RMSisaschooltowhichallits memberstakeworkprideinbelonging,wherepupilsandstaffcan effectively together,and where people treateachotherwith courtesyandcareandobservetheSchool’ssixcorevalues.
OURSCHOOLVALUES
Welcome
I would like to offer you the warmest of welcomes and sincere congratulationsontakingupaplaceatTheRoyalMasonicSchool forGirls.Foundedin1788,RMSisoneoftheoldestgirls’schools in England. As an RMS girl, you are now a part of that great tradition of wonderful pupils who have worked their hardest and whohavegiveneverythingtobethebestthattheycanpossiblybe throughouttheirtimeattheschoolandintheirlifebeyondRMS.
Weareaninclusive schoolcommunityandthatisonekeyreason whywebringoutthebestineverygirlhere. AtRMS,youdonot havetobeacertaintypeortoconformtoanybodyelse'sviewof you. Simplybethebestpossibleversionofyou. Everysingleday at RMS, I do expect you to enjoy being challenged, to be committed to improving as a learner, and to be committed to helping others to improve too. We wish for you to be happy at RMSandtomakefriendshipsthatwilllastalifetime.
Throughout your time at RMS I do expect you to live by our six Values. IfyouaretruetoourValues,youwillbethebestversion of you in all that you do in school and whenever you are representing our great school. In return for your commitment to ourValues,mycolleaguesandIwillonlyfocusonwhatisbestfor you. We aim to teach you about much more than your academic subjects, though we do an excellent job at that too. We wish to instill qualities in you such as the importance of preparation, dedication,andselfbelief. Ultimately,ourworkhereisto ensure that at age eighteen you will move into the world beyond RMS with the character, skills and confidence to know that you can make a positive difference that helps to make our world a better place.
Withallbestwishes,
KevinCarson Headteacher
First Things First
FirstDay
WheretoGo
On your first day you should make your way to the main school entrance, known as the New MarkHall.
Year 7 pupils joining in September will be welcomed by prefects and teachers, who will take youtoyourFormRoomwhereyouwillmeetyourFormTutorandtheotherpupilsinyourForm.
PupilsjoiningatothertimesoftheyearorindifferentyeargroupsshouldalsocometotheNew Mark Hall where they will be met and welcomed by their buddies who will take them to their FormRoomtomeettheirFormTeacher.Yourbuddieswillhelpyouunderstandthedailyroutine, yourtimetableandmakesureyougettoknowyourwayaroundtheschoolcampus.
The food at RMS is outstanding and there is always plenty of choice! We adhere to Healthy EatingStandardsandyouwillbeencouragedtoeatwellandmakehealthychoices.
We listen to your views concerning food and know that the quality of our catering provision is much appreciated by the girls. We have worked closely with the boarders and day pupils to establish exciting meal choices, and have structured the menus so that there is something to suiteveryonewithanemphasisonfresh,homemadeandlocallysourcedproduce.Thefabulous kitchenteamcaterformanydifferentdietaryrequirementsandthereisatleastonevegetarian choiceeveryday.Allmealsareservedintheschooldiningroom.Everyoneisgivenasnackat breaktimeandatwo-courseschoollunch.
LifeinSixthFormisdifferent—allthestudentsin Years 12 and 13 will tell you so and it’s not justabouttheuniform.
WhenyougettoSixthFormthereareamyriadof privileges and the school rules are relaxed: you will be able to dye your hair, wear nail polish, cometoschoolwhenyourlessonsstartandleave early,gototownatlunchtimeandmakefulluseof the kitchens in Hind House (which even has its own garden). You will find out more about life in SixthFormasyoumovethroughtheschool.
When you move to Year 8 your Head of Year stays with you until you move into theSixthForm.
For example if you are joining Year 8 in September 2024,MsJewellwillbeyour HeadofYearuntiltheendof Year11.
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Our dedicated medical team are here to support you if you are feeling unwell or have an accident.
Mrs Burrows and her team can be found in the Medical Centre which is situated above the school offices neartheDiningRoom.
