
service to the School. They can be given in all areas of
school life, including extra-curricular and House activities.
GENERAL INFORMATION
36
Girls register their own merit marks on our Frog system.
These are then checked weekly by their teachers. When a
girl has been awarded ten merit marks in a term, she receives
a certificate signed by her Housemistress. When she has
two certificates, she goes to see the Headmistress to record
this in the Achievement Book. Staff will also send girls direct
to the Headmistress to record a really outstanding piece of
work or other achievement.
Conduct in the School is generally excellent and therefore
sanctions are light and behaviour issues are very rare.
However, if sanctions are required, Order Marks are given.
Order Marks
Possible reasons for Order Marks
1. Late homework
2. Chewing gum
3. Rudeness / misbehaviour
4. Persistent lateness to registration and/or lessons
5. Persistent failure to bring the appropriate kit to lessons
6. Persistent forgetting of lunch card
7. Persistent uniform infringements
Please refer to the Behaviour and Exclusions Policy on the
Parent Portal for further information.
Prizes
In Years 7 to 11 two categories of prizes are awarded.
Academic Prizes are awarded to those girls in the year who
have achieved the highest academic standard throughout the
year and in their end of year examinations.
GENERAL INFORMATION
37
Year Prizes are awarded to girls who have had a consistently
positive attitude in lessons as well as recognising their overall
contribution to school life.
There are also individual subject and special service to the
School prizes.
In Year 13, as well as Academic & Year Prizes, there are also
prizes for endeavour and special service to the School.
In addition to all the above there are named prizes, donated
by alumnae and supporters of the School which recognise
specific achievement in various areas of school life.
SCHOOL RULES
Girls conduct is generally excellent and self-regulated but
there are a few key rules it is important your daughter
recognises and follows.
The rules are essential for the efficient running of the School
and for the safety of the girls and their property. We expect
girls to behave with consideration for others.
1. Attendance - School hours are from 8.35 am until 3.50
pm. Girls must be in registration for 8.35 am. Girls who
arrive at school before 8.15 am must wait in the Dining
Room until the bell rings. Girls who arrive after 8.35 am
must sign in according to procedure.
Girls may be asked to stay after school or on Saturdays
for practices and rehearsals, to play in matches and,
GENERAL INFORMATION
38
exceptionally, for disciplinary reasons.
No girl may leave the School premises during the
day without permission. Where permission is given
to attend dentist appointments etc. girls must sign OUT
and IN on return in the relevant clipboard. If illness is
experienced during the day, girls should go to the
Nurse and are only allowed to go home if they have been
to see the Nurse and parents have been contacted.
2. Off-site arrangements
No girl below Year 12 may walk to the Field alone.
Girls in Year 10 and 11 who have private study lesson 5
may go home, unless required for an after school activity.
Alternatively, with parental consent they may have ‘town
leave’.
3. Uniform
Every girl below Year 12 is required to wear the correct
school uniform.
For all girls below Year 12 no jewellery may be worn
except one pair of plain stud earrings. They are allowed
in the earlobe only and must be removed for PE. Hair
must be tied back.
All items of uniform and other personal possessions
should be clearly and permanently marked with the
owner’s name.
GENERAL INFORMATION
39
4. Use of mobile devices
Girls must adhere to the ‘Acceptable Use Policy for
Pupils’ and the ‘Mobile Devices Policy’ with regard to the
use of IT equipment and their own electronic devices.
Breaches of the policies may result in detention.
5. Conduct around the school and on coaches
For safety reasons every individual must be familiar with
the arrangements for evacuation of the building in an
emergency and be aware of safety instructions applicable
to particular departments. These are displayed clearly in
every department.
Lunch cards and coach cards must be carried at all times.
The chewing of gum anywhere on site is strictly not
allowed. The possession of, or use of, cigarettes, alcohol
or banned substances, is forbidden.
Food may only be consumed in the designated areas.
Food may not be eaten in classrooms.
Bottled water may be consumed in class at the teacher’s
discretion.
Poor behaviour on the coach will not be tolerated and
may result in being banned from using the coaches and
failure to wear a seat-belt is strictly prohibited.
