The Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School Nurturing Excellence
Information Handbook
for Year 7 parents
Introduction This booklet provides information to assist you when filling out forms on the Parent Portal.
Please note that you must fill in all relevant forms by Friday 17 May 2019.
Biometric Registration and Use of Biometric Information The School uses biometric information for cashless catering and electronic pupil registration. Both systems use the latest biometric technology to scan the thumb of your son and generate a unique code that will identify him when he places his thumb on a scanner at the catering revaluation pay point, the catering tills or at selected pupil registration points around the School. Please note no image of the thumb print is reproduced or held by the School and neither can one be reproduced from the code. Further details on the use of this technology and consent to register your son can be found on the Parent Portal. Biometric registration for cashless catering and electronic pupil registration will take place during Induction Day. The School’s Biometric Information Policy can be found on the School website under About Us/School Policies/Biometric Information.
Medical Centre Information Please complete the Medical Questionnaire on the Parent Portal by Friday 17 May 2019 with all relevant information, including dates. If you have any queries the School Nurse will be pleased to assist you. The Medical Centre is situated in Aldenham House and is open during School term time from 08:00 to 17:30 Monday to Friday. There is also a Nurse or a suitably qualified First Aider on duty on Saturdays to cover home sports fixtures. Medical Centre contact number: 0208 266 1790. Medical Centre Staff • • •
Gill McGrath - Senior School Nurse Martina McGrath – School Nurse Lizette Nolte – School Counsellor
• • •
Gail Churney – School Counsellor Dr Nicolas Small – School Doctor Dr Joshua Plaut – School Doctor
General Health Information Please keep us updated of any changes such as hospital admissions, illnesses or new medication. It is extremely important to keep this information updated in case of an emergency. It would also be of benefit to inform us of any significant events such as divorce or bereavement which may affect your son emotionally. We are always happy to talk about any existing medical conditions which your son may have and which may influence our care of him in School; e.g. food allergies/diabetes/asthma/and any severe reactions your son has had which requires use of an Epipen. Relevant information will be shared with appropriate staff if essential to your son’s wellbeing. If your son develops any contagious disease (chicken pox, measles etc.) please inform the Medical Centre as soon as possible. If your son has episodes of diarrhoea or vomiting, please ensure that you wait 48 hours after the symptoms have stopped before he returns to School. Medicals Boys entering the School at age 5, 7 and 11 will have Health Screening Checks during their first year at School. These checks consist of vision, hearing, height and weight measurements carried out by the School Nurses, (height and weight only for age 5). We will contact you about any concerns arising from your son’s health screening. Request for School to Dispense Prescription Medicines If your son requires any prescription medicine to be taken at School, please complete the form on the Parent Portal (Request for School to Administer Prescription Medication), and either you or your son bring it to the Medical Centre along with the medication to be dispensed. It is your son’s responsibility to attend the Medical Centre to be given his medication. Collection of unwell boys from School It is vitally important that either a parent/guardian is always available to collect an unwell/ injured boy from the Medical Centre. Please notify the Medical Centre as soon as possible if parents are away even for short periods and please provide a contact number of a suitable guardian who is able to act on your behalf in case of an emergency. We look forward to hearing from you and to welcoming your son to the School. Gill McGrath Senior School Nurse
Martina McGrath School Nurse
Dr Nicolas Small School Doctor
Music Instrumental Lessons If you would like your son to learn to play a musical instrument or continue to develop on an instrument he already plays, please complete the relevant forms on the Parent Portal by Friday 17 May 2019. Of the 1,430 boys in the School, more than 600 are learning to play musical instruments of all types. With a music staff of 25, the School is able to offer tuition in piano, organ, acoustic guitar, voice and every orchestral instrument, including percussion. The proportion of instrumentalists in the School is very high and the Headmaster and music staff are keen that this tradition should be maintained. The lessons are, for the most part, given in School time but they are rotated week by week so that a boy does not miss the same lesson on every occasion. Instrumental lessons (approximately 10 lessons per term of 30 minutes each) are organised in two ways: i)
Group Lessons
As a general rule, beginners on orchestral instruments are advised to learn in small groups. The tuition fee for group lessons next year will be ÂŁ145 per term. ii)
Individual Lessons
Boys who already have some experience of playing instruments are advised to have individual lessons and the tuition fee for next year will be ÂŁ225 per term. For obvious reasons, all piano and organ pupils, whether beginners or not, have to take individual lessons and all potential pianists must have an instrument at home for practice. Organ lessons can be given only to boys who have reached a good standard on the piano.
