Junior School Parent Handbook 2024-2025
In the words of William Butler Yeats
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but rather the lighting of a fire”
Welcome
Welcome to the King’s Junior School, the only Independent Preparatory School in the City of Gloucester.
We are proud of the traditions that we uphold and of the all-round, forward thinking education that we provide.
The purpose of this handbook is to clarify questions about daily routines and procedures that contribute to the efficiency and smooth running of the school. At the beginning of each term, remember to consult the online calendar and SOCS, which will outline important dates and match fixtures. Regular newsletters will include any additional information about forthcoming events.
My wish is for you to enjoy being part of the King’s Junior School community and that you and your children make the most of the opportunities available this year.
I am always pleased to meet pupils and parents at the Junior School gate at the beginning of the day. If you wish to make an appointment to speak to me or any member of staff, please ring the Junior School Office on 01452 337302.
I am always keen to work closely with parents. Happy children thrive. Let’s work together to keep them happy.
Mrs Anne Haas
The King’s Junior School Head
Where To Find Us
King’s Junior School comprises:
The Anniversary Building
Classrooms Years 1 to 6 – Lower Transition to Upper Shell
The Library
Head’s Office
Junior School Office
The School Hall; Black Box Theatre and Dining Hall
The Hub and The Hive (Creativity and enrichment)
The Courtyard Science Laboratories
Design Technology Centre
Finch’s Hall
The Mission Hall
6 Pitt Street
The Paddock
Dance and Drama Centre
Junior School Music
Atlas Camps Aftercare/Holiday Club
Learning Skills Hub
Play area / Games
The Coach House
The Design Suite, ICT, Design and e-games Suite
Wardle House Art, Textiles and Photography
Archdeacon Meadow
The Music School
Ivor Gurney Hall
The Cathedral and Chapter House
Paddock House
Sports Hall, Pavilion, All Weather Pitch, Rugby and Cricket Pitches, Netball and Tennis Courts (some Games lessons also take place at Plock Court and GL1)
Individual music lessons and some music events
Alternative venue for Assemblies, Dance, Orchestra, Drama and Meetings
Assemblies and significant events
Headmaster’s Office
The Bursary Admissions
Administration for the whole school
School Communication
Open communication between parents and the school is encouraged and is essential to our successful partnership. At King’s we want your children to be happy. No concerns should be allowed to fester and all issues, however small, should be raised between parents and teachers as early as possible. Your child’s class teacher should be your first point of contact whether that is by letter, email, telephone call or arranging a meeting. Email addresses for all staff can be found on the school website.
As a guide, if you email during the working week, you should expect a response within 48 hours. This will allow a member of staff to look into your concern. Please remember that our staff are not in school during the holidays, so it is recommended that you contact the main school reception in Paddock House outside of term time office@thekingsschool.co.uk
Any changes of contact details should be given to the Junior School Reception.
Who To Speak To
Junior School Management Team (JSMT)
Head of Junior School Mrs Anne Haas
Deputy Head Pastoral Miss Louisa Hammond
Deputy Head Academic Mr Paul Bennett
Assistant Head Co-Curricular
SENCO
KS2 Lead
KSI Lead
Head of Early Years
Mrs Jo McDonald
Mrs Emma Berry
Mrs Emma Tuffill
Miss Becky Gee
Mrs Sarah Beard
For all matters relating to behaviour and pupil wellbeing
For all academic matters
For all co-curricular matters
Special Educational Needs Coordinator
Responsible for Years 3, 4, 5 and 6
Responsible for Years 1 and 2
Responsible for Pre-School and Reception
At King’s Junior School we have kept traditional names for our forms as follows:
Key Stage 1
Lower Transition Year 1
Mrs Heather Keyte, Mrs Jo McDonald assisted by Mrs Hannah Smith
Upper Transition Year 2 Miss Becky Gee, assisted by Mrs Pippa Williams and Mrs Angela Hamilton
Key Stage 2
Lower Prep Year 3
Upper Prep Year 4
Lower Shell Year 5
Upper Shell Year 6
Mrs Jess Humber assisted by Mrs Jenny Bishop
Mrs Julie Johnson, Miss Louisa Hammond
Mrs Emma Tuffill, Miss Lauren Sysum
Mr Paul Bennett, Mrs Kathryn Jeffree
Junior School Director of Music
Performing Arts Co-ordinator
KS1 P.E. Co-ordinator
KS2 Games Co-ordinator
SEN Assistants
Junior School Cover Supervisor
Science and Eco Co-ordinator
KS2 PE Co-ordinator
Mrs Catherine Sawyer
Mrs Ruth Woodliffe
Mrs Natalie Coates
Mr Alastair Bressington
Mrs Angela Hamilton, Mrs Bev Hyett, Mrs Emma Steel, Ms Daniele Freitas
Mr James Pockett
Miss Jo Richell
Mr Richard Cooper
Junior School Management Team
How We Will Contact You
In the interests of all, good lines of communication between parents, children and staff are essential.