GENERAL INFORMATION
40
6. Use of the coffee shop:
Years 7 - 9 After school
Year 10 Any time during Trinity term
examination periods
During break and lunch in the last half
of Trinity term
Year 11 Any time during the mock and public
examination period
During break and lunch in normal term
time
Years 12 & 13 Any time
SECOND-HAND UNIFORM SHOP
The Second-Hand Uniform Shop is run by parent volunteers.
It provides a really useful and cost-saving service to parents
as well as making a substantial fund raising contribution to
the School. Whether buying or selling, 20% of the proceeds
goes to the School; last year the donation was in the region
of £3,000. It sells practically everything that is on the official
school uniform list for both the Senior School and
Wheathampstead House.
For full details of this service, please see the information on
the Parent Portal.
GENERAL INFORMATION
41
Further information
If you need any further information, the Second-Hand
Uniform Shop Co-ordinator, Jan Caines, can be contacted via
Senior School Reception.
STUDY LEAVE
Girls in Years 10-12 are granted Study Leave during their
examination periods and they only need to come into school
when they have an examination. Year 13 study leave starts
after the June half-term. All girls must remember to sign in
and out. Revision rooms will be made available if girls wish to
study in school.
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42
TERM DATES
Michaelmas Term 2015
Year 12
Reception, Years 7, 12 & 13
Whole school
Half term
Term ends
Tue 8 Sept
Wed 9 Sept
Thu 10 Sept
Mon 19 Oct to Fri 30 Oct
Fri 18 Dec
Lent Term 2016
Whole School
Reception, Year 1 & Year 2 return
Half Term
Term Ends
Tue 12 Jan
Thu 14 Jan
Mon 15 to Fri 19 Feb
Thu 24 Mar
Trinity Term 2016
Whole School
Half Term
End of Term
Tue 19 Apr
Mon 30 May to Fri 3 Jun
Fri 15 Jul
GENERAL INFORMATION
43
TIMINGS OF THE SCHOOL DAY
Girls should arrive promptly for lessons as movement time
between classrooms has been built into the school day.
Registration 8.35 am – 8.45 am
Assembly or 8.50 am – 9.10 am
Tutor time 8.35 am – 9.10 am
Lesson 1 9.15 am – 10.15 am
Break (inc movement time) 10.15 am – 10.35 am
Lesson 2 10.35 am – 11.35 am
Lesson 3 11.40 am – 12.40 pm
Lunch (inc movement to Lesson 4) 12.40 pm – 1.45 pm
Lesson 4 1.45 pm – 2.45 pm
Lesson 5 2.50 pm – 3.50 pm
Coaches depart at 4.00 pm
Girls may choose to stay in school between 4.00 – 5.00 pm
for an organised school activity or for doing homework in
Room M10, the Libraries or Room 25.
Late coaches run only on Mondays to Thursdays at 5.10 pm.
UNIFORM
Certain items of uniform MUST be purchased through the
official school outfitter - as indicated. Other items, although
in most cases stocked by Stevensons, may be purchased
elsewhere (e.g. Stanmore Pullen), provided that they conform
to the specified regulations.
The School Outfitters are:
GENERAL INFORMATION
44
Stevensons Ltd
133 Victoria Street
St Albans
Tel: 01727 853262
A full list of the uniform and other items which must be
purchases are on the Uniform List (separate sheet), and is
also on the Parent Portal.
Uniform Rules
Hair longer than shoulder length must be tied back at all
times. Hair colour should be natural. Dyed hair should not
be obvious.
No make-up may be worn.
No jewellery except one pair of small plain gold or silver stud
earrings may be worn in the ear lobe.
Earrings must be removed for all PE/Games activities in
advance. Taping is not allowed. New piercings must take
place at the start of the summer holiday in order for
sufficient healing time before the start of term.
Please check each term that garments still fit and look neat
and that the skirt’s hemline conforms to regulation.
Please would you also see that clothes your daughter keeps
at school are brought home regularly for washing or cleaning.
Parents’ Handbook
2015-2016
Senior School
Artwork by
Nancy Meakin
Year 11