Parent Handbook2013 –14

This booklet is a practical, informative guide to the school for all new and existing parents. It contains the most up-to-date details of the school. Current parents should discard and recycle any old handbooks they may have, as these are now redundant. The Parent Handbook will be revised and sent out to parents annually.

Further information can be found on the school website www.kensingtonprep.gdst.net

If you are ever unsure of school procedures and policies, please do not hesitate to contact form teachers, the school office or myself as appropriate.

Mrs Prudence Lynch Head

Introduction

Kensington Prep School 4

The school day 5 School timetable 5 Assemblies 6 Physical education 6 Music 7 Homework 8 Learning support 9 School lunches 9 Morning break snacks 10 Break/playtime 10 School clubs 10 School trips 10 Year 6 special project 11 Houses 11 Changing class groups 11 School Council 11

Travelling to and from school 12 Procedures for KS1 late collection 13 ‘Sisters’ 13

Parents and the school 13 Communication 13 School website – parent Log-in 14 Use of parent e-mail 14 Parents’ evenings 14 Reports 15 Letters, newsletters and notices 15 School office 15 Parents’ Association 15 Parent helpers 16 Birthday parties 17 Taking and using photographs 17

Attendance, health and safety 18 Attendance and illness 18 First aid 18 Medicines 19 School Welfare Officer 20 Head lice 20 Fire drills 20 Evacuation plan 20

Uniform and equipment 21 School outfitters 21 Equipment 21 Lost property 21

Behaviour 22 Our school values 22 Privilege time 22 School rules 22 Behaviour around school 23 Friendship issues 24 Use of computers/internet/e-mail 25

School fees 25 Extras bills 25

Girls’ Day School Trust 26 Governing Body 26

Appendices 27 Term dates 27 Uniform list 28 Governors 30 Staff list 31

Contents

Kensington Prep School has up to 300 girls from the age of 4 to 11 years. The school was founded in 1873 and was the first school to be established by the Girls’ Day School Trust. The school moved to its current location in Fulham in 1997.

Most girls join the school in Reception, aged 4+ and spend seven years in the school moving on from Reception through Years 1 – 6 (age 11+). Entry to the school is selective and the offer of a place is based on assessment.

Each year is divided into two balanced parallel classes of about 20 pupils.

Key Stages

The Pre-Prep Department – consists of the Foundation Year (Reception class), Year 1 and Year 2. This department is also referred to as Key Stage 1 (KS1).

The Prep Department – consists of Year 3, Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 and is also referred to as Key Stage 2 (KS2).

Contact and website details

Kensington Prep School 596 Fulham Road London SW6 5PA

School office: Tel: 020 7731 9300 (Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm) Fax: 020 7731 9301 E-mail: schooloffice@kenprep.gdst.net

Kensington Prep School website: www.kensingtonprep.gdst.net

Parent log-in to parent section of the website: Username: kpsparent Password: KPSp@rent

Kensington Prep School

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The school timetable

8.00 am Early girls may arrive by ringing the reception buzzer at the front gate.

8.10 am Playground gate (Kelvedon Rd) opens. The girls wait in the playground with a member of staff until 8.30. In wet weather Reception to Year 4 girls wait in the hall. Year 5 and Year 6 wait in their classrooms.

8.30 am Girls line up in forms and form staff collect classes from the playground. Girls go to classrooms for registration.

8.35 am Playground gate closes. Late girls should then enter via the front door and ensure they sign the register by the front door before going up to their classrooms.

8.40 am Assembly.

9.05 am Lessons begin.

10.35 am Break in playground with staff on duty. If wet, girls remain in classrooms.

11.00 am Lessons.

12.00 pm Lunch for Reception and Year 1.

12.30 pm Lunch for Year 2 – Year 6, lunchtime clubs and break in playground.

1.00 pm Quiet Time for Reception and Year 1. Some Year 6 pupils assist the teachers.

1.30 pm Registration and afternoon lessons begin.

2.55 pm Playground gate opens.