Prep Diaries (Reading folders for Transition classes) These provide a useful means for swift written communication, since form teachers and parents read them daily.
Class Dojo (online App) for KS1 and KS2 classes. For all regular communication about your child’s progress and events.
Teams (Microsoft 365) - used for home-schooling, live streaming of lessons and some online homework tasks for Upper Shell.
Information Friday —You can expect most information to be sent home on a Friday. This will include;
• Cloisters, the Junior School weekly newsletter, containing news, reports, and important information about forthcoming events.
• Letters and Forms for trips, events and activities.
My School Portal (MSP) will be used as a central point for all forms, letters, your children’s reports, personal information and SOCs sports match information, music lessons, clubs and activity bookings.
Classlist - An online platform for communication with other parents and the KSPA.
School Cloud - An online booking system used to book parents’ evening appointments.
Clarion Call will be used to contact groups of parents via text message or email. If you do not wish to receive information from the school in this way, you may unsubscribe from this service. However, this may mean that you miss important information and required forms for completion.
Telephone/Email messages will be swiftly attended to by the Junior School administration team. Please be aware that the school has a policy of answering emails within 48 hours of receipt during the working week.
Parents’ Evenings are held during the Michaelmas and Lent Terms for Key Stage 1 and Michaelmas and Trinity for Key Stage 2.
Appointments should be made for detailed discussion and review of urgent issues. In the first instance, concerns should be raised with the class teacher. Should the problem remain unresolved, please contact the relevant member of the Junior School Management Team (JSMT).
Policies are available to parents on request as well as on the website including:
• The Admissions Policy
• The Attendance Policy
• Learning Skills (including pupils with English as an additional language)
• The Curriculum Policies
• The Behaviour Policies
• The Anti-bullying and e-safety policies and procedures
• The Complaints Procedure
• Missing Child Policies
• Last inspection report
Daily Timetable including Pick Up/Drop off Routine
Early Morning Routine - Drop off at the blue gate
Drop off from 7.45 Early Birds Club Blue gate by visitor parking area
Upper Transition
Lower Transition
Drop off from 8.15-8.25
Lower Prep
Upper Prep
Lower Shell
Upper Shell
Children line up in their class on the Paddock or at Pitt Street Gate by prior arrangement
Early Birds club will only be available promptly at 7.45am and must be pre-booked via My School Portal to ensure staffing is correct. (Late arrivals will have to wait for morning drop- off that commences at 8.15am)
Late Pupils
Will be expected to sign in at Junior School Reception in the foyer. Parents may not take their child directly to their class
Please note, parents may not enter the school building at any time unless accompanied by a member of staff.
Daily Routine
8.15 Staff assemble outside to greet classes. On rainy days children will go straight to class.
8.25 Registration
8.35-9.05 Assembly/Chapel/Tutor Period/ Lesson 1
9.05-9.35 Lesson 2
9.35-10.05 Lesson 3
10.05-10.35 Lesson 4
10.35-11.05 Break
11.05-11.35 Lesson 5
11.35-12.05 Lesson 6
12.00-12.55 Junior School Lunch and break
12.55-13.15 Lunchtime Clubs/ Reading Period
13.15-13.45 Lesson 7
13.45-14.15 Lesson 8
14.15-15.15 Lesson 10
15.15-15.30 Form Time
15.30-16.05 Activities/Prep/Games on Fridays for Shells and Preps
16.25 Buses leave
Termly Topic Webs
At the beginning of each term, you can expect a topic web from your child’s teacher. The topic web gives a brief overview of the topics each subject will cover for that term to allow you and your child to know what to expect in lessons and also give the opportunity for pre-learning to take place.
