Year 7 Pupil Induction Booklet 2022
Welcome from Mrs Ward Welcome from your Heads of House Welcome from the Head Girl’s Team Welcome from a Year 7 What will MTGS be like? Pastoral Support Lessons at MTGS The School Day and Break Times What to bring on the First Day in September Organisation and Homework Extracurricular Opportunities A Few Simple Rules Some Messages from Year 7 Getting Around
Mrs Mee Head of ThaliaHead of Minerva
Moving to secondary school is a big and exciting step in your education. You might be anxious about leaving primary school and its routines behind, and not know what to expect, but we promise this will not last long. At MTGS you will have five lessons a day, taught by different subject teachers in specialist rooms. In addition to the core subjects of English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics, you will also be introduced to Technology, Classics, Latin and new languages including French and Mandarin. Alongside PE, Geography, History and RE - you are sure to have a new favourite!
In PE you will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of sports such as swimming, hockey and netball and for some of these you will travel to our facilities at Hall Road or the Sports Centre at MTBS. You will enjoy performing scientific experiments in laboratories and both Food Technology and Design Technology are taught in specialist facilities. Within a couple of weeks finding your way around will be easy!
Mrs Houghton Head of Gaia
This is the beginning of a very exciting journey for all of you, and it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to Merchant Taylors’ Girls’ School.
Education is what remains, long after the lessons have been forgotten, and crucial to the MTGS education is the range of extracurricular activities that we will offer you. These are some of the most memorable, enjoyable, and characterforming aspects of your education. You will be able to choose from a huge range of activities including Drama, Music and many clubs and societies. Whether it’s astronomy or baking, there is plenty to do. Our aim is to offer the sort of exciting challenges that will help you develop self-confidence, self-belief, and pride in your achievements. You can take risks and experience victory and defeat in a safe environment, whilst also having plenty of fun. Make the most of every moment! Time is precious, do not waste it and never be frightened of new challenges. This is such an exciting time for you, and we are very much looking forward to getting to know you. The support network will be broad in your first year so ask staff for help and look up to our senior students and learn from their outstanding examples. We are here to encourage you, guide you and help you grow, so do come and see us with any issues. We look forward to hearing all about your successes both inside and outside of our school environment and we will work closely with you and your parents to celebrate your unique qualities and help you to find out what your potential really might be.
So, MTGS Class of 2029, welcome! Let the adventure begin!
Our motto is: Ambition, Character and WeExcellence.want you to be ambitious, there is no limit to what you can achieve, there is no need to be fearful of failure, this is where you get to try everything. I really mean this. You have the world at your feet, you can be whatever you want to be. You just need to remain open to all the wonderful opportunities offered at Merchant Taylors’ School.
Mrs B HeadmistressWard
As a final thought, ‘be kind to each other, always! You will all be very different, but you are on this journey together as a year group and you will need to be patient, thoughtful and compassionate in how you interact with each other. If you can do this, you will have a strong bond and be successful as a year group.
Welcome from the Headmistress
For this, you will need great character, you will need to get back up when things do not go to plan, you will need to ask for help, whenever you need it. You will need to celebrate your own success and that of others. You will need to laugh and cry and learn from all of your wonderful experiences that are ahead of Excellenceyou.does not come from just talent alone. Excellence comes from hard work, consistent hard work, coupled with the ambition and character mentioned above. How exciting that we get to share this journey with each other and be part of each other’s success stories. All of the staff at MTGS look forward to welcoming you in September. I know that all of our current pupils will be excited to meet you and show you around the school. We look forward to seeing you very soon.
I have found best friends here already, and I’m sure you will too, and I don’t feel I have left my old primary friends behind as we still keep in touch and meet up. I hope you relax over summer and have a brilliant first year. If you are unsure about anything, I am also always willing to answer any questions. Have an amazing journey at MTGS and I hope you love it
It can be very confusing having different teachers for different subjects, and you may not remember all of their names at first, but after a while, you get the hang of it.
School trips are also very fun, and you will get to go to exciting places throughout your time here.
Attendingpassions.