3.00 pm KS1 school ends. Parents collect girls from their Reception classrooms for the first two and a half terms. All other girls are collected from the playground and must shake hands with their form teacher before departing. If wet, KS1 girls are collected from their classrooms. Afternoon clubs begin for KS1.

3.10 pm Playground gate closes.

3.35 pm Playground gate opens.

3.40 pm KS2 school ends. Girls are collected from the playground and must shake hands with their form teacher before departing. If wet, girls are collected from their classrooms. Afternoon clubs begin for KS2.

The school day

5

Assemblies

School assemblies are held regularly after morning registration. Some are for the whole school; some are for each key stage. Once a week a class or year group takes an assembly and parents may be invited to watch these at 8.40 in the hall.

Physical education

KS1: Girls have three 30 minute lessons a week. In the Autumn and Spring terms this is timetabled as one gymnastics, one dance and one games lesson each week. In the summer term all three lessons are games and athletics orientated. Year 2 also additionally swim for the whole year.

KS2: Girls have two, one hour lessons a week. In the Autumn and Spring terms this is timetabled as one games and one hour of gymnastics/dance a week. In the summer term both lessons are games and athletics orientated.

KS2 also swim for half of each year. In the summer term Year 6 experience some different organised sports activities for the Year 6 project.

There is a broad range of activities that are taught on site apart from swimming which takes place at Fulham Pools. The girls are taken to the pool by coach, accompanied by staff. We have several

inter-house and inter-school galas and Girls’ Day School Trust events with other schools. We have a whole school sports day in the Summer term. All PE lessons and swimming during school periods are compulsory unless girls are exempted for specific medical reasons, where a written letter to the teacher of physical education is required. If a girl is unable to swim, she will either remain in school with another class or will bring a book to read at Fulham Pools.

All PE kit should be kept in the girl’s sports bag and every item should be named. If your daughter has a verucca please provide her with medical tape to cover it during gym and dance lessons or a verucca sock for swimming.

For health and safety reasons, girls should have their hair tied back for all PE lessons and no jewellery or earrings should be worn. Mouth guards are compulsory from Year 4 to Year 6.

The PE department offers an extensive range of sports clubs and specific squad opportunities for the older girls in KS2. In years 5 and 6 (depending on the sport), frequent matches against other schools are arranged. These may involve travelling to other schools and will result in a later home time than usual. Details of these are sent to parents in advance and no pupil is allowed offsite to a fixture unless written permission is received from parents.

6 The school day

Music

All girls have two music lessons per week in which aspects of singing, performing, composing, listening, notation and theory are studied. Many also receive individual instrumental tuition from visiting teachers.

Instrumental tuition Tuition in piano, flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, recorder, bassoon, violin, viola, cello, harp, guitar, trumpet, drum kit, French horn, singing and music theory is available to girls in Year 2 and above depending on availability. There are presently 220 lessons given each week.

In addition to private tuition, there is a beginner strings club, beginner recorder club, beginner brass club, and theory club for any interested girls in Year 1 and 2 and above. Instrumental tuition takes place during the school day and, inevitably, the girls will miss some school lessons. Care is taken to rotate the timetable so that no subject suffers unduly. Dates and times of lessons are recorded each week in your daughter’s Homework Diary or Music Notebook which must be brought to each lesson.

Timetables of lessons are also displayed on the Music Department’s notice board.

Parents of girls receiving tuition are asked to encourage their daughters to practise at home and follow their progress. Any observations/comments can be noted at home in the practice notebook; in this way a dialogue with your daughter’s teacher is established.

During the school day instruments should be stored in the instrument store cupboard. All instrument cases and music must be named clearly. Parents must also insure all instruments of value.

Any enquiries about musical activities within the school, including applications for instrumental lessons, should be made to the Director of Music in writing (an application form is available from the school office). Please bear in mind that there is often a waiting list for individual tuition.

NB: A full term’s notice is required in writing if you wish your daughter to discontinue individual lessons in school.

