junior school diamanthorst welcome handbook 2015-16

JSD Essentials | 1

Junior School DiamanthorstWelcome2015 | 2016

Internationally British

2 | JSD Welcome

COVER

JSD Welcome | 3

Junior School Diamanthorst

Dear parents Welcome to


I am really happy to be able to welcome

you not only to the BSN, but to Junior School

Diamanthorst (JSD). It is our privilege to have

your children in our school and we look forward

to being part of their developing lives. We believe

very strongly that the children should be happy

and excited about coming into school every

day and that to do that, we, as the staff, have a

responsibility to ensure that their days are filled

with engaging and relevant experiences. Our

goal is to support and challenge each child to

achieve excellence. They should be learning skills

and gaining knowledge, at their own levels, but

in addition, learning how to be people who care

about each other and the world in which they live.

Your children’s days will be filled with key

concepts which they will be able to carry with

them throughout their lives and around the world.

Helping nurture good communicators who are

naturally enquiring, principled and balanced

human beings is as important to us as learning

tables, spellings and reading. Great sport, and

creative drama, music and art will all add to the

richness of their school experience with us.

There are many ways in which you can get

involved with and find out more about the

community here at JSD. This booklet will help get

you started, and you will soon learn more about

our parent portal – BSN Gateway – but we also

welcome your questions at any time – in person

or through email.

I hope to meet many of you over the coming

weeks and months as your child starts their

BSN journey with us here, and I look forward to

getting to know you all.

Angela Parry-Davies

Head Teacher of Junior School Diamanthorst

4 | JSD Welcome

Welcome to the BSNWe know that moving to a new country

and/or starting a new school is an exciting time.

At the BSN we do all that we can to help families

feel settled and at home as quickly as possible.

We are very experienced in welcoming

newcomers; not only in September, but

throughout the whole school year.

We know that you will have lots of questions to

ask about how the school works and what day

to day BSN life will be like for you and your family.

This booklet is designed to help answer most of

those questions, but please remember that if you

are unsure about anything at all you just need to

ask – we are here to help.

Useful dates for your calendar

School year 2015 | 2016

Autumn term

Term begins | Mon 7 Sep 2015

Half term | Mon 26 Oct to Mon 2 Nov 2015 (incl)

End of term | Fri 18 Dec 2015

Christmas holidays

Spring term

Term begins | Tue 5 Jan 2016

Half term | Mon 15 Feb to Mon 22 Feb 2016 (incl)

End of term | Thu 24 Mar 2016

Easter holidays

Summer term

Term begins | Tue 12 Apr 2016

School closed | Wed 27 Apr 2016,

Thu 5 May 2016, Fri 6 May 2016 and

Mon 16 May 2016

Half term | Mon 30 May to Fri 3 June 2016 (incl)

End of term | Fri 15 Jul 2016

Summer holidays

Note: All terms end at 12:00 midday


JSD Welcome | 5

CommunicationDay to day communication

BSN Gateway is the BSN’s password-

protected website. It provides direct, personalised

access to Notes Home, the school calendar, the

family database, school news and curriculum

information. The BSN Gateway is our key method

of day to day communication with parents. We

do not send paper notes home in school bags,

but rather use a system of electronic Notes

and Messages sent through this portal. You will

receive your personal log in details within the first

couple of days of your child starting school with

us. Please make sure that you log in and check for

updates regularly.

For more information on the BSN Gateway

please refer to your BSN Essentials booklet or email

[email protected] for further assistance.

General enquiriesFor general questions relating to your

child’s wellbeing and progress in school, the class

teacher is the first person you should speak to.

You can approach them before or after school

to arrange a suitable time to speak to them,

or you can contact the School Office to arrange

an appointment with them. Alternatively you

are welcome to email your child’s teacher via

the School Office where the mail is forwarded

onto them.

For general questions about the school or for

messages that you need to pass on, the School

Office will be able to help you. Feel free to phone,

call in at any time or email us.