MrsBurrows HeadNurse
MrsBeedell
HeadofYear7
MissDuffin HeadofYear10
HeadofYear8
MrsGratte HeadofYear11
MrsSeymour HeadofYear
FormTutors
Tutors play an important part in your life at RMS. They look after your academic work and wellbeing,theyhelpyouorganiseyourself,ensureyouperformatyourbestandgetinvolvedas muchaspossible.YourTutoristhefirstlineofcommunicationforyourparentsandguardians.
Homework helps you to consolidate work, add breadth and depth to your understanding orprepareforalesson.InSeniorSchoolitisavitalpartofyourlearningandisjustasimportant as the work that is completed in lessons. Homework also helps you to learn how to organizeandmanageyourtime,whichisanessentiallifeskillforeveryone!
HowmuchhomeworkwillIhave?
WhenyoustartatRMS,youwillreceiveinformationaboutthehomeworktimetableforyouryear group.Sometimeshomeworkwillbesetthatrequiresyourinputovermorethanonenightand you should not leave it to the last minute. Pupils who do this end up rushing a piece and this means they benefit from the tasks far less than those who plan and manage their time more effectively.Ifyoufeelyouhavetoomuchhomeworktocompleteinthetimeallowed,discussit withyoursubjectteacherorFormTutor.Ifyouareregularlyspendingmorethan30–40minutes perpieceofhomeworkinYears7–9and40–60minutesinYears10–13,youmusttellyourForm Tutor.
When you have completed the homework, you can ‘submit’ the assignment on Google Classroomanditwillcomeoffyourto-dolist,soyouhavearecordthatyouhavedoneit.
During the first term, your parents will be set up to receive weekly or daily notifications (called ‘Google guardian notifications’) of what homework tasks have beensetforyou,whentheyaredueandanymissingoroverduework.Thiscanbe areallyhelpfulprompttokeepyouorganisedandontopofdeadlines.
WhereshouldIdomyhomework?
Trytofindaquietplacewithnodistractions,at homeoratschool.TheResourceCentreisopen after school until 6.00pm should you need a quiet, supervised place to work. Homework Support Club also runs in Devonshire between 4-5pmeveryMon-Thurs.Boardersareprovided with set homework times and places. Use the time sensibly, do not leave it until late in the evening, andtakeregularbreaks.
Presentation is important—always do your homework as carefully as you can. The failure to completehomeworkpromptlywillbereportedtoparentsandmayresultinasanction.
HowWeSupportYou
If you have concerns about your work or your wellbeing, or have concerns about a friend’s wellbeing, there are lots of people around to help you. In addition to your Form Tutor andHeadofYear,thereareotherpeoplearoundtohelpyou.Youcanspeaktoanymemberof staff.
Advice
If you need advice on any of your subject areas or on a pastoral issue, advice of a practical nature will be provided by any member of staff whom a pupil may choose to approach. You should speak to your subjectteacherorFormTutor.
Support
Sometimesyoumayneedtoseeamemberof staffacoupleoftimestodiscussanon-going issue. Pupils have a choice of adults toapproach and the pupil’s own wishes will be taken into account, though you will be guided towards the person most suited to meetingyour needs from the range of support available. You can speak to your FormTutororHeadofYearoranyteacheror memberofstaffyoufeelyoucantalkto.
PALS
Our dedicated PALS team offers a variety of support including; 1:1 lessons, group sessions, social groups, quiet rooms for dining, touch typing club, therapy dog sessions, wellbeing rooms, study skills groupsandhomeworkclub.
Counselling
All pupils have open access to the support offeredbytheCounsellorsandmayseethem without seeing another member of staff; noticesaredisplayedineveryclassroomand
boarding house and pupils may self-refer atanytime.
The School Counsellors are suitably qualified professionalswhoseservicesareengagedby the School to work with pupils. We have two school counsellors: Mrs Satur and Mrs Bennett.
WorryForm
You have an online Worry Form which you can use if you wish to tell us something but want to be extra discreet. It is useful to give specific names and details in order for us to helpyou.