School choirs, music clubs and Ensembles

There are many opportunities for girls to join a variety of music groups/ensembles. The school operates an all inclusive policy and girls are encouraged to participate.

7The school day

Opportunities to Perform As well as opportunities to perform in assemblies, concerts and in the Carol Service, the girls give annual performances at St John’s Smith Square, and at the Summer Concert at Cadogan Hall. In 2014, the Choir and Orchestra will be undertaking their third overseas tour to the Netherlands. Parents are always welcome on these occasions.

Weekly music rehearsal schedule

Monday:8:00am Chamber Choir (by

invitation)10:35am Recorder Ensemble 1:00pm Junior Choir (Year 3 and 4)3:00pm Beginner Strings Club (Year

1 and 2)

Tuesday:  10:35am String Orchestra1:00pm Key Stage One Orchestra

Wednesday:8:00am Theory Club12:30pm Senior Choir (Year 5 and 6)

Thursday:8:00am Wind Band12:30pm Year 1 Recorder Club1:00pm Year 2 Recorder Club1:00pm Brass Club

Friday:8:00am Chamber orchestra

(by invitation)12:30pm School Orchestra

(Year 3, 4, 5, 6)

Homework

Homework is set throughout the school as an integral part of pupils’ learning and is an important link between home and school. The type of homework and the amount set varies according to age and experience.

KS1 Pupils are set daily reading, spelling or phonics and in Year 2 a weekly maths task is added. Reading is recorded in the pupils’ Reading Record book.

Typically this amounts to: Reception – 5 to 10 minutes daily. Year 1 – 10 to 15 minutes daily. Year 2 – 10 to 15 minutes daily plus a weekly maths task.

KS2 In KS2, pupils are expected to read regularly, preferably daily, as well as having weekly maths, English, history/geography topic and times tables’ tasks. In Year 4 science homework is added.

8 The school day

Typically this amounts to: Year 3 – 20 minutes daily. Year 4 – 30 minutes daily. Year 5 & Year 6 – 45 to 60 minutes daily.

In KS2 pupils are given a school Homework Diary which should be brought into school every day and taken home each night. All homework tasks and reading should be recorded in the diary and parents and girls are asked to sign these each week.

Parents are asked to ensure that girls have a quiet place and a regular routine for their homework.

Learning support

Lessons are differentiated. However from Year 3 we occasionally recommend that a pupil receives 1:1 support in the school after discussion with parents. This is a paid extra. The Learning Support Coordinator oversees this and we have peripatetic Learning Support Staff for this purpose.

School lunches

All girls are expected to have school lunch and this is provided by caterers, Holdroyd Howe, in the school dining room. Lunch is freshly prepared by our on site chef, Caroline MacNamara, assistant chef, Colin Craig, and their team. Great care is taken to produce healthy nourishing meals. A choice of courses is available including a vegetarian option and a choice of salads. The weekly menus are published in the weekly newsletter Kensington Press.

Lunch begins at noon for Reception girls. After choosing their meal they sit with their friends in the dining room and are supervised by staff. Reception girls should be confident at using a knife and fork but staff are always there to give a helping hand! Each year group then follows, but the times of a girl’s lunch may vary slightly each day according to their lunch time clubs.

Food allergies and special dietary requirements will be catered for. Please inform the Director of Finance and Operations in writing if your daughter suffers from any food allergies, particularly nut allergies. The school is a nut free zone.

Payment for lunches and refreshments are made in advance along with the fees.

9The school day

Morning break snacks

Water and milk in Reception are available to all girls. A snack is also provided each morning which varies each day. Girls may bring in their own fresh fruit or vegetables to eat instead should they prefer. No nuts, wrapped snack bars, sweets or any other food is permitted in school.

Girls may bring in their own labelled water bottles (not glass) to have in their classrooms. There are water fountains situated in various locations in the school.