Office Manager | Petra Airey

Office Administrators | Sandy Westerveld

and Rosita Paul

Telephone: 070 315 7620

Fax: 070 315 7621

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @BSN_JSD

Larger issues or concernsIf your concerns or questions are more

serious or confidential in nature, you are welcome

to contact the Deputy or Head Teacher who

will help you as quickly as possible. You can

either contact the School Office to arrange an

appointment or email them directly.

Deputy Head | Rebecca Findlay


Head Teacher | Angela Parry-Davies


6 | JSD Welcome

School routinesThe table below shows the timings for a

typical school day. Meeting friends and playing

together has become a special part of the after

school time for our children and provides an

opportunity for parents to chat together too.

We would like to take this opportunity to remind

you that the responsibility for the safety of your

children before and after these hours is your

own. We are happy for children to enjoy the

playground before or after school if they like,

so long as you maintain direct supervision of them.

Direct supervision means you are within reach of

them should they fall and hurt themselves. So let’s

enjoy this time, but keep a watchful eye out for the

safety of all of the children.

F1 F2 KS1 KS2

Doors open 08:30 08:30 08:30 08:30

Registration 08:45– 08:45– 08:45 08:45

09:00 09:00

School ends 15:00 15:00 15:10 15:20

F1: Foundation 1

F2: Foundation 2

KS1: Key Stage 1 (Years 1 to 2)

KS2: Key Stage 2 (Years 3 to 6)

Start of day routine

The school gates and school building

are opened at 08:30. this is to allow staff time

to properly prepare for lessons before children

arrive.


JSD Welcome | 7

You are welcome to accompany your younger

child into school and ensure they are happy

and settled going into class, but we do ask you

to encourage the independence of your older

child by reducing this support as they progress

through the school.

Children arriving by school bus

The BSN runs a comprehensive School

Bus Service which operates throughout

The Hague and surrounding areas. For more

information refer to your BSN Essentials booklet or

BSN Gateway. The School Transport department

can be contacted on 070 315 4083 or transport@

britishschool.nl

Late arrivals

Children arriving late must report to

the Office. We ask that you do all you can

to ensure your child is on time as it can be

distressing for them if they are regularly late

for the start of lessons.

Absence

Any requests for future absence due to

personal reasons, must be made to the Head

Teacher in writing in advance. Please refer to

the school policy on absence during term time,

available on The BSN Gateway. Absence from

school is taken very seriously in Holland and

within the BSN who follow the Dutch Law in

this regard.

The School Office must be informed by 09:30

if a child is absent due to sickness.

End of the day routine

Foundation 1

At home time the children should be

collected from their classroom at 15:00. Please

wait by the entrance to the F1 playground until a

member of staff invites you in. The routine is for

children to shake hands with a member of staff

and say goodbye.

We invite you to use this collection time as a way

of celebrating your children’s achievements, by

asking them what they have been learning and

praising them for all that they have done well.

Showing interest in your child’s learning in this

way is one of the most powerful ways to foster

their development and love of learning.

If, for any reason, you are going to be late to

collect them please telephone ahead so we can

tell your child. This helps prevent any upset. If

there are any changes in pick up routines, please

ensure that the class teacher knows in advance.

We kindly ask that you leave the F1 outdoor

playground by 15.15.

Foundation 2 and Years 1 and 2

At the end of the day children line up and

are escorted by staff to the playground to meet

parents. All children are expected to shake their

teacher’s hand before joining you.

Years 3 to 6

Our older children are expected to take

responsibility for themselves, their homework

and belongings before leaving the classroom at

the end of the day. Staff help the children with

the arrangements, since many use the bus, or are

heading to activities. If you are collecting your

child, please come into the playground to meet

them. All children are expected to shake their

teacher’s hand before joining you.

Any changes in pick up routines – for example

if your child is going home with another adult –

should be communicated in writing to the class

teacher in advance.

Children going home by school bus

Children using the School Bus Service

are escorted (Foundation 2 to Year 2) and

assisted (Years 3 to 6) by staff to the appropriate

bus. Please note that children participating in

after school co-curricular activities need to be

collected by parents at the appropriate time.

8 | JSD Welcome

Parking and dropping offWe encourage parents driving to school

to follow our voluntary one way system around

the school. Please be aware of the legal parking

signs on the roads around the school. Please

DO NOT mount pavements to park.