WellbeingHub
Youhaveaccesstotheon-lineWellbeingHub which gives excellent support and advice on manyissues.
SmoothwallPulse
Eachweek,pupilsfromYear5-13areinvited to undertake a 60 second on-line check-in on theirwellbeing.Thisistrackedandmonitored by their tutor, who can put in place any furtherinterventionsasnecessary.
WhatHappensIfIFeelIll?
TheNursingTeam
ThenursingteamdeliverfirstaidandemotionalsupportforallRMSpupilsifinjuredorunwell during the school day, as well as providing individual health care for boarding pupils. The two registerednursesareassistedbytwonursingassistantswhoareondutydailybetween7.30am and4.30pmMondaytoFridayandoncallfortheboardingpupilsfrom4.00pmto9pmduringthe schoolweekthroughouttheschoolterm.
Pupils with medical conditions are actively supported in managing their symptoms. Studentswhomayrequireemergencymedicationareexpectedtocarryasingledosewiththem atalltimes,duetothesizeoftheschoolsite.Weencourage pupils where possible, to remain in School in order to achieve to the best of their ability. The Health Centre offers a supervised, quiet area and comfortable rooms in which to rest, recover and return to school activities.
HealthandBoarders
Inordertoprovideateamapproachtoboardingpupils’healthandwellbeing,thenursingteam have daily communication and regular meetings with Boarding staff and other members of theSchool’spastoralteam.
All full and weekly boarders will be registered with two local female NHS doctors at the Colne House practice. In order to familiarise the pupil with the nursing team and doctor, the registration process will include a routine medical appointment. Boarders’ health needs are managed withgreatcare;effectivecommunicationwithparents,guardiansandoverseasagents is a priority for us. If requested, dental and ophthalmic checks can be arranged through the HealthCentre.
In all situations of illness the nurse team will follow the current NHS treatment guidelines for studentillnesses.
All About Boarding
BoardingatRMS
Pupils either full or weekly board, and if beds are available we can also accommodate flexi-boarderswhostayaminimumoftwoconsecutivenightseveryweekduringtermtime.You canalso book in for a night if you need to stay at school late or maybe if your parents are away.Boarding is an integral part of life at RMS, and we value all that the boarders bring to ourcommunity.FurtherinformationaboutboardingcanbefoundintheHouseHandbooks.
There is an organised trip most weekends. These are compulsory for Years 4 to 9 but otheryeargroupsmayoptin.
GoingOutPermission
Sixth Form are allowed off site on Friday evenings and Saturdays but must be back signedinwithamemberofstaffat10pmfor Year12and10.30pmforYear13.
Bedrooms
You are encouraged to personalise your rooms with posters and other personal items.We have a wonderful team who help in theHousesandensureitisalovelyplace for you to live in. You are expected to make your own bed before breakfast during the weekandtokeepyourroomtidy. Thefloorof your bedroom should be kept clear and your desk area tidy and presentable so that our Housekeeping team are able to clean your roomproperly.
Exeatweekends
RMS does not have exeat weekends. If you wouldliketoleaveschoolfortheweekendwe
assume it is to visit your parents or guardians. If you are invited to stay with another family you must notify your Housemistress as written permission will be needed.Foranyleave,Housemistressesmust know prior to you departing - ideally the Wednesdaybefore.
Laundry
In both Harris House and Zetland House, all laundry is washed and ironed by the Housekeeping team. In Connaught you are responsible for your personal laundry. Bedlinen and towels are washed by the schoollaundryforallboardingpupils.
TuckShop
Theboarders’TuckShopisinHarrisHouse.It stocks chocolate, sweets and drinks as well as shampoo, shower gel, stationery andothergoodies.
Further information can be found in theindividualHouseHandbooks.Ifyouwould like to try boarding, look out for our boardingtastersessions.
When you arrive in Senior School you will be placed in one of four Houses: Atholl-Sussex (Orange),Moira(Green),Cumberland(Purple),Scarbrough(Turquoise).
These Houses are designed for competitive but fun events that take place throughoutthe academicyear;forexampleInter-HouseSport,ArtandDT,Music,DanceorDrama.