Break/playtimes

Weather permitting, all girls spend their mornings and lunch breaks outside (unless they are attending lunchtime clubs) where they are supervised by staff. They can enjoy playing with their friends, inventing games in our new outside space, or on the apparatus or playing with our playground toys and games.

In wet weather under the supervision of staff, girls remain in their classrooms and play with the indoor break games.

School clubs

The school provides a range of extra curricular activities and clubs for which a charge may be made. Clubs take place both at lunchtime and after school. Details of these and their expected finish times are circulated to parents in advance, please see website (under parent log-in) for details.

School trips

During the course of each year, classes will be involved in school trips. These may include museums, art galleries, theatre trips, farm visits and are usually linked to the curriculum. Guest speakers may also be invited into the school, for example an author, a member of the fire brigade, police etc.

In addition to these trips, residential trips for the older girls take place: In Year 4: an activity based trip, Isle of Wight – 4 days. In Year 5: a science based trip, Cornwall – 5 days. In Year 6: a trip to France – 5 days.

The cost of the trips is added to the Extras Bill which is paid termly.

Parental consent for short local trips is covered by the Permission Form which parents are asked to sign at the beginning of each school year.

10 The school day

The GDST’s insurers require individual consent forms for residential trips and these are issued in advance of the trip. These must be returned to the school on each occasion as soon as possible.

The Year 6 special project

In the Summer term a special project is organised each year which is tailor made to suit the particular year group. The project or mini-projects take place in the summer term and in the past these have included a theatre project, an African project, a design project, an ‘eco warrior’ and an Olympic legacy project. These have involved a great variety of exciting challenges and fascinating visits.

Houses

All girls are allocated to one of the four school houses: Baker, Burke, Charlesworth and Home (all names of previous headmistresses). At present the houses feature in the context of in-school charity fund-raising and sports events.

Changing class groups

After joining us in Reception, girls usually remain in the same class groups as they progress through KS1 though we may occasionally mix them up. At the start of KS2 (Year 3) the girls are usually mixed to make two new classes and again at the end of Year 4. It is good for girls to learn how to deal with change in a supportive environment, and girls’ friendship groups are taken into account.

School Council

Kensington Prep has a School Council which is a forum to encourage girls to contribute ideas and suggestions about school life. One girl from each class from Year 1 upwards is elected by her peers to sit on the Council for a year.

The council reps bring in ideas and suggestions from their peers to discuss at weekly meetings.

11The school day

All girls shake hands with a member of staff at the end of the school day as they are collected. For security reasons, it is very important for the school to know of each girl’s normal travel arrangements at the end of each day. Parents are asked to complete a ‘Collection Arrangements’ form at the beginning of each school year in September giving details of school runs etc. Please notify the school office in writing of any permanent changes made to your daughter’s arrangements should they alter during the year.

If a girl is to be collected from school by a different person from usual one day (for example, she is going to visit a friend’s house after school), please ensure that the form teacher is informed in writing. If there is a late alteration to arrangements, please telephone the school office, preferably before noon.

Any girl who is not collected at the end of the day is looked after by the member of staff on duty. No girl may leave the school premises on her own (with the exception of Year 6).

Year 6 Girls – Year 6 may walk to and from school or use public transport, if their parents give them written permission to do so. We recommend that girls travel in pairs where possible. (See page 23 for rules regarding use of mobile phones for girls travelling to school independently.)

Scooters – If used for the journey to and from school these may be left in the scooter racks provided. They should be clearly named and taken home at the end of each day. Girls should walk their scooters across the playground.

Parents’ cars – We try to operate a voluntary ‘one way’ system to try and ease congestion in the immediate area, therefore please only drive north up Kelvedon Road. Please observe the parking restrictions and we ask you to park considerately and not block driveways.

Car-pooling rotas and where possible, walking to school are encouraged to ease congestion. We promote a voluntary “walk-to-school-day” on Wednesdays.

Dogs – For health and safety reasons, please do not bring dogs into the school playground or premises unless carried.

Travelling to and from school

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Playground equipment and apparatus – These are for the enjoyment of pupils during their lessons and break times. Pupils and their siblings must not use them in the morning before school or at the end of the day.