Timetables
The Junior School timetable works on a two week cycle (week A&B) and is split into ten, thirty-minute periods for lessons along with registration and reading periods, tutor time and breaks. The school day begins at 8.35am and school finishes at 3:30pm, with the option to attend after school clubs until 4pm. You will receive your child’s class timetable at the start of the academic year.
Pick Up Routine
buses
to buses by members of staff Until 18.00 Atlas Camps Mission Hall - Prior booking via the Atlas Camps website is essential
Parents/Carers must inform the class teacher and the Junior School Office as to who will collect their child if they cannot. If the person is unknown to the school, they will need to give the pre-arranged key word. The school must be informed in writing regarding those persons NOT allowed to collect their child for any reason. A form will be sent to parents annually at the start of each new academic year to update or re-confirm their password.
Children who are not collected promptly at 3.30pm will be handed over to the member of staff who is supervising prep. Whilst on school property and in the care of school staff, children must participate in the structured activities provided. Children not collected at 4.05pm and who are not booked into Atlas Camps will remain in the Junior School foyer and parents will be contacted. If parents are unable to collect their children, they must book them into Atlas Camps aftercare via the Atlas Camps booking system.
Academic Life at King’s
Curriculum Information
At King’s, a skills-based curriculum has been specifically developed for our pupils. Based on the National Curriculum, skills have been created to ensure pupils get the most out of each lesson and to ensure progression is taking place.
A skills-based curriculum is a transformative approach to education, empowering learners with practical capabilities that extend far beyond traditional memorisation of facts. Unlike content-focused models, which prioritise information retention, the King’s skills-based curriculum fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and adaptability. By emphasising the development of skills such as communication, collaboration, analytical reasoning, and technological proficiency, students are equipped with the tools they need to thrive in an ever-evolving world. This approach acknowledges that knowledge is dynamic, and it’s the application of skills that truly drives success in both academic pursuits and realworld endeavors. A skills-based curriculum promotes lifelong learning, encouraging individuals to continually refine and expand their learning to meet the demands of an increasingly complex world. By prioritising skills over content, the King’s curriculum cultivates agile, resourceful, and resilient individuals poised to tackle the challenges of the future with confidence and competence.
Reports and Assessments
Assessment in KS1 is observation led and formative assessment forms the starting point for further teaching. At the end of Lower Transition, the pupils undergo Phonics Screening to establish their grasp of phonetic sounds.
All pupils in Junior School complete yearly summative assessments. Testing is carried out early in the Michaelmas term using GL Assessment tests (English and Maths) and end of year assessments are carried out in the Trinity term for English, Maths and Science.
Why have Assessments?
Regular assessment of pupil’s work forms an integral part of teaching and learning at King’s. The purpose of making assessments is summarised as follows:
Grades for Year 3 to 6
For the use of parents
• To be kept informed of the progress, strengths and weaknesses of they children.
• To give information which can be discussed with teachers.
• To help decide how to support children’s work at home.
For the use of pupils
• To give information on how teachers feel pupils are progressing towards their targets.
• To enable pupils to self-evaluate their own learning, and develop a growth mindset.
• To enable pupils to discuss their work with parents, class teachers and subject teachers.
In the Junior School, half termly grade cards and full reports once a year are used to denote both effort and academic progress: Effort 1 Excellent Effort 2 Good Effort 3 Satisfactory Effort
Requires Greater Effort
Progress
Parents’ Evenings
Parents’ Evenings are arranged twice a year to enable parents to establish contact with their child’s class teacher. Subject teachers will provide class teachers with an outline of each child’s progress which will form the basis of discussion with parents along with grade cards and recent written reports.
Academic ideas to support your child
Children will benefit from parents helping with prep and with completing Keystones. The pupils have access to accounts for the following: typing club, discovery coding and Mathletics, which they can complete at home.
Health And Wellbeing At King’s
Meals
A healthy snack of fruit will be provided at first break. Children are asked to bring in a reusable, well-labelled water bottle. They are encouraged to drink water regularly to keep hydrated. Drinking water to fill bottles is readily available around the school.
Medical
It is essential that we have up to date medical information on all pupils. Parents are asked to update the school with any changes. It is helpful if parents discuss individual cases with the Form Teacher.