Instruments The School has a pool of instruments for hire at a charge of ÂŁ35 per term but competition is strong for the limited number we possess and therefore most boys buy their own. If you are going to purchase an instrument please seek the advice of the music staff.
School Shop - a letter from the School Shop Manager Dear Parents, I would like to take this opportunity to send you a personal welcome and introduction to The Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School Shop. Our School Shop is situated in the Medburn Sports Centre. We carry the full range of school uniform and sportswear required by your son with the exception of black school shoes and white trainers and we have a comprehensive selection of competitively priced stationery to choose from. Items may also be purchased via our website at www.habsboys.org.uk. The School Shop operates an ‘Approval System’ whereby items of clothing, i.e. uniform, sports kit including footwear (not stationery or accessories) over £10 can be taken home and paid for the following day. Goods taken ‘on approval’ which are not suitable must be returned within five working days. Please note returned goods must be in their original wrapping, unsoiled and accompanied by the invoice. Goods taken on approval which are retained by parents should be paid for by cash, debit card or cheque made payable to “The Haberdashers’ Aske’s School Shop Ltd” accompanied by the invoice. We would appreciate your full co-operation regarding approvals. We reserve the right to refuse goods taken on approval. Members of the School Shop Staff will be attending the New Parents’ Evening on Thursday 20 June when we will be happy to give you any help and advice we can. There is no uniform available for sale during the evening, but there will be a display. We will be able to arrange an appointment at that time but, if you wish to fill in the appointment form on the Parent Portal by Friday 18 May, we will then contact you to confirm your time and date. The School Shop is open all day during term time from 08:30-16:00 (closed for lunch 11:50-12:35). We run an appointment only system during School holidays. This system avoids long waits, makes shopping more comfortable for you and the staff are able to give you their undivided attention. Opening Hours for summer 2019 Please find below the School Shop opening hours during the summer holidays: • • • •
Closed Friday 12 July Open Saturday 6 July to Wednesday 31 July – 08:00 - 12:00 and 13:00 - 15:00 (by appointment only) Closed Thursday 1 August to Monday 2 September Closed Wednesday 4 September for staff training
We look forward to meeting you at New Parents’ evening or when you visit the School Shop. Yours sincerely,
Frances Hogberg School Shop Manager
School Uniform The School Shop stocks a complete range of School uniform and price lists can be obtained from them or found on the School website under the ‘About Us’ tab. All clothing must be marked with name tapes, which can be obtained from the School Shop or from your local outfitters, with the owner’s name. The School Shop is open during normal School hours (by appointment only) and at specific times during the School holidays when appointments to visit can be made. We expect boys to take a real pride in their appearance and to be smartly dressed on all occasions. • • • • • • •
Shirts – white Senior School tie in House colour Jumper – navy with Habs crest Blazer - navy with Habs crest Trousers – charcoal Socks – charcoal Art apron
Physical Education • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Rugby shirt – navy/sky with Habs crest Rugby shorts – navy/sky with Habs crest Rugby socks – navy/sky hooped Base layer - navy Hooded sweatshirt – navy with Habs crest PE t-shirt – with Habs crest PE shorts – with Habs crest House games shirt – compulsory for inter House matches White PE socks/white trainers Tracksuit - navy with Habs crest Swimming shorts/trunks – plain navy only Rugby boots Shin pads Gum shield (Your son can be fitted with an OPRO gumshield but we advise purchasing a ‘boil and bite’ gum shield at £2.00 as a spare)
Accessories • • • • • • • • •
Rucksack - the Litepak with lumbar and shoulder support with Habs Crest Habs House bag - compulsory - only to be used within School and stored in locker. Sports holdall – sky/navy with Habs crest Swim bag – navy drawstring with Habs crest Boot bag – carrier bags are not acceptable, navy/sky trim with Habs crest Name tapes/permanent marker pen Filled pencil case Calculator - natural display FX-85GT plus Bag tags (free of charge)
PLEASE ENSURE ALL ITEMS ARE CLEARLY NAMED
Coach Service If you wish to apply for a place on the coach service you can now do so via the Parent Portal. Select the ‘School Coach’ icon on the left-hand side of the screen and follow the instructions. All requests to join the coach service must be submitted by Friday 17 May 2019. After this date we may not be able to accommodate your request. Casual Coach E-Tickets Please be aware that you can issue your own casual coach e-tickets for one off use of the coaches, subject to availability, via the Parent Portal under school coaches. Induction Day All children may use the coach service on induction day and we would encourage you to do so. There is no need for an e-ticket and there is no charge for travel on the coaches on this day.