The Hall – Parents should leave buggies outside. Drinks and food are not permitted in the Hall.

Procedures for KS1 late collection

School ends for KS1 at 3.00pm. If, as a result of an emergency, a girl is not collected and there is no phone call from a parent, girls may wait in ‘sisters’ until 3.40pm where they are looked after by a Teaching Assistant (see below). At 3.40pm the Office will telephone home or mobile to find out why the child has not been collected.

All children should be collected by 4.00pm unless they are doing a club.

‘Sisters’

Younger sisters can wait until 3.40 in ‘Sisters’ where they are looked after by a Teaching Assistant. The ‘sisters’ rota showing which classroom the girls should be picked up from can be found on the parent log-in section of the website. It can occasionally change.

Communication

We have an Open Door Policy. It is always possible for parents to see members of staff and Mrs Lynch at any stage during the school term.

Should a query or concern arise, the first port of call should be the form teacher. Depending upon the nature of the matter, it is often possible to chat briefly at the end of the school day. Alternatively a specific appointment may be booked by contacting the relevant member of staff in writing or via e-mail through the school office: schooloffice@kenprep.gdst.net. Mrs Lynch is often available at drop off time for a brief chat. Appointments with Mrs Lynch should be made by contacting Mrs Bonner in the school office.

Use of e-mail: Please do not e-mail staff direct – the best way for parents to communicate with staff is by letter as teachers aren’t always able to access and deal with e-mail correspondence on the same day as receipt.

A Calendar of School Events is sent to the parents at the beginning of each term and parents are always welcome at school concerts, plays and sports matches.

Parents and the school

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Homework Diaries or Home/School books (and for Pre-Prep, the reading record) are also used to convey information about events for example when a girl is performing in assembly. Parents are invited to these occasions.

School website – parent log-in

There is a ‘parents only’ section of the school website which gives details of terms dates, clubs, newsletters, Year Group reading lists, Parents’ Association activities and school policies including ICT, child protection, behaviour, anti-bullying, administering of medicines, the procedure for the late collection and missing children and the procedure for complaints. There is a parent log-in and password to access this section of the website, which we would ask is kept confidential.

Parent log-in: Username: kpsparent Password: KPSp@rent

Use of parent e-mail

Parents e-mail address lists We ask that parents use parent e-mail address lists sparingly and only for school purposes. The contact lists are compiled by the Parents’ Association to assist in the organisation of school and social activities and should not be used

for commercial, individual or charity purposes.

Use of e-mail We ask that no e-mails are sent by parents regarding school policies or behaviour. This is essential, as we have had occasions when inaccuracies have occurred and inadvertently circulated through e-mail messages.

Parents’ evenings

Welcome Meetings are held at the start of the autumn term for each Year Group to outline the year ahead. A curriculum information sheet and timetable are distributed.

Parents’ Evenings are also held later in the autumn term and in the spring term.

In the summer term, a ‘Years Ahead’ meeting is held for Year 1 parents to explain how activities and the curriculum progress in higher years up the school.

In the summer term, for Year 4 parents only, a year group meeting is held to discuss the senior school application process. In the same term, for Year 5 parents only, individual parent/teacher meetings are held with Mrs Lynch and core subject staff to discuss future schools.

14 Parents and the school

Reports

School reports on the core subjects (English, maths and science) are issued at the end of the autumn term in December. A full report is issued at the end of the summer term and also for Reception, Foundation Profiles are produced.

If requested in writing to the Head, parents are able to access personal file records and the EYFS Profile is constantly available in the classroom. The school will take into account data protection rules when disclosing records which refer to third parties.

Letters, newsletters and notices

The school encourages the active involvement of parents in the activities of the school and information is distributed via e-mail to parents every Thursday. Please check your e-mails regularly.

The Kensington Press is a weekly newsletter which gives up to date information about the school and events.

Kensington Prep School Magazine is published at the end of the summer term, reviewing the year’s activities.