When you first start lessons, the teachers do not set much homework for the first couple of weeks, to let you settle in. DO NOT WORRY THOUGH, as the homework is not too much, and the school has an app called Firefly which will help you keep on track with it. The work in class is always fun and the teachers will help you if you are a bit unsure or confused. I love lessons at MTGS, and the teachers make them so fun; you will enjoy yourself lots. There are little progress checks after topics, but they are nothing to worry or stress about. The teachers are always there to talk to (even if you feel you can’t at first) and are so supportive of you.
Hi Year 7, My name is Emily Gaskell and I hope you are all very excited about beginning your journey at MTGS. Hopefully, you aren’t too nervous, but if you are that’s Whenok.Istarted at MTGS, I was mostly very nervous. I found the school very big, and I thought that I would never find my way to lessons and be late to them. I’m sure that most of you feel like this, but I soon settled in and found that there was nothing to worry about. Everything seems a bit scary at first, but I promise you, the teachers and older girls are so kind and welcoming. On my first day, one of the Year 11 girls in my form asked me what lessons I had and showed me where to go. On the induction day, you will be given a map of the school and a timetable. You can see which lessons are where and find your way around. I asked people in my form where to go and teachers are always willing to help. If you are in transition between lessons and aren’t sure where to go, older girls will always point you in the right direction. The school may seem very big, and you may feel a bit lost in the first few weeks, but in no time, everyone finds their way Youaround.will be put into 1 of 3 houses and you will stay in this house throughout your time in MTGS. You will also be put into a vertical tutoring form. In your form, there are a mix of girls from every year group in the school. You may feel a bit uncertain about this, I was, but it’s great. I found myself talking to the older girls and asking their advice and by the end of Year 7, I now find I have lots of friends from all year Yougroups.have your lessons with other Year 7’s in your house. I now have many friends in my house, but I also have friends in other houses too. When I first started, I was completely new to the Merchant’s community. Nobody from my primary school came to MTGS, but I quickly made friends with people and joined clubs together. Breaktimes and lunchtimes are opportunities to meet up with your friends. The clubs are so fun and there are so many different opportunities within them. I have been involved in various clubs and would advise you to swap every term to experience as much as you can. There are sports clubs, choirs, school productions, and clubs for other subjects. There are so many things to choose from, that you are bound to find something you want to try.
Merchants gives you a belonging for life. It opens many doors and provides plenty of opportunities once you leave, even though right now that may seem far into the future as your time here is only just beginning. You may feel scared at what is to come when joining secondary school, such as making new w friends, getting lost, or trying new subjects. Despite nerves or worries, we encourage you to see these positives. There are lots of chances to show what you can do and who you really are, and you will develop greatly as an individual during your time at MTGS. Push yourself to the best of your ability in all aspects of school life and you will really excel. The best pieces of advice we could give you are: -Take it day by day -Don't be afraid to ask for help -Enjoy -Throwyourselfyourself into new experiences -Find what inspires you and go on to inspire others You are lucky to be at the very start of your story at Merchant Taylors’ Girls’ School. We have absolutely loved our time here, so make sure you cherish every second because before you know it, you will be where we are today. You have been given a fantastic opportunity, so take full advantage of it. Be positive in everything you do and enjoy each day as it comes. You only live your high school years once, so you should make the most of every moment and be what makes you happy. We wish you the very best of luck, Head Girl Team
Welcome to Merchant Taylors’ Girls’ School! We are all very excited to meet each of you and have you here at Merchant Taylors’ Girls’ School. You will receive the support needed to feel safe and secure and we will help you to feel you belong. Merchants provide a huge sense of family and community, and we can guarantee that you will all settle in quickly. We completely understand that it can be an overwhelming experience starting a new school, but there are so many other girls in the same boat as you are, as well as many older girls who have been in your position before, so trust us when we say, you are not alone. Our girls will be able to help you adjust and set you off in the right direction. In September, make sure to take full advantage of this new and exciting environment in order to meet different people, who could become lifelong friends. Regardless of how many people you already know or don’t know, it is always a good idea to make new connections. In addition, we encourage you to maximise the use of all the amazing and unique opportunities available here at MTGS; whether that is simply sitting next to someone new at lunch time, joining a new club, or signing up for a school trip. Taking part in activities and extracurricular clubs is the best way to meet people who you wouldn’t meet otherwise, and we have realised this through our own personal experiences too. Although it may seem daunting at first, throw yourself into situations you haven’t been in before, this is a new start and you have the potential to do anything you put your mind to. There is something for everyone at Merchants; if you find something is not for you, try something else. You won’t regret attempting something different and we are sure that you will find your strengths and
Have a look in the back of your booklet and you will find some maps of MTGS to help you find your way until everything becomes familiar. Remember to just ask for help if you are not sure where to go, everyone including staff and other pupils will help you!