Children arriving by bicycle should park in the

space allocated. Bicycles must be locked during

the day and are the responsibility of the owners.

Security informationThe school gates are locked during the

day. A closed circuit monitoring system operates

and visitors, including parents, are requested

to sign in at the Reception Desk and wear the

appropriate badge at all times.

In times of true emergency (such as fire or other

situations requiring evacuation of the school)

parents will be sent an emergency text message

from the school. For this reason it is vital that

you ensure that the School Office has an up

to date mobile phone number for you. Further

information on this system is available on

BSN Gateway.


JSD Welcome | 9

What does my child need to bring

to school?One of the best ways to ensure that your

child feels happy, confident and settled on their

first day at school is to make sure that they have

with them all the equipment that they need.

The exact days that some items need to be

brought into school will be communicated via

the class teacher in the first day or two of school.

Please ensure that you check the BSN Gateway

for this information. In KS2 this is entered by the

children into their own agenda each week.

A library book bag

Available from the school uniform shop,

all children should have one of these to transport

their library books to and from school.

Art overall

From Year 1 all children should bring their

own art overall – one of Dad’s old shirts will do!

Recorder

From Year 2 all children should bring their

own recorder. These are available to purchase

from the school.

Stationery

From Year 3 children should bring a

pencil case with HB lead pencils, highlighter pen,

coloured pencils, 30cm ruler, eraser, pencil and

sharpener.

PE bag

These are available from the school

uniform shop and all pupils should use one for

their PE kit. Bags with kit are generally left at

school for KS1, except when taken (or sent!)

home for washing. In KS2 they are taken home

each day. Every piece of clothing must have your

child’s name clearly marked.

Refillable water bottle

For use within lesson time. Proper

hydration helps to improve concentration levels.

iPad

During the first term Year 6 children will be issued

with an iPad at a subsidised discounted rate, this

must be kept in a case.

Please ensure that ALL items are clearly labelled

with your child’s name.

10 | JSD Welcome

Snack and lunch at school

All children need to bring a packed lunch

and separate morning snack to school. Named

lunch and snack boxes are essential.

Snack We recommend a small snack, for

example a drink and a piece of fruit. Milk is

available for a small fee per term. Further

information will be sent home via the

BSN Gateway.

Note: Foundation 1 children do not need to bring

a snack to school. The school provides a snack

such as fruit, breadsticks or rice crackers, with a

choice of milk and water.


JSD Welcome | 11

LunchPlease provide something simple such as

sandwiches, yoghurt, chopped raw vegetables,

fruit, a biscuit and a drink. Some children like to

bring warm food such as pasta in a food flask.

Sweets are not allowed in school and are only

used for special celebrations.

Being healthy is both an important aspect of

growing up and becoming a responsible adult

as well as a part of the curriculum. Parents can

help school greatly by providing a balanced

and healthy lunch for the children and whilst we

realise that children are often quite fussy about

food when they are growing up, it is our joint

responsibility and opportunity to educate them

well in healthy living.

Eat smart, think smart, learn smart!

Student healthEach school has a School Nurse whose

primary role is to assist children who become ill

or hurt during the course of the school day. For

general medical advice parents should contact

their family doctor (Huisarts). The nurse is on site

from 08:30–16:30.

Health informationAs soon as a child starts school it is

vital that the School Nurse and class teachers

are notified of all health-related problems such

as asthma, epilepsy, diabetes and allergies,

for example, to foods such as peanuts, milk,

chocolate, colourings etc.

In the first few weeks of school everyone will

receive a health update form via The BSN

Gateway to complete and return to the School

Nurse. All health information given is held in the

strictest confidence and only shared on a need-

to-know basis.

General healthIf your child has diarrhoea, vomiting

or fever, please keep them at home until they

have been clear of any symptoms for at least 24

hours (for fever) and 48 hours (for diarrhoea

or vomiting). This helps prevent the spread of

infection to others in the school. If your child

develops an infectious illness or condition, please

inform the school nurse as soon as possible. If

your child is sick, inform the office by 09:30.