Individual Needs The School’s Individual Needs Policy aims to ensure that each boy at Haberdashers’ enjoys personal and academic success. We hope to achieve this by sustaining a close partnership with parents and offering access to relevant support as your son progresses through the School. The Head of Academic Support co-ordinates a team consisting of the specialist teacher, and senior academic and pastoral staff. Support can occur at various levels in School life e.g. through the Form Tutor, Housemaster and Deputy Housemaster, subject teachers, study support sessions and learning skills programmes. The School’s Individual Needs policy is available on the School website. At this point of entry, it is important for all staff to be aware of any identified specific learning need (e.g. dyslexia, dyspraxia) relating to your son. If applicable, please complete the online Individual Needs Information form on the Parent Portal by Friday 17 May 2019.
Admissions Questionnaire (only applicable for new parents joining at 11+) Dear Parents, As the 2019 admissions for 11+ entry are finalised, it is very helpful to us to analyse our procedures and improve as and where necessary. At Haberdashers’ we are eager to include within any review, all parties who are involved in our admissions procedure. We would be grateful if you would be able to spare a few moments of your time in order to complete the questionnaire, which can be found on the Parent Portal, by Friday 17 May 2019. I should stress that there is no obligation for you to do this but that you may be able to help us improve the service we give to parents in future years. All returned questionnaires will, of course, remain confidential. Thank you for your time. Yours sincerely,
Keren Pollock Director of Admissions and Marketing
School Fees and Extras A letter from the Chairman of Governors with details of the fee level for the academic year 2019/20 is on the next page. As far as possible fees at Haberdashers are ‘all inclusive’; unlike some other schools we do not charge for public examinations (although we do charge for resits) or text books. School fees also include Pupil’s Personal Accident and Dental Insurance. The ‘extras’ that appear on the School bill are, therefore, areas of expenditure where parents genuinely have some choice. Charges for extras for 2019/20 are:
Individual music lessons Group music lessons Aural/theory Hire of Instrument AXA PPP Medical Scheme Fees Refund Scheme Fees Refund Scheme
£225 per term £145 per term £72 per term £35 per term £99 per term £92.91 (Senior/Prep School) £70.05 (Pre-Prep)
School bills are sent to parents in advance of the start of each term. Payment may be made: •
of the entire bill by the first day of each term by direct debit. The Direct Debit Mandate Form is available on the Parent Portal.
•
by monthly instalments through School Fee Plan (SFP). Details of this scheme are available by following the School Fee Plan link: https://www.myschoolfeeplan.com/TheHaberdashers-WD6
•
using Sage Pay button on the Parent Portal in the Fees section where your invoice can also be downloaded.
Insurance Schemes The School operates various insurance schemes, details of which can be found on the Parent Portal, for the benefit of parents and boys. 1. 2. 3.