All children have a school lunch. Staff and pupils eat together. If a child has a special dietary requirement (e.g. as a result of an allergy), parents are asked to inform the school.
Please note that the School has committed to avoiding single use plastics. The school has a NO NUTS policy. This includes items labelled “may contain nuts” hence home-baking, although lovely, is not permitted as allergens cannot be traced, therefore cakes, sweets and chewing gum are not permitted. For special occasions, Haribo sweets or similar are the best solution but a Halal/Vegan option must also be provided.
Medication to be administered after an illness must be handed to Junior School Reception or the class teacher with a written explanation of dosage and prior administration times. Please label all medications and indicate if the medication is to remain in school.
Illness
If a pupil is unwell, he or she should remain at home. Please notify us if you are aware that a child has a contagious illness.
If your child has suffered sickness or diarrhoea please allow 48 hours from the last bout until your child is eating normally before he or she returns to school as it is unfair to expose other children to unnecessary risk of illness. If a child is absent owing to illness, parents should telephone or email the Junior School Office as soon as possible. Messages may be left on the answer phone. In the case of emergencies arising at school, we will, of course, provide appropriate attention and care.
Off Games or Swimming
Parents must send a note to the Form Teacher or telephone the School Office. Off games notes are considered valid for one week only.
Leave of Absence
If you wish to take your child out of school for any reason, please request permission from Mrs Haas, in writing, at least one week in advance before confirming your arrangements. Please note that parents are not permitted to take their children out of school during term time for holiday purposes as the curriculum at King’s is full and there is very little opportunity to catch up missed work. Please see the Attendance Policy on the website for the regulations to which the school is expected to adhere regarding absences.
Supervision Of Pupils
Pupils are registered for both morning (8.30am) and afternoon (1.00pm) sessions. Pupils not in school are marked accordingly in the registers. Late arrivals are asked to sign in at the Junior School Reception or with the Junior School P.A. Pupils leaving school during school hours must be signed out by the Receptionist on leaving and signed in again if they are returning. The school will always contact the parents if the child fails to arrive at school without explanation.
Throughout the day, the children are under the supervision of their teachers, teaching assistants and playground supervisors. This includes lesson times, changeover times, break times and the start and end of the school day.
Staff are responsible for ensuring a safe play environment for the children. Any child not using the playground equipment appropriately is spoken to immediately and reminded of its safe use. Sanctions, restorative justice procedures and peer mentoring are used for inappropriate play. All injuries are entered into the accident books.
Access to all parts of the Junior School is controlled by keypad locks. The Junior School Reception is manned from 8.00 a.m to 4.30 p.m. Should you wish to access the building at times other than these, please ring the bell for the Junior School Office or make your way to main Reception in Paddock House. No parent may enter the building unaccompanied. No parent is permitted on the school site without signing in at Reception.
Once a child has been signed out by a member of staff they are in the care of their parents or the adult responsible for their collection.
These are the areas for play:
Key Stage 1 Playground—This area is set aside for younger children. Older children may however be given permission to play there under direct supervision of a member of staff when there is less demand from the younger pupils. No children may play on the climbing frame and ship unless a member of staff is directly supervising. No more than 6 pupils at a time may play on the climbing frame. Children may not play on the climbing frame and ship before or after school.
Paddock for ball games—used by older children. Staff members are placed strategically on all areas of the playground.
Zones of play provide different activities that are rotated across the week.
Wrap-Around Care
Early Birds Club is available from 7.45am each morning, booked via the activity club form. Please direct all queries to Reception. Atlas Camps is available until 6.00pm each afternoon. Book via www.atlassports.co.uk
Holiday Club operates throughout most of the holidays and at Half Terms. Bookings are made via the Atlas Sports Camps website: www.atlassports.co.uk Places fill up quickly so it is worth being prompt. Keep an eye out for reminders in newsletters and on Facebook.