AftereacheventthewinningteamreceivesHousePointsthatareaccumulatedoverthecourse of the year. You can also gain points for your House through the School’s Alpha (merit) system, where points are given for excellence in academic work, or a Value Alpha for servicetoothers.
FourSpecialThingsatRMS Drill
Swedish Drill was popular in schools in the 1880s and forms the basis of the RMS tradition whichdatesbackto1876.Todaywearetheonlyschoolinthecountrytoperformthisimpressive routineandaplaceintheDrillTeamishighlysoughtafter.YoucanwatchafilmaboutDrillon theschoolwebsite.
The curved outside space in front of the cloisters and long corridor. The Garth is a beautiful space at the heart of RMS, and is referenced in our school song written by Oscarwinningcomposer,AnneDudley.
We have high expectations with regard to uniform and appearance. Our Uniform Policy and Dress Codes have been drawn up to uphold high standards of appearance and to promote a sense of community identity for all pupils. Correct uniform is an essential requirement for all RMS pupils and it is important to have the recommended number of each garment. Clothing should be clearly named and checks upon this will be made at the beginning of term by form and house staff. Garments covering the face or whole body are not permitted. However, Muslim pupils who wish to wear hijabs may do so provided that the fabric is plain, lightweight and dark blue or black with winter uniform and white with summer uniform. Consideration is given to those pupils who wish to wear religious dress or adapt the uniform for religious or medicalreasons.PleasesubmityourrequestsinwritingtotheDeputyHeadPastoral.
The school skirt should be worn with the hemline on the knee, and therefore it should be purchased with generous length to allow for growth.Whentheskirthemlineisabovethekneetheskirtwillneed tobereplaced.
Navy trousers (available from Schoolblazer or other suppliers, but thesemustmatchthejacket).
Navy blue or black opaque tights or knee-length navy socks. Navy ankle socks only (not white) may be worn in the Trinity Term and thefirsttwoweeksoftheMichaelmasTerm.
SchoolBag Plain navy rucksack bag available from Schoolblazer or other suppliers. No patterns, logos or brand names. The RMS regulation rucksackmaycontinuetobeused.
Hair Hair should not be dyed in unnatural colours. Long hair should be tiedbackinablack/navyband/scrunchie.
Itistheresponsibilityofparents/guardians/Housemistressestoensure that pupils come to school in the correct uniform. Form tutors are responsible for monitoring uniform/dress code: all staff have a responsibility for ensuring that pupils are correctly dressed in lessonsandelsewhereontheschoolsiteandoneducationalvisits.
A pupil wearing non-uniform/inappropriate clothing will be sent to Heads of Year to change. In the event of repeated uniform/ dress code infringements, parents will be contacted and the pupil will risk being sent home or other sanctions being applied, according to the school’sbehaviourmanagementpolicy.
AlljewellerymustberemovedforsafetyreasonsduringPElessonssoit is important that a girl only has her ears pierced at the beginning of amain holiday so that the studs can be taken out when she returns to school. Body or facial piercing is unacceptable for health and safetyreasons.
Theuniformpolicyanddresscodeapplytopupilstakingpartinschoolrelated activities within and beyond timetabled lessons, on and off the school site, for example travelling to and from school and duringeducationalvisits,unlessotherwisestated.
Pupilsinyears7-11haveaYondrpouch. TheYondrProgramutilizesasimple,securepouchthatstoresaphone.Everypupilwillsecure their phone in a personally assigned Yondr pouch when they arrive at school. Pupils will maintainpossessionoftheirownphonesandwillnotusethemuntiltheirpouchesareopenedat theendoftheschoolday.
Every pupil has a locker in school for books, digital devices and other personal belongings, and a keywill be issued at the beginning of the academicyear.
Breaching any of the school rules constitutes a serious offence for which you may be placed within the school’s disciplinary system. The school’s behaviour, code of conduct and School RulescanbefoundonMySchoolPortal.