The sixth form girls act as excellent role models for our younger students. They nurture them and listen to them as supporting mentors. his is invaluable as the older pupils have often experienced similar issue and have overcome them successfully.
Teachers and older pupils will help you to find your way and will give you lots of advice too. There are many things to remember when you come to a new school but do not worry, as you can see, there are lots of people ready to help you! If you need to go home, I will contact your parents and look after you until they pick you up. If you are off School, your parents/guardians need to ring reception on the first morning of your absence to let us know. If you have medicines that need to be taken during the school day, your parents/guardians should contact us, and we can sort it out. If you have hurt yourself, again come to see me in the Medical room and I will look after you. You can help look after yourself by making sure that you bring a water bottle and fill it up regularly and eat your snack and lunch. Come and see me if you have any other problems or if you want to chat and need advice. There is also a Nursing Assistant called Miss Roberts who will be around if I am not. Good luck and enjoy your time at MTGS.
Sixth Form Mentors
Mrs J Mayne - Assistant Head Pastoral and DSL School is not just about doing well in your academic subjects it is also about making sure that you are happy and healthy and you are learning about ways to look after yourself. This happens in form time, in PSHE, in assemblies and in all your interactions with other people in school. My role in school is to ensure that you are all being looked after and I work with the school nurse and the counselling team to support this. I oversee behaviour, rewards and sanctions and safeguarding. This means that I will sometimes need to speak to you if things are happening that you can’t control on your own. This might be to do with home, your friends or to do with things happening to you personally. You will see my photograph on the blue posters around school. I used to be a pupil at MTGS myself and I have been teaching History for over 20 years, so I have lots of experience working with young people. I am really looking forward to getting to know all of you when you start here in September.
During your school day, we are here to develop your learning and understanding of how you learn best, to ensure all teachers understand and provide support for you in the classroom, and to provide Learning Support Lessons to help with any aspect of your learning. Most importantly, we are always available if you have any concerns or worries.
Our Sixth Form girls are experienced older girls are ready to listen to you and give support and help if you need it. In addition to our Head Girl’s Team we have our School Games Captain, School Music Captain, School Drama Captain and School Art Captain. Take a look at their photos and introductions which appear further on within this booklet.
Mrs J Bickley - School Nurse
My name is Nurse Bickley and I am here as well as your teachers, to help you. No doubt you are all very excited and nervous about starting Senior School. If you feel unwell it is important to tell a teacher, you may be sent out for some fresh air or a drink of water, if you are still unwell you will be sent to see me in the Medical Room which is just by reception.
Lyndsey & Krystal – School Counsellor Lyndsey and Krystal are the School Counsellors at Merchant Taylors’ and are passionate about supporting the mental health and wellbeing of all students. The counselling service offers students dedicated time and space to confidentially discuss and explore any issues, concerns or worries that they may have, for example friendship and relationship concerns, issues surrounding their sense of self, self-confidence and selfesteem, and feeling anxious or low in mood. Referrals can be made by teachers, parents/carers, or students can refer themselves. In all instances, consent to counselling must come from the student, and for students wanting to self-refer, consent does not have to be given from a parent/carer to access the service. However, the counsellors will always encourage students to have open and honest conversations with family members, especially if they are struggling, as support at home is often crucial in helping to scaffold emotional wellbeing, personal growth and change. Requests and referrals can be made by contacting Lyndsey: L.Ashley@merchanttaylors.com who aims to respond to all enquiries within 48 hours during term-time. Mrs K Howard – SENCO We are proud of and celebrate each of our individual pupils. We aim to provide a caring and supportive environment, and believe each pupil has the ability to succeed and achieve in all aspects of life. It is our job to support you in your journey, by recognising your strengths and building independence and confidence, whilst promoting your well-being.
You will have a different teacher for each subject and on the next page you will see a summary of the lesson times.Special areas are used for different lessons for example the laboratories for the Sciences and the Art room for Art lessons.