Pupils’ Personal Accident Insurance Scheme AXA PPP Healthcare Scheme Fees Refund Scheme
All boys are automatically included in the Pupils’ Personal Accident Scheme, which also provides emergency dental insurance. The premium for this cover is included in the tuition fee. Terms and Conditions are available upon request. Fees Refund Scheme - This is an optional scheme arranged by the School’s brokers. This allows for a refund of school fees in the event that your son is absent from school for a period of at least five consecutive full days because he is ill, has had an accident or has been in contact with an infectious disease. The cost of joining the scheme is calculated as a percentage (currently 1.37%) of your termly fee, excluding extras. The detail for the scheme can be found on the Parent Portal under the fees section. Please note that the Fees Refund Scheme only provides cover for cases of absence of the pupil through illness or injury; it is not a Redundancy Protection scheme. AXA Healthcare - This also is an optional scheme. The School’s brokers’ have negotiated a very competitive premium for this. The details for the 2019/2020 year can be found on the Parent Portal under the fees section. The cost is £99.00 per term. If you are interested in learning more about the above schemes, please contact the Elstree Schools’ Fees Manager, Hiren Shah on 020 8266 1720 or email shah_h@habsboys.org.uk If you would like to pay fees by direct debit, and/or are interested in the AXA PPP Medical Scheme/Fees Refund Scheme, you must submit completed hard copies of the relevant forms, which are available on the Parent Portal, by Friday 17 May 2019.
School Fees - a letter from the Chairman of Governors Dear Parents, As usual at this time of the year it is my role to inform you of the fee levels for the forthcoming academic year. The Governors consider carefully the School’s expenditure plans and endeavour to strike a balance between the desire to deliver a first-class education at the most reasonable cost possible with a realistic assessment of the School’s need to attract and retain staff of the highest quality, and to invest in facilities and other areas of school life that support success in the classroom and beyond. Budgeting for the year ahead has been further complicated by the Government’s 43% increase in the employer contribution all schools must make to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS), a change imposed without warning or consultation. This academic year has seen our new Headmaster, Gus Lock, and new Head of Prep, Matteo Rossetti, settle in and start to make an impact in Elstree. Those who have met them, or visited the Schools, have commented on the noticeable evolution of the culture at the Schools and my fellow Governors and I are delighted with the start they have made. I am also pleased to report that it has been an exceptional year in the life of the School which has seen outstanding academic results at GCSE and A Level, as well as significant achievements in co-curricular and sporting activities; the School maintains its splendid record of success at Oxbridge and we continue to invest in the development of the estate and facilities. The appointment of a new Headmaster has led to the re-evaluation of the design of the new academic hub, Project Minerva, and a significant reduction in the envisaged cost of the project. This is part of a new Elstree-wide Estate Master Plan that has been drawn up and is being discussed with the Local Authority. This is a 20+ year view of the developments required at both Elstree Schools and includes options for collaborative teaching and co-curricular facilities shared with the Girls’ School, as well as an on-site Pre-Prep solution. In addition, a comprehensive travel, transport and car parking proposal is included as a core part of the plans. The other side of this review has been the identification of significant ‘heritage related costs’ arising from the original Aldenham Estate boundary and main house. Solutions for these unexpected costs are currently being considered to minimise the impact on the Schools’ cost base. This year has also seen the Governors initiate a long-term review of the educational experience we offer at Elstree and I offer my thanks to those of you who participated in the stakeholder consultation activities we conducted last term. The review of your feedback set against the evolving requirements of the work place in terms of skills, capabilities and experience needed by young people and the globalisation we all experience is informing the development of a new strategy for education at Elstree and I look forward to sharing this with you in the coming months. The Estate Master Plan and strategic review are examples of the long term view the Governing Body take to their obligations to provide the best education we can for your son(s) at a realistic and affordable cost, set against the obligations we have as stewards for the estate, whilst facing significant near-term economic uncertainty. As I said last year, we are conscious of the pressures individuals and families are facing and seek to balance the need to generate sufficient investment surplus, invest in staff and the pupil experience, whilst seeking to moderate year on year fee increases. With that objective in mind, the Schools implemented a new, unified structure for non-teaching activities over the past year, which have made good progress towards the goal of reducing costs whilst delivering a better, more joined up experience for families. Unfortunately, the costs