We use text messaging should we need to notify parents of a last minute club cancellation or an unforeseen immediate school emergency. In a school emergency (such as closure due to bad weather/incidents of an infectious illness etc) we would also ask parents to check the school website for further details.

(See also Evacuation Plan page 20).

School office

The school office is manned from 8am to 5pm. Due to data protection issues, we would kindly ask parents (and girls) not to come into the office to speak to the reception staff, but use the office window in the entrance hall.

Parents’ Association

All parents automatically become members of the Kensington Parents’ Association (KPA) once their daughter joins the school. The KPA is a thriving and enthusiastic association which organises social events for parents and other school activities and helps to raise funds to provide additional items and facilities.

15Parents and the school

Each form or year group has a KPA representative who co-ordinates activities such as parent coffee mornings, social evenings, volunteers for school trips.

Form representatives keep in touch with parents to notify them of school activities and events, often via email, using a contacts list which they have compiled at the beginning of the year. This list is only to be used for KPA matters and is not disclosed publicly.

An important role for the Association is to help raise funds for the school. Items which the school has been able to purchase thanks to the Association include new gym equipment, a new piano for the hall, playground toys and library sofas.

An annual Christmas Fair and the summer term Carnival are the main fundraising occasions and additional events are also organised.

Mrs Lynch is the President of the Association. KPA has five elected officers – Chair, Events Secretary, Development Secretary, Treasurer, and Communications Secretary.

The committee meets two or three times a term and an AGM is held during the first half of the autumn term.

Parents are invited to volunteer as form representatives and are voted in at the Special General Meeting in the summer term (for a year-long term of office).

Guest speakers and events may also be organised for the girls and parents. A KPA subscription is charged annually on the Extras Bill; the amount will be notified in advance.

As the school has an Open Door Policy, if you have a query or concern regarding your daughter, the curriculum or school policies in general, this should be directed in the first instance to your form teacher and not to the KPA.

Details of the KPA activities and minutes of committee meetings can be found on the parent log-in section of the website.

Parent helpers

We love having parents in to help with various activities from time to time, possibly with reading groups, art sessions and on school trips.

Book Shop is organised and run by parents and is open one lunchtime to all girls in Y3 and above.

16 Parents and the school

It offers second hand books (approx 60p and 20p) for girls to buy. In order that money is brought into school infrequently, every girl is given a ‘Wise Owl’ card which operates as an account system. Girls may bring in cash at the beginning of term (£5-£10 is the norm) to charge to their card. The parents on duty are there to help the girls choose suitable books. Books may be reserved for one week so that girls have time to think about their choice and, perhaps, obtain clearance from home.

Book Shop is always on the search for good quality second hand books for 6-12 year olds, which it buys for 50p and 10p per book. Please encourage girls to recycle their books once they have read them.

Birthday parties

While the school encourages the girls to mix outside school, we would prefer parties to be held at weekends rather than during the week. Experience has shown that in the younger years particularly, the prospect of a party tends to override all other concerns and leaves the girls exhausted for the rest of the week.

Please only ask form teachers to distribute party invitations if everyone in the class is being invited; otherwise they should be sent by post.

Birthday Cakes Girls may bring cakes into school to celebrate their birthday; these should be individual or pre-cut, contain no nuts and be enough for the class.

Taking and using photographs of children in school

All parents receive a form at the start of each year checking their permission that any photographs taken of their daughter/daughters during school activities can be used by the school (including for example on display boards, news items both online and in print and on the school website). Please do not ask teachers for access to any photographs that may have been taken in school, as releasing any photos more widely is against school policy.

We would request that parents do not take photographs of the girls inside the school grounds during the normal school day.

For child safety reasons parents may not video or photograph gym or dance displays.

As part of the Early Years Foundation Stage Policy, staff may only use school ICT equipment to take photographs of the girls learning for Profile Records.