Being King’s SMART
The King’s Junior School Ethos is delivered to our pupils through our ‘King’s SMART’ approach. In order to be King’s SMART, there are some basic guidelines to which we expect all pupils to adhere; these are consideration for others and to accept that people have different views. This is what we mean by being King’s SMART:
SMILE
Be friendly and considerate
Be helpful or supportive
Think about how our words or action make others feel
MANNERS
Enter and leave classrooms in an orderly manner
Walk, do not run, when inside
Step aside and/or open doors for each other
Stand when visitors enter the classroom
Treat each other and all adults with courtesy
AMBITIOUS ATTITUDE
Strive to do our best in all our lessons
Arrive on time
Be ready and properly equipped
Listen, focus, think contribute and take turns in discussion
Be co-operative
Take care with our work and appearance
RESILIENCE
Overcoming adversity both academically and socially
Embracing challenges
Persisting in the face of setbacks
TEAMWORK
Work together with others
Bringing talents together to reach a goal
“While we celebrate individual talent and excellence, pupils of all ages have a very strong sense of community and soon become supportive team members.”
Equality, Diversity And Inclusion
The King’s School is an inclusive community with a Christian ethos. We welcome pupils, families and staff from a variety of ethnic and social backgrounds. We treat everyone as an individual and aim to develop the whole person so that they are equipped to take their place in the modern world. Should you feel that your child is experiencing barriers to learning, either socially or academically please contact the class teacher so we can take this into consideration.
Houses
All children, from Lower Transition to Upper Shell, are given a place in one of the three houses: Simpkin, Tailor or Potter. Children earn house points for good work and behaviour and they all take part in a range of House competitions.
“We work in close partnership with parents to create a secure environment where children of all abilities can thrive and be happy.”
The Reward System
Merits are given to children for academic achievement, effort and general contribution to school life. A Merit is made up by gaining three stars. One Merit represents a point in the House competition and children are awarded certificates and badges for achieving the milestones of 10, 25, 50, 75, 125 Merits.
Top table
Commendations are awarded to pupils in recognition of outstanding pieces of work or contributions to school life. These are personally approved by the Junior School Head and presented as an award from her. One Commendation is worth three Merits and is recorded as such for the individual and for the House competition.
Pupils demonstrating good manners both in the dining room and around the school are invited to have lunch at Top Table on Monday with Mrs Haas. Top Table is formally laid with tablecloth, napkins, cutlery and squash as a treat. Lower Prep bring flowers, Upper Prep discusses events from the weekend, Lower Shell provide name badges and Upper Shell choose newsworthy topics to discuss.
Citizenship badges are awarded to children demonstrating exceptional, self-initiated acts of kindness or service to the community.
Sanctions for poor conduct
Disciplinary matters will be dealt with in the first instance by the teacher. If deemed necessary, matters may be referred to the Deputy Head Pastoral. Should there be a recurrence of the problem, the matter will be referred to the Head of King’s Junior School, Mrs Haas, and parents may be asked to come into school.
Parents are asked to bear in mind that a situation will usually be more complex than is presented by their child at home.
Assemblies
Assemblies take place each day as follows:
‘Choices Time’: This is a rare, supervised session during lunch break. If a pupil is asked to attend ‘Choices Time’ it will be recorded in the Prep Diary. Parents will be informed if their child has received this Level 3 sanction. This communication will come from the Form Tutor, in the first instance. Parents may be required to meet the Deputy Head Pastoral and/or the Head of Junior School to discuss the situation and perhaps draw up a behaviour contract/report card if a child is in ‘Choices Time’ frequently and is causing concern. Please refer to the Junior School Behaviour Policy. Staff and parents will work together to promote desired behaviour and overcome challenges.
Monday Junior School Assembly Chapter House (Reception to Upper Shell) Individual and group performances, visiting speakers and pupil assemblies
Tuesday Key Stage 1
Wednesday Chapel with Senior School
Mission Hall
Cathedral Nave
Friday Commendation Assembly School Hall
Dress Code
School Uniform
The King’s School appointed uniform supplier is Stevensons; a family-run, specialist uniform and sportswear provider who currently supply over 550 schools across the UK.
Prior to ordering uniform, we recommend that you refer to the King’s Uniform lists on the school website, to ensure that you are purchasing the correct items for your child. https://www.thekingsschool.co.uk/parent-information/uniform
Families can purchase school uniform and sportswear via the Stevensons website, or over the telephone. They offer a 180 day returns policy to exchange unused uniform.
By phone
To place orders or for queries. Contact hours: Monday to Saturday: 9am to 5.30pm. Sunday: closed. Tel: 01727 815 700 or email: customerservices@stevensons.co.uk . During the busy summer period their phone lines will be open for longer.