savings envisaged and delivered to date have been more than wiped out by the unanticipated TPS increase forced upon us for next year. To put this into context, the mandated employer contribution increase from 16.48% to 23.68% equates to a 2.15% impact on fees, just to stand still. Please be reassured that the Governing Body, in common with all Independent Schools, is considering what their response to this should be for the future. Having considered the School’s expenditure plans for 2019/20, in the context of continuing investment in the built estate, the developments planned in terms of curriculum delivery, but seeking to take advantage of the near term benefits from the operational review and cost savings made elsewhere, I am pleased that we have been able to moderate the impact on fee increases for the year ahead. We have absorbed the TPS issue and the Aske Board has concluded that, for the third consecutive year we are able to reduce the percentage fee increase relative to the prior year. As a result, the fee levels for the next academic year will rise by 4%, (a reduction of 0.5% on last year). As a result, the 2019/20 fees will be: Senior School: £21,159 (£7,053 per term) Preparatory School: £21,159 (£7,053 per term) Pre-Preparatory School: £15,951 (£5,317 per term) It is a great privilege to be entrusted with educating your son(s) and helping them achieve their full potential and to help you create young men of distinction who can face the future with confidence. I wish you, and your son(s), an enjoyable holiday period, and for those sitting public examinations next term, the very best of luck. Yours faithfully,
Simon Cartmell, OBE Chairman of the Governing Body
School Fees - a letter from the Director of Finance and Operations Dear Parents, As your son will be joining the School in September 2019, I would like to take this opportunity to bring to your attention that The Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School operates a fees in advance scheme. The scheme allows you (or your family members) to make payment, by means of a lump sum for all or part of your son’s fees for his time at school, including extras. The amount you deposit with the School is then used towards paying your son’s fees as they fall due each term. In return for paying your fees in advance the school pays a commutation rate of 2.50% p.a. which approximates to a return on investment of 4.16% p.a. for higher rate tax payers. It should be noted that the scheme does not fix future school fees, however the rate of return you receive will be guaranteed at the time the money is received and for the duration it is held by the School. More details of the scheme with some worked examples can be found on the school’s Parent Portal under Fees. We have also added the FIA Calculator spreadsheet, which calculates a quotation for your chosen termly amount. Many of our existing parents/grandparents have taken advantage of this scheme. If you have any queries then please contact the Elstree Schools’ Fees Manager, Hiren Shah on 020 8266 1720 or email shah_h@habsboys.org.uk I will also be available to discuss the scheme with you if you attend the ‘Welcome to Habs day’ in June. If you would like to join the scheme then please return the completed form (by email or post) to Mr Shah by 15 June 2019. Please ensure that payment is received by the end of August 2019. Yours sincerely,
David S Thompson Director of Finance and Operations
School Policies The following policies are available on our website (www.habsboys.org.uk) under the ‘About Us’ tab. You may request any of the information in hard copy by contacting the School.
Safeguarding Policy
Health & Safety Policy
Able, Gifted & Talented Policy
Homework Policy
Absence from School Policy
Individual Needs Policy
Admissions Policy & Process
Provision of English as an Additional
Anti-Bullying Policy
Language Policy
Behaviour, Rewards and Sanctions Policy
PSHCEE Policy
Biometric Information Policy
Pupil Supervision Policy
Careers Education & Guidance Policy
Recruitment, Selection & Disclosure
Complaints Policy
Policy
Curriculum Policy
Review of Centre-Assessed Marking Policy
Data Protection Policy
Reviews of Results and Appeals Policy
Disability Access Policy
Risk Assessment Policy
Educational Visits Policy
Sex and Relationship Education (SRE)
Equal Opportunities Policy (Pupils)
Policy
Expulsion & Suspension Policy
Smoking, Alcohol & Drugs Policy
Fire Safety Policy
University Applications for Old
First Aid Policy
Haberdashers’ Policy
Gifts Policy
Modern Slavery Statement
The Chairman of the Aske Board is Mr Simon Cartmell OBE, the Chairman of the Boys’ School Committee is Mrs Margot Chaundler. Both can be contacted at the address of our Trustees, The Worshipful Company of Haberdashers: Haberdashers’ Hall 18 West Smithfield London EC1A 9HQ Tel. 020 7246 9988
Term Dates
(all dates have been agreed and synchronised with the Girls’ School)
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JS - April 2019