The Principal’s welcome

Dear Parents,

It gives me much pleasure to welcome you as Form V parents to the academic year 2021/22. We hope that the year ahead will enable us all to have a return to some sort of post-Covid normality.

We believe that the close link between school and home is of vital importance in ensuring the progress of your daughter during her time with us. At Queen’s Gate we pride ourselves on developing life-long learners. Of particular importance is learning how to embrace the academic and social challenges with which our girls meet on their school journeys. By fostering determination and resilience we believe that, at Queen’s Gate, we equip your daughter with the skills to enable her to succeed not just at school but also for the rest of her life.

This booklet is designed to provide you with as much information as possible so that you have a sound understanding of what goes on during the school day and can support us in providing your daughter with the highest standard of education. General information about the School is followed by details of the curriculum which your daughter will follow during this academic year.

As you are aware in Form V, your daughter will begin her GCSE course in each of her chosen subjects. It is important for her to establish an effective work routine right from the start, as time slips away all too quickly. In a number of subjects, she will be required to complete some coursework early in the Course and these will contribute to her final GCSE grade. Effective organisation of work and other activities becomes increasingly important and we expect girls to be able to adhere to deadlines set by their teachers for submission of work and other assignments.

During the year also, Form V will be involved in Careers tests which will help to provide guidance for her choice of A Levels and beyond. Towards the end of Form V, we hold sessions to introduce girls to our Sixth Form. These will be followed up at the beginning of the UV with a comprehensive programme of further guidance about our Sixth Form provision.

Form V obviously brings increased academic demands, but I believe that at the same time, it is essential for your daughter to maintain an active programme of activities both in and out of School. This is particularly important following the self isolation and Remote Learning last year, when it was more challenging to become fully involved. We continue to offer a range of lunchtime clubs, as well as many opportunities in Sport, Music and Drama. The Duke of Edinburgh Award is also on offer and is a very popular activity which provides many opportunities for personal growth as well as development of leadership and team working skills. It is important for your daughter to learn to juggle her academic and other commitments, ensuring that she has adequate time for both.

We do hope that your daughter will have a successful and enjoyable year in Form V, but please do not hesitate to contact either me, Mrs Sexon, Head of the Upper School, Mr Cohen, Head of Form V, or the Director of Pastoral Care, should you have any queries or concerns.

With all best wishes

Mrs R M Kamaryc Principal

Data Protection - GDPR

The GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is a law that was introduced in the UK (and the EU) in May 2018 to protect people’s data (information). It requires all companies and organisations operating in the UK and EU to have a Privacy Notice to outline the ways in which data is collected and used. At Queen’s Gate, we collect and use data to provide and enhance our pastoral care, to inform our academic tracking and monitoring, to ensure that all policies and risk assessments are informed by accurate data and to ensure that we fulfil our legal duties. You can read the full Privacy Notice on the School’s website here: http://www.queensgate.org.uk/terms

Purpose of the booklet

This booklet has been written to help you support your daughter during her year in Form V and has two sections: General Information, which explains the School’s routines, organisation and expectations, and Subject Details listed on page 27 which give an introduction to the subjects your daughter will study. For each subject there is a brief outline of the year’s work.

Contents - The Principal’s welcome How may I contact the School Who is there to help? The PTA Our Expectations: The Code of Behaviour Important Dates for the Year Special Events Tests and Reporting Progress The School Day Punctuality Absence Attendance Lunch Lockers and Bags Mobile Phones The Dress Code 1

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Extra Music Lessons Clubs Challenge and Enrichment Wider World Learning Enhancement Rewards 10

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The Queen’s Gate Award and Principal’s Award The House System Positions of Responsibility Queen’s Gate School Anti-Bullying Policy Personal Organisation and Attitude to Study Careers and Work Experience 11

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14 Thinking Ahead to The Sixth Form 14 Personal, Social, Citizenship and Health Education (PSCHE) 16 Physical Education (PE) 16 IT Acceptable Use Policy for Pupils 19 Using School IT systems and devices 22 Queen’s Gate Online Parent Accounts 25 Subject Details 27

The information contained in this booklet is correct as at 31st July 2021. However, this information does not form part of any contract or agreement with Queen’s Gate School and the School reserves the right to alter the specifications and/or options, if necessary, during the period for which the booklet is in operation.