You will have 5 lessons in a day with 3 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon. All lessons will be doubles and 65mins long. You will be given your own timetable of lessons on your first day, do not worry, you will soon get used to things when you have been here for a few days. When are my lessons and who will teach me?
The school day is very busy and starts promptly at 8.40am. You will need to be in your Form Room with the correct equipment, wearing your school uniform appropriately and sat at your desk ready to listen to your Form Tutor at this time. TIME PLACEMINS 8.40 - 8.50 Registration in forms 10 8.50 - 9.55 Period 1 65 9.55 - 10.05 Transition 10 10.05 - 11.10 Period 2 65 11.10 - 11.30 Break 10 11.30 - 12.35Period 3 65 12.35 - 1.40 Lunch 65 1.40 - 2.45Period 4 inc Registration 10 2.45 - 2.55Transition 10 2.55 - 4.00Period 5 65
At break time the dining room sell toast and snacks/drinks so you may need a small amount of money to buy these. You can also bring in your own snack for break. Remember your water bottle and fill it up at break and lunchtime – not during lesson time!
Pencil case containing blue and black pens HB pencil and pencil sharpener / eraser
A glue stick/round tipped scissors Ruler - 30cm is preferable
Some coloured pencils/pens
Please also name your school coat as well as your blazer. Naming your belongings will help to ensure they are returned to you if they become Youlost. will have a locker near your classroom to store your books in during the day, try to use this sensibly so that you are not carrying too much in your school bags during the day. It is best to unpack your school bag into your locker when you arrive in the morning and then just put back into it your first two lesson’s books. Remember you can return to your locker at the break and lunchtimes to re-organise your bag for the next two lessons. You will also have a cube locker for your PE kit, please clearly name your PE bag on the outside before storing it and all bags should be secured with a padlock as your cube lockers are open fronted. This just deters anybody from ‘borrowing’ your kit!
ATissuesre-usable
Class Charts is the best way to keep track of what tasks have been set and when work needs to be handed in. If you are not sure about anything, please make sure that you ask your subject teacher or your tutor so that they can help you.
Please DO NOT bring valuable items to school in case they get damaged or lost. You will be in your school uniform, remember to tie back your hair and no jewellery other than a single gold or silver stud in each ear lobe. In order to take full advantage of your lessons you should have the correct equipment with you in your school bag. These should include the following items:
water bottle
Calculator – see advice from the Maths department as they would like you to have a particular one which can be ordered through school.
Allahead.ofyour uniform and equipment should be clearly labelled with your name so that if you misplace it we can return it to you quickly.
Try to pack your school bag the night before so that you have everything with you for the day
After a few days in school, you will start to get homework. Your tutor will make sure that you have a homework timetable and it will be up to you to organise yourself and make sure that you meet deadlines.
Don’t worry, there will be staff and sixth formers there to help show you what to do when you come in.
Mobile phones must be switched off and handed in at reception.
House Competitions
During the year you will get to know the other girls in your House really well through taking part in a variety of Inter-House competitions which include: Drama, Music and Sport. We also run an Inter-House Quiz and there are likely to be other subject related events for you to enjoy. The Houses also work together for charity events too.
Taking part in the wider life of the school will be an important part of your time at MTGS. There will be so many different activities that you can join in during lunchtime and after school that will enrich your time at MTGS as well as help you to become a more confident member of the school community. You can not only learn new skills but also make new friends and may have the opportunity to take on additional responsibilities and develop your leadership skills. These opportunities are in academic subjects, sport, music, drama, art, chess, costume design, knitting and stitching, gardening and art with many other opportunities to join committees and social groups too.
You will belong to one of the 3 Houses - Minerva, Thalia and Gaia and for the duration of your time at MTGS. Minerva is the blue House and Minerva is the Goddess of Wisdom and Strategy. Thalia is the red House and Thalia is the Goddess of Comedy and Joy. Finally, Gaia is the green House and Gaia is the Mother of Life, Mother Nature.
The House Cups and Shields are all highly prized and competitively fought for in challenging and fun competitions. Be proud of your House and try to represent it in different competitions. You will get to know girls in other years who are in your House and they will cheer you on. Each House has a House Captain – have a look on the House noticeboards near to the Heads of Section office to see what is going on within your House.
Our school rules are just there to keep you safe and happy and most of them you will just find out about along the way but here are a few to remember when you first arrive.