Online
It’s easy to shop at http://www.stevensons.co.uk with low-cost postage and packing and FREE returns.
Please register for an account initially, then search for
The King’s School, Gloucester and add our school to your account. You can then see the uniform and sportswear relevant to Junior School children.
Under the image of the clothing, it clearly identifies which items are compulsory. Please also check the ‘more information’ tab for each garment, where details are given about that item - for example which sports the item is relevant for, whether it can be sourced from other retailers, etc.
King’s Klobber
Used School Uniform is available from King’s Klobber. The shop is run by parent volunteers and stocks good quality used uniform. King’s Klobber is an online shop. Please go to www. kingsklobber.co.uk and place your order. Payment needs to be made through the website checkout. Payments are via PayPal. You do not need a PayPal account, you can use your debit card.
Hair
Must not be dyed or highlighted and the use of gel is not permitted. Long hair must be tied back with navy blue accessories. Please avoid close shaven hair styles or styles with patterns. Make-up may not be worn in school.
All belongings brought to school must be clearly marked with the owner’s name. The marking on boots and shoes often becomes illegible after wear and may need to be renewed.
Orders placed by midnight Wednesday, will be processed on Thursday. Junior School orders will be given to the pupil at the end of the day to take home and Senior School orders can be collected from Palace Reception by the pupil on Fridays.
If you have a query regarding King’s Klobber, please contact the School’s Main Reception on 01452 337 337 or email kingsklobber@outlook.com. If you wish to send in branded items, you will be given a 25% off coupon for future use at King’s Klobber. You can also sell items through Classlist.
Other Items
Full uniform lists are on the school website. Children must not bring expensive toys or watches to school as no responsibility can be accepted for their loss or damage. Similarly, watches with step counters may only be worn as long as they cannot send messages or photographs. Jewellery is not allowed, with the exception of plain studs. During games these must be removed or ‘taped.’
Prep/Homework
Prep is a great opportunity to rehearse key skills. If your child experiences any problems with prep, please put a note of explanation in the prep book or reading record. We do not expect children to struggle for hours on a task that they are finding difficult. Similarly, there is little benefit in looking at a piece of work that has more parental than child input!
The prep diary, and/or reading record should be completed daily and signed by parents. In addition to the homework task, all pupils are encouraged to read for at least ten minutes at home. Parents can play an important part in this by listening to their children read aloud on a regular basis and discussing the story with them. Pupils up to Upper Shell have a reading record which is filled in regularly. All pupils are expected to have a current reading book available at all times. If a child is unable to complete a prep for any reason, it should be noted in the prep diary or a note sent to the Form Teacher.
Key Stage 1
Pupils in Key Stage 1 are expected to learn spellings and to read at home on a daily basis—it is expected that these tasks would take approximately the following amount of time:
Lower Transition - 15 minutes per day
Upper Transition - 20 minutes per day
Key Stage 2
All Key Stage 2 classes (with the exception of Upper Shell) are given weekly prep on Thursdays, which should be handed in by the following Thursday. The school does not normally give out prep over the school holidays, but there are always voluntary tasks and Mathletics available to do.
Tasks set on a weekly basis will be English, Maths and topic work. Pupils will also be required to practise spellings and tables as well as read on a daily basis in addition to the homework tasks.
It is expected that these tasks would take approximately the following amount of time:
Lower Prep - 3x15 minutes + 10 minutes reading time
Upper Prep - 4x15 minutes + 10 minutes reading time
Lower Shell - 4x20 minutes + 10 minutes reading time
Upper Shell - The pupils will be set prep on different days during the week. The teacher states when the task is due and this can range from the next lesson to weeks (for project work). This is more in line with the Senior School system and provides pupils with a smooth transition when they transfer to the Senior School. The pupils will always have at least two days to complete tasks. Additional voluntary family activities, including the Keystones tasks, may also be suggested to encourage independent learning, family wellbeing and the development of a growing curiosity about the world around us.
Instrumental Music
If you would like your child to take up a musical instrument, please contact Mrs Sawyer, the Junior School Director of Music in writing. King’s Junior School has a thriving orchestra as well as a string group and brass band which performs regularly in assemblies and concerts.