Please ensure that your child is well enough to

return to school after they have had an illness.

Children should not return to school until they are

well enough to participate in all school activities,

including playtimes.

Apart from chronic illnesses (asthma, epilepsy

etc.) we request that all medication is given

outside school hours. Asthmatic children should

be provided with an inhaler/medication to keep

permanently in school.

Allergies If your child has food allergies then please

provide the school with their special food for

snacks and treats. If providing home-made foods

for parties or birthdays please include a list of

ingredients so we can look after our children with

food allergies. The school operates a no nuts

advisory policy at all times.

Please do not hesitate to contact the school

nurse or your child’s teacher at any time

if you have any concerns or worries regarding

this matter.

12 | JSD Welcome

What should my child wear?

We believe that a uniform encourages

a sense of unity and common purpose – a

particularly important consideration as we

endeavour to welcome children from a wide

variety of countries and provide them with a true

sense of belonging. Details of the school uniform

you will require for your child can be found on the

school website and on the BSN Gateway.

Uniform is worn by students starting from

Foundation 2. Children in Foundation 1 wear

their own clothes – more details on suitable

clothing for this age group can be found in the

Beginnings leaflet.

The main School Uniform Shop is located on

the Leidschenveen Campus in the Sports Hall

building. Payment can be made by cash, PIN or

credit card. The Uniform Shop is generally open

during term time only, but a few extra opening

times are planned for new families just before

the start of term – dates and times of these are

published on our website.

Shop opening times (during term time)

Tuesday morning | 08:45–10:30

Thursday morning | 08:45–10:30

Thursday afternoon | 15:00–16:00

(first Thursday of month only)

Uniform can also be purchased via the Online

Uniform Shop. Items ordered online can be

collected from one of the Uniform Shops or

delivered to your child’s school (only for families

with children already in the BSN)

LabellingAll items should be clearly labelled

with your child’s name and class. The Uniform

Shop holds a supply of information on

companies that provide a mail order/web

ordering service for personalised labels for

clothing and general belongings.

JewelleryIn general, jewellery should not be worn

in school. We do allow children with pierced ears

to wear small stud earrings, but request that they

are removed or covered over during PE lessons.


JSD Welcome | 13

Helping you feel at home

Welcoming new children

The Buddy System

Both staff and children in the school

are very used to welcoming new children. New

students are allocated ‘buddies’ to look after

them in school until they have settled in. These

buddies help their new friends guiding them with

school routines; showing them around the school

building and ensuring that they are included in

lunch and playtime games.

International Student Representatives

Whenever possible, International Student

Representatives visit new non-English-speaking

children, welcome them and talk through any

problems or queries they may have in their own

language. This is very useful in helping non-

English speakers feel more comfortable and

settled within their new environment.

Welcoming new parentsWe understand that moving to a new

country and culture can be an overwhelming

experience – whether you are an experienced

expat or this is the first time you have left your

home country.

For many parents school can provide a vital

community link, offering a chance to quickly

make friends and establish an important support

network. We have various ways in which we help

new families settle into life in the Netherlands and

at the BSN.

The BSN Family Association The BSN Family Association is the

organisation that oversees the work and activities

of the volunteer teams at the BSN. It is not linked

to one individual school site, but aims to bring

families from all the sites together. It is made up

of both staff and parents of the school and works

in the background to provide support and advice

to the teams.

If you are interested in finding out more about

the Family Association and its teams, please

check out their pages on the BSN Gateway –

or see the BSN Essentials booklet.

14 | JSD Welcome

Getting involved at schoolWe are always grateful to the many

parents who come into the school on a regular

basis to help in a variety of ways.

Parents get involved in many activities such as art,

computers, cooking, gardening, group reading,

stories, special days and trips. If you have a

particular skill or area of expertise to share we’d

also be delighted to hear about it.

In addition to this general volunteering we have

a number of more formal ways in which you can

become involved in school life. If you’re interested

in volunteering on a regular basis, please contact

the Deputy Head.

Class representativesEach class has one or two Class

Representatives who liaise with the teacher. They

also help the teacher to welcome new children

and families to the class and organise occasional

social events for parents and children. This

contact can be extremely helpful, particularly on

arrival in the Netherlands – your class teacher will

inform you who your Class Representative is.