17Parents and the school

Attendance and illness

Each year parents are sent a list of dates for future school terms. Permission for girls to be absent from school within term time will be given only in excep-tional circumstances. Such permission must be sought well in advance by letter to Mrs Lynch. Mrs Lynch is obliged to report any unauthorised absence to the Department for Education.

When a girl is kept away from school for illness, parents are asked to telephone the school on the first day (please state your daughter’s name, form and reason for absence) and to send a note addressed to the form teacher explaining the reason for the absence; this should be brought into school on the girl’s day of return to school. Work is not usually sent home during periods of sickness unless the absence is prolonged.

When parents wish their daughter to be excused from sport because of illness or injury, they should make their request in writing to the teacher of physical education. This letter must be separate from any other note.

If a girl is taken ill during school hours and is unable to participate fully in lessons, she may be taken to the sick room to lie down. If symptoms persist parents will be contacted by the School Welfare Officer or the school office.

If there is any matter concerning a girl’s health that will affect her work or attitude, parents are asked to inform the school of the circumstances.

As an integral part of our pastoral care of pupils, the school has a Child Protection Policy which can be downloaded from the school website. This policy encourages girls to see school as a safe place in which they are helped to understand the skills they need to protect themselves. The curriculum and the wider programme of the school provide a context in which abuse issues of all sorts can be appropriately handled. Any allegations of abuse will be treated with complete seriousness and confidentiality. The school has specific procedures for dealing with bullying. The school has a statutory duty to refer any case which gives serious concern to the appropriate professional agency.

Parents who intend to withdraw their daughter from the school to another school are asked to discuss this with Mrs Lynch as early as possible. A term’s statutory notice must always be given.

First aid

On the staff are a number of qualified first-aiders who are consulted in the event of injury or sickness.

Attendance, health and safety

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First Aid boxes are available in a number of locations throughout the building and a debrillator (AED) is kept in the medical room.

All accidents are recorded in writing in an Accident book.

If a girl receives a head injury during the course of the day, however mild, she will be seen by a member of staff and assessed; the accident will be recorded in the Accident book. Parents will be contacted as a precaution and a head injury advice form (red form) will be sent home informing parents of the accident.

Sited around and under our playground apparatus are special surfaces. However, should a girl fall from a height from one of these, the same procedure as with a head injury will be followed, but the form sent home to parents for such accidents will be blue.

Parents will also be contacted when an accident has occurred where it is thought to be more serious than a minor graze.

Medicines

Only essential medicines should be bought into school where it would be detrimental to a child’s health if not administered in school.

These include:• Asthma inhalers.• Epipens.• Antibiotics.

If your daughter requires medication during school hours please bring it to the school office where you will be asked to complete a consent form for the administration of the medicine.

All medication must be:• Clearly labelled with child’s full name.• In original container.• Brought in with written instructions.• Within the expiry date

Antibiotics should only be sent to school if required more than three times a day. Parents do not need to send Paracetamol or Calpol into school as we have our own supply, but a consent form will still need to be completed. Nurofen/Ibuprofen should only be given on GP’s advice.

Please do not send cough or cold remedies to school, as if required, your daughter should be at home. We prefer not to administer eye, ear or nose drops at school. It is parents’ responsibility to check that medicines are up to date and to keep the school informed of any changes.

The school has an Asthma and an Anaphylaxis policy.

19

The school welfare officer

We have a School Welfare Officer, a qualified First Aider, who completes various hearing, sight and general health checks on new pupils, during the school year.

All health information is confidential although the Welfare Officer may need to pass relevant health information to staff which affects a pupil during the school day.

Head lice

This can be a recurring problem in practically every school. The best method of control is diligence at home in checking all your children’s hair frequently with a fine, metal, toothcomb on wet hair after applying conditioner.

The parent of any girl found to have head lice in her hair will be informed and will be give a note on appropriate treatment. Other girls in the form will be given a note asking parents to check hair and scalps that night.