Music Practice
Music practice of at least ten minutes per day is recommended for those children who are learning to play an instrument. They can record this on their blue record sheet to earn Merits.
“We offer a wonderfully rich and varied co-curricular programme that enables pupils to discover and explore their personal talents and interests.”
School Matches
Matches usually take place on Wednesday or Friday afternoons. Team lists are published on the SOCS app, no team sheets will be sent home. You will need to check SOCS to see if your child has been selected. You can access the SOCS app via My School Portal (MSP) or our website: https:// www.thekingsschool.co.uk/portal-hubs/ parents-information
Parental support is welcome at all fixtures, whether home or away. As hosts, children in matches are expected to remain for tea and should not go home before a visiting team has departed. The highest standards of appearance and behaviour are expected from all children representing the school. Please refer to uniform lists on the website for each sport. For the safety of the children, those with incorrect kit will be unable to participate.
What to bring
All children should bring a water bottle. No pencil case is required for Years 1 and 2. Pupils in Years 3 - 6 should bring a pencil case containing a ruler, rubber, pencils, colouring pencils and felt tips, scissors, glue stick and a sharpener. A blue ink pen is required, once children have been awarded their Pen Licence in Year 4.
Mobile Phones
Mobiles may be brought to school, however they may not be used during the school day. Please refer to the King’s School Policy on Mobile Devices published in the School Rules. Children will be expected to hand their phone in to their class teacher for safe-keeping during the school day.
Keystones - Beyond the Classroom
The school curriculum at King’s is full and varied, however there is so much more to learn. The Keystones programme has been developed to provide your child with the opportunity to undertake some voluntary self-directed, independent learning. There are Academic, Pastoral and Co -curricular challenges that are tailored to each age group. We would recommend trying to complete at least 2 each half-term.
Photographs
In the Junior School, parents are asked not to take photos at events. In many cases an official photographer and/or videographer may be on hand to record the event. In some cases, this may be allocated to a staff member using a school device. In addition, it is stipulated that any photos purchased may not be shared on any form of social media.
In productions and events that will be photographed or videoed, Junior School staff members are asked to consider the placement of the children whose parents or guardians have refused permission for images of their children to be used, so they can be edited out if needed. At times these children may stand aside for images that will be used externally but will always be included in an internal version.
Library Loans
All pupils from Lower Transition to Upper Shell are able to choose up to three books at a time from our library. All pupils are encouraged to visit our library which is open TuesdayFriday during reading periods.
Co-Curricular
King’s Junior School has a wide range of clubs and activities, running at lunchtimes and after school from 3.30pm to 4pm or 4.30pm. There are clubs to suit all interests - from chess and debating, to yoga and cross stitch, art and football. Most clubs are organised by members of staff who use their own interests as inspiration. Others are run by external providers to bring in specialist sessions such as Gymnastics. Parents are able to sign their children up through the SOCS programme (available via My School Portal). The sign-up windows are in early September, just before the children return to school, and then again at the end of the Michaelmas and Lent terms. Clubs then start in the first full week of each term. Most are free of charge, though some incur a charge, either for the specialist instructors or to cover materials. For details of when the club signup windows open, please keep an eye out in the weekly newsletters or on the school calendar.
Internet Safety
The pupils at King’s are taught to be SMART online. This follows the guidance from Childnet and is displayed in every classroom. At the beginning of each term, a refresher is given in ICT lessons, to ensure pupils stay alert online. Classroom Cloud is used to monitor and protect pupils whilst using devices in school.
How Parents Can Support The School
The KSPA
The King’s School Parents’ Association. This is a group made up of volunteer parents who support the school through fundraising events. The Junior School children enjoy a wide variety of fun events put on by the KSPA. New members are always welcome and much appreciated. If you are interested please contact the Junior School Office.
STEAM Group
Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths at King’s.
This is a group of parents with a background in these disciplines who meet regularly to promote and support the STEAM subjects within the school. Again, newcomers are always welcome - please contact the Junior School Office.
King’s Klobber
Volunteers to assist with the second hand uniform shop are always sought after. Please contact kingsklobber@outlook.com
King’s Community Choir
This is a friendly group of singing enthusiasts, consisting of parents, staff and former pupils. Please see the website for more details.
The website, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts will keep you up to date with news and photographs of our busy school days.