Be on time to school, lessons, lunchtimes, clubs and meetings. Walk on the left in the corridors and on the stairs. Be courteous to each other and to the Holdstaff.the doors open for each other, say thank you lots! Hand your mobile phones in – you cannot use them during the school Doday.not chew gum – it is not allowed in school! No make-up and no jewellery other than a gold or silver stud in the lobe of pierced ears – remember you HAVE to remove earrings for every PE Handlesson.inyour homework on time. Skirts must be knee length. No food or drink can be consumed in a classroom or in a corridor - only in the dining room or outside. Keep our school tidy and put all litter in the bins. Do not run inside the school Dobuilding.notleave your School Bag or your PE bag in the corridor. Keep your locker areas clear of belongings – store your things inside your lockers. Observe the Upper Thompson Building One Way System. Sing in assembly – remember you are part of our MTGS school Standcommunity.upwhen a member of staff enters your classroom. Observe the silence rule going into and out of assembly. Care about others in school and help everyone to be happy.
Sophie Fitter Gaia House Captain Hi, my name is Sophie Fitter and I will be the new house captain for Gaia this year. Gaia is the goddess of earth meaning it’s our job to look after the world around us, but especially to look after each other. If you are generous and kind then you will possess similar characteristics to Gaia herself, meaning you’ll fit right in. Our colour is green and I hope that you’ll enjoy being in Gaia. I can’t wait to meet you all in September and spend the next year being your house captain
Year 7 House 2022/2023Allocation
MINERVA Scarlett LakshmiAmeliaEmilyHardacreTollittIslaWestonScottEvieWhiteLucyBovillRosePepperAuroraAlbaChandrashekarMatildaHoganLyraClarkSophiaWorswickMoniqueHaywoodShaynaSanthakumarConnieBoothNicoleLyons
Medha Pullagura
Minerva House Captain Hi everyone, my name is Medha Pullagura and I will be your Minerva House Captain for the next year! The house is named after the goddess Minerva and she is the goddess of the arts, wisdom and war. I’m sure all the girls in this house will possess the qualities that Minerva herself possesses like creativity, confidence and strategy. Hopefully during my time as house captain, I can help you develop these qualities. I can’t wait to meet all the Minerva girls in September and welcome to Merchants!
Ava McNeill
Thalia House Captain Hi, my name is Ava McNeill and I’m the new captain of Thalia house. Thalia is the goddess of comedy and joy, our house colour is red which symbolizes courage. I hope I get the pleasure of you being in my house next year, if ur kind, lighthearted and witty you’ll fit right in! I look forward to meeting you all in September and being your house captain. I hope you enjoy being in Thalia
GAIA Sienna Kidd Yu Ching Li Daisy BeatriceFaithEmilyGraceSenoliGeogheganHewageMcMillanEmeliaFosterAlanaGregsonMaddocksMollyCraigLottiePointonMcClellandAmeliaMeldrumOsman-FarahSofiaScanesSiennaAgrimiPriyankaGowdaFionaBrownJesikkaRajkumar Year 7 House 2022/2023Allocation Year 7 House 2022/2023Allocation THALIA Bobbi-Lou Flynn Charlotte Mitchell Eve VishruteeElisaAnnabelScanesIrvineJashari-BoyleMollyMcLaughlinLilly-MaeGwynnScarlettSugdenKarthikeyanLiyanaKhanSkyeHitchmoughAnayaMurphyGraceHayesDivyaManickamJerseyGibbonsOlivia-MaeMeliaMishallUmairElizabethSpicer Eve Crilly
Caretaker's Office MeetingRoomOffices PE Office FIRST DEFIBRILLATOREYEWASHKITSAIDSTATIONSRemembranceGarden FIRST EYEWASHKITSAIDSTATIONS These maps will help you to find your way round school in the first few weeks. Remember though that we are all here to help you to find your way to your lessons or to meetings and clubs too. We have a pull out map below for you to carry in your school bag. You will also find information about Music lessons and LAMDA in the separate leaflets. Psychology Mrs Ward's Office Mrs Baccino's Office Sixth CommonFormRoomICTofficeHeads of Houses Offices Office Staff Room Technology
Merchant Taylors’ Girls’ School 80 Liverpool Road Call:L23LiverpoolCrosby5SP0151 924 3140