Alcohol
Bringing alcohol onto the school premises for personal consumption or for that of others is strictlyforbidden.SocialoccasionsorganisedbytheSchoolfortheSixthFormmayincludethe controlledprovisionofalcoholicdrinks.
Tobacco
Smoking or vaping in and around the School buildings or out of school on school-related activitiesisstrictlyforbidden.Offendersmayincurfixed-termexclusion.
DrugsandSolvents
The possession and use of illegal or any mood altering substances is strictly forbidden, as is supplying them to other members of the community. Anyone caught in possession, supplying, or with intent to supply mood-altering substances of any kind: illegal, prescription, over-the-counter, herbal or alcoholic will be punished according to the code of discipline laid down by the Board of Governors and this may lead to permanent exclusion, dependingonthecircumstances.
Behaviour outside school that brings the School into disrepute by association, either direct orindirect(forexample,includinginternetuse),willbesubjecttoschooldisciplinarysanctions whendeemedappropriatebytheHead.
Pupils must have obtained permission to leave for health/dental appointments. If you have permission from your Form Tutor, Head of Year or the Health Centre to leave school you mustsignoutusingtheInVentrysystemintheNewMarkHall.
Only the Head and Heads of Year may authorise a day girl to be off the school premises in exceptional circumstances between 08.20 and 16.00. To attend an appointment out of school,parentsmustcompletealeaverequestformontheparentportal.
TheHousemistressmustbeawareof,andmayauthoriseaboardertobeoffthepremises.Rules relatingtovisitsmadebyboardingpupilstoRickmansworthandelsewhere(includingroutesto be followed), are complex in that they vary according to age. Housemistresses will provide detailsforindividuals.
WalkingtoandfromSchool
LimeWalkisthepaththroughthetreesfromthetubestationroundaboutontheschoolside.It isonlytobeusedindaylightandinatleastpairsasaroutetoandfromschool.Inthewinter months pupils should use the pavement on the other side of the road and cross at the pedestriancrossing.
Wehaveacommitmenttoexcellenceinteachingandlearning,inrecognisinganddevelopingthe talents and supporting the needs of each individual, in sporting, cultural and cocurricularactivitiesandinourexpectationsofeachother.Learningoutsidetheclassroomallows pupilstoexplore and develop their attitudes to others and their learning habits. Every year we seek tointroducethegirlstonewexperiencesandtoenrichtheirlearninginmanydifferent ways which gives them opportunities to demonstrate different skills, to learn from others and leadstoarealcan-doattitude.
At RMS, we believe that learning outside the classroom is an essential component of our curriculum. It gives our pupils unique opportunities to develop their resilience, resourcefulness and initiative and to spend time together in an informal environment. Pupilshave a choice of over 160 clubs with most pupils being involved in at least three clubs/activities, ranging from hockey to crossword club. The co-curricular programmehelpstobringtheSchooltogetherasacommunitysuchasourHousecompetitions givingpupilsthechancetoworkwithdifferentyeargroupsalongsidetheirpeers.
Simplyput,gettinginvolvedinsports,arts,clubsandvolunteeringisagreatwayforyoutogain new skills, to meet new people, enjoy your time at school and strike a healthy balance when studying. Whether you aim to continue with a hobby you have been enjoying for years or try somethingcompletelynew,youarealmostcertaintofindacluboractivitythatfitsthebill.
Year7istheyeartoexperiencethewidestrangeofactivitiesyoupossiblycan,asyouprogress through the school you may decide to become more selective and only pursue those activities youaremostpassionateabout.
Therearealsomany‘open’lunchtimeclubsonoffer,whichdonotrequireanysign-up.Youcan just turn up and try as many of these at any point throughout the school year to find yourpassionorapastimeyouenjoy.Thislistofopenlunchtimeclubs,togetherwiththe‘signups’canbefoundonSOCS.Ifyouhaveanideaforaclub/activitywhichwedon’trun,pleaselet usknow!
There are plenty of opportunities to take part in school trips. The wide range of trips, bothsubjectbasedandco-curriculartakeplacethroughouttheyear.