JSD Welcome | 15

What will my child learn?

This booklet is not intended to

provide you with pages of detailed curriculum

information. Information on what your child will

learn during their time at the BSN is provided

regularly via a Note Home on the BSN Gateway,

in KS1 and 2 and weekly in FS. In addition to this

curriculum information you will also find helpful

advice on ways that you can support your child

on the BSN Gateway.

Parents will receive invitations to Curriculum

Evenings and some Curriculum Workshops during

the year. These workshops explain how we teach,

how children learn and cover some of the content

of the curriculum.

Topics and themes for learningThe curriculum is taught partly as

separate subjects but also through themes and

topics which help to establish meaningful links

across the curriculum. Information about the

specific topics and themes is communicated to

parents and children throughout the year and can

be found on the BSN Gateway.

School trips and special eventsSchool trips are organised as part of the

curriculum, in this way, many subjects are enriched.

The calendar of trips is different for each year

group and detailed information is sent out via

a Note Home on the BSN Gateway prior to any

trip. You can also look ahead to get an overview

of key events by looking at the school calendar on

the site.

Alongside the trips, the children are regularly

involved in a variety of activities and events. The

traditional Dutch celebrations of Sinterklaas in

December and Koningsdag in April are particular

highlights. We also hold Sports Days in the

summer and a variety of ‘themed’ days (e.g.

International Day) giving everyone a chance to

enjoy the diversity of the BSN.

16 | JSD Welcome

What about homework?We believe that parental involvement in

a child’s education is not an added extra, but is

an important part of the learning process. Young

children need the interest and encouragement of

their parents and lots of praise. They also need

their rest and play.

It is important therefore to strike the correct

balance between follow up to the learning in

school and introducing children to a wider range

of activities out of school that will help develop

the whole person.

It is with this in mind that the school follows a

gradual build-up of ‘homework’ from the shared

activities such as reading together in Foundation

2, to the more regular homework in Year 6. In KS2

we have produced detailed information on what to

expect in relation to homework. Every child in KS2

will receive this information in September or on

starting school.

How can I help?Providing a supportive quiet environment

at home, where the children feel positive and

motivated to apply themselves, without distractions

is essential. As parents you can help encourage

your child’s interest in their learning through

discussion, by helping them to locate relevant

materials such as books, photos, artefacts or useful

web sites and by taking them to visit appropriate

museums, galleries or other places of interest.

How will I find out how my child is doing?

Parent school contact

We believe that excellent parent/teacher

relationships are a priority. We do all that we can

to ensure regular and open contact with you. You

will be invited to Parent Consultation Meetings

when you can discuss your child’s progress, find

out about their next steps and how you can

support them. There are also other opportunities,

throughout the school year for you to find out

what your child is learning.

We run various events – such as those listed here –

to help you to understand how well your child is

achieving as well as learning about the curriculum.

• Written class curriculum information

• EAL coffee mornings

• Curriculum information evenings

• Subject workshops

• Individual parent consultations with

written consultation record

• Written school reports

Learning and Assessment

Children’s learning, achievement and

progress is analysed week by week. Teacher

Assessment is carried out in many different ways,

including: observation, discussion, questioning

and by marking children’s work, identifying

what it is that children need to do next to

improve. Teachers also make use of standardised

assessment materials in order to gain further

information about children’s progress.

The information gathered from this adds to the

overall picture of each child which teachers build

up throughout the year. This is communicated

to you through Parent Consultations as well as

reports. Levels achieved are given each year,

in the school report, in terms of the children’s

attainment, and comments will be made on effort

and progress. This is also discussed with you at

Parent Consultation meetings.

What if I need to contact the teacher?

Teachers are always happy to see parents

when they are available — the best time for

enquiries is often immediately after school. Please

note that teachers need to concentrate on their

pupils learning and so will not always be available

during the school day. However it is always best

to speak to your child’s teacher early if you have

concerns so that a small issue does not become

a large one. It’s also possible to contact teachers

directly via e-mail if you so wish.


JSD Welcome | 17

Promoting positive behaviour

The school has a strong ethos of

promoting positive behaviour. This is promoted

regularly through the following practices:

AssembliesAssemblies are used throughout the

school to promote positive behaviour. They often

follow a theme, for instance sharing, loyalty or

perseverance. The children’s achievements in

and out of school are also reported and praised

during assemblies.

A range of awards and certificates are given out

to the children to encourage good behaviour and

self-esteem. These can be given for such things

as progress in academic work, kindness to others,

helpfulness in class, extra effort, or good behaviour.

Class agreementAt the start of the year the children in

each class will draw up their own agreement with

some guidance from the teacher. This is displayed

in class and the children regularly remind each

other of their agreements.

Circle timeAt regular times the children will be

involved in ‘Circle Time’ lessons. These are used

to develop children’s self-awareness, positive self-

esteem and confidence and a caring, thoughtful

attitude towards others. Circle Time helps with

listening and speaking skills as children are

encouraged to participate and listen.

A positive attitude in and out of classes is

rewarded in many different ways through stickers

and the certificates mentioned, and most of all,

through verbal praise. It is important to note that

each child makes a fresh start at the beginning of

each day.

18 | JSD Welcome

House pointsChildren in KS2 (Years 3 to 6) are placed

in one of four ‘houses’:

Amsterdam | red

Gouda | yellow

Delft | blue

Leiden | green

Various games, special days, sporting

competitions and other rewards are run through

this house system throughout the year.

Playtimes In the Junior Schools we recognise

that access to the outdoors and playtimes are

an important part of every child’s day. Through

play children develop vital personal, social and

physical skills, as well as having fun with friends.

Playing by our agreementsAll children are taught to respect each

other and our school playground agreements.

The school’s behaviour code applies throughout

the school, including the playground. Playground

friends or buddies are children who help to

support friendships.

At the end of playtime the children are expected

to walk quietly to their classes and sit down

sensibly, ready to begin their lessons.

Playtime supervisionThe school has playground supervisors

who help the teachers or teaching assistants on

duty to look after the children during playtimes.


JSD Welcome | 19

Co-curricular activities

In addition to the curricular opportunities

available to BSN students, the school organises

a large range of co-curricular activities during

lunch time and after school.

Activities range from Performing Arts Group to

sewing, K’nex to badminton and many more in

between. The exact programme of co-curricular

activities varies from term to term. Details on

which co-curricular activities are running each

term are sent out via the BSN Gateway and you

can sign your child up online.

Places on certain activities are often limited so

please make sure you respond quickly to secure a

place for your child.

If you have any queries regarding co-curricular

activities, please contact the School Office in the

first instance.

After school and holiday care

Zein Child Care offers After School

Care and Holiday Care Service at two premium

childcare locations in The Hague. Both locations

offer state-of-the art, eco-friendly and spacious

facilities. The centres are run by highly qualified

caring staff, often with an international

background.

Zein provides a pick-up service from all

BSN schools. A light, healthy and fresh meal is

provided on arrival to recharge the batteries and

there is time to get any homework done. Then

it’s time to do what children do best - have fun!

Whether it’s climbing the treehouse, playing

tennis or football, jumping on a trampoline,

discovering the playground or working on an arts

and crafts project - it’s all available for your child.

After School Care is provided every school day

from 15:00 to 18:30 - earlier starts are available

on school early dismissal days. Holiday Care is

provided during school holidays. Zein is closed

on National Holidays. Children from the BSN

Leidschenveen Campus join Zein after school care

at Robbie’s Place Leidschenveen. Children from the

British schools Diamanthorst and Vlaskamp join

Zein at The Estate in Benoordenhout.

For further information or to register your child for

either After School Care of Holiday Care, please

contact Zein Child Care on 070 326 8263 or visit

their website at www.zeinchildcare.nl

Junior School DiamanthorstDiamanthorst 16

2592 GH, Den HaagTelephone: +31 (0)70 315 7620


www.britishschool.nl

The British School in The Netherlands (Official)

@BSN_JSD

junior school diamanthorst welcome handbook 2015-16

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