Some may be optional and others part of your curriculum; some are specialised and aimed at particular age groups whilst others are open to all ages. Destinations have included Cuba, Berlin,Rome,VietnamandMexico.
RMSsportsteamsalsoregularlytourtolocationsasvariedasDubaiandBarbadosandthereis also an annual ski trip. In addition, pupils who take part in the Duke ofEdinburgh Award schemes habitually enjoy the opportunity to test their mettle inremote locationsacross thecountry.
As trips are planned all the details are added to the school portal (MSP) and places can be bookedonline.
Year7ResidentialTripSeptember2024toUKSA
The UK Sailing Academy (UKSA) is an internationally renowned maritime training provider basedinCowesontheIsleofWight,offeringarangeofactivitiesfromteambuildingexercises throughtofullsailingcourses.
The whole of Year 7 spends three days at UKSA at the start of the Michaelmas term. You will take part in activities designed to build confidence and encourage teamwork, with the aim of helpingyougettoknoweachotherandyourtutorteam.It’sgreatfun!
All Things Tech
GettingontheSchoolNetwork
Yourschoolnetworkusernameand password
Your network username and password will begiventoyouwhenyoustartatRMS.
Your email address is your username followedby@rmsforgirls.com
Before you can do anything else on the IT system you must log onto a school computerand change your password – the computerwillpromptyoutodothis.
When you connect to it you will be asked for a username and password. Use your school username and password. (If you have a new username you must first log on to a school computerandchangeyourpassword.)
Google
The school uses Google for many things including email and file storage. All pupils have a Google account set up for them. To log into Google with your school account use your school email address and password. If you are unable to log in to Google then try changing your network password. Your Google password should change to match. Once logged in to Google, the different services can be accessed by clicking on the picture showing nine dots arranged in a square to the top right of most Google pages. On school PCs, there is a desktop icon named'Webmail'thatwilltakeyoustraighttoyourschoolGooglemail.
All pupils have a My School Portal account set up to access information from the school. The RMSMySchoolPortalcanbefoundat:https://rmsforgirls.myschoolportal.co.uk/login
You can also access Google Classroom and Google Drive by using the links on the MySchool Portalhomepage.
SOCSCo-CurricularActivity
HowtoSignUp
Followthesesteps:
Login to the SOCS co-curricular throughMy School Portal. Once logged onto My School Portal please select SOCS ashighlightedinthisimage.
The next step is to click on Activities to select your clubs for the term. You can view the event details (date, time, location, and a short description). Please check all details thoroughly including costs that may be incurred. Once certain which activities youwouldliketosignupfor,youcanset yourpreferences.
Changes can be made to your club preferences when the sign-up window is open. When the sign-up window closes, preferences will be locked and a Preferences Report will be run to allocate the clubs. This process is conducted using a standard algorithm, with oversight from the Co-Curricularadministrationteam.Youwillbenotifiedoncethisprocessiscompleted.
When you are selecting preferences you may see that some clubs are shown as ‘Invite only’. In mostcasesthisisbecauseitisasportssquadthatrequiresattendanceoftrialsorauditionsfor choirsandorchestras.
You do not need to set a preference for every club, but you must not leave gaps in the preferencesselected.Allnumbersuptothehighestpreferenceyouselectmustalsobeselected, i.e. if you set a club with a preference of "3", you must also set other clubs to "1" and "2". The example in the screenshot will show us that you would like to do Kickboxing, but if this is oversubscribed you would like to join Touch Typing and if that is also not available, you do not wishtodoanyotherclubs.
The highest number in any category will need to be given to ‘Make Final Choice’ to make sure you are not allocated an activity at random. Please remember to click on ‘Save Preference’ after making selections in every category you find a club you like to attend.
Onceyourpreferenceshavebeensubmitted, you will then need to check to see which activityyouhavebeensignedupfor.
The club that you have been allocated will thenappearon,MyActivities’andalsoshow in the calendar. Please also note that some clubs are invite only (e.g. squads) and will also appearonyourcalendaraswellasstoppingyoufromselectingotheractivities.