Fire drills

Fire drills are held regularly, at least once a term. We expect to evacuate all girls and staff from the building within two minutes. On hearing the fire bell

sound, everyone in the building (including visitors and parents) must always evacuate it immediately following the fire routes which are displayed in every room.

Evacuation plan

We use text messaging should we need to notify parents of an immediate school emergency and we ask parents to check the school website for further details. A parent cascade telephone contact system is maintained as a backup. This is set up each September and circulated to all parents by their Form representatives with the class list of contact names and telephone numbers.

Please ensure you have a copy both at home and at work. Any changes to your contact details should be sent both to the school office and your form rep.

In the event of a child going missing we would alert as many staff as possible, check the registers, search the school referring to the girl’s photograph (stored on database), get the caretaker to check surrounding streets and if necessary we would contact parents and police.

20 Attendance, health and safety

School outfitters

The full uniform list is detailed in the Appendix.

Uniform is ordered by mail order through Perry Uniform www.perryuniform.co.uk or phone 0113 236 2095.

• Correct uniform must be worn at all times and all items should be clearly named.

• No hairbraids, jewellery, including earrings or sleepers, may be worn.

• Watches may be worn from Year 2 upwards (these must be named).

• All hair which does not clear the shoulders must be tied back neatly, and kept away from the face. Dark coloured hair ribbons and hair slides only.

• Summer uniform should be worn from the start of the summer term until the autumn half term. Winter uniform must be worn after the autumn half term. Please ensure your daughter has sensible shoes. No slip-on shoes eg ballet pumps or loafers are permitted.

Equipment

The following items are required:

Reception –Year 2 Book bags from Perry Uniform.

Year 3 and above Own pencils, rubber, pencil sharpener, 30 cm ruler, set of coloured pencils, school bag.

Year 4 As Year 3, and an ink pen.

Year 5 and above As Year 4 and a pair of compasses, protractor, calculator, dictionary and thesaurus.

Lost property

It is essential to make sure that all items of clothing and equipment are clearly named.

Lost Property is placed in our plastic bins which are kept near the hall. Parents are welcome to come into school and check at the end of the day. On a regular basis monitors aim to return as much as possible to their owners. At the end of a term any remaining lost property is displayed in the playground.

Uniform and equipment

21

Our school values

“Treat other people as you would like to be treated”

1 Do your best to be your best. Don’t waste your or other people’s time.

2 Do be kind and helpful. Don’t hurt people’s feelings.

3 Do be gentle. Don’t hurt anyone.4 Do listen. Don’t interrupt.5 Do be honest. Don’t cover up

the truth.6 Do look after property. Don’t waste

or damage things.

Privilege time

This is a period of time each week (20 minutes) when the girls are free to participate in an activity of their choice (from a selection of teacher designated activities) as a reward for positive behaviour. Throughout the week girls are expected to comply with our school values. Should they behave in a negative way, they will be given a specific warning about their behaviour and the chance to stop. If they choose to continue not to comply with our values after the warning they will miss one minute of privilege time. They cannot miss the whole privilege time and experience has shown that a warning alone is usually enough to focus a child and remind them of how they are expected to behave.

School rules

The school rules are kept to a minimum. From a parent’s point of view please note: • Arrival time, not before 8 am and

generally girls should arrive from 8.10 am using the playground entrance.

• No dogs are to be brought into the playground for health and safety reasons.

• If girls are late, they must be signed in by the school office.

• If girls are taken out of the school during the day by a parent, they must sign out at the school office.

• All visitors/parents coming into the school either to assist or for an appointment must sign in by the school office.

• The girls should wear the correct school uniform at all times with hair tied back when hair is not clear of the shoulders. No hairbraids, jewellery or earrings are permitted.

• The playground apparatus is not to be used by girls or siblings at the start or end of the school day.

• All uniform and equipment brought into school should be named including watches, pens, pencil cases school bags scooters etc.

Behaviour

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• Mobile phones should not be brought into school, unless special permission is given, eg if a Year 6 girl is travelling to school independently. All mobiles should be handed into the school office each morning and collected at the end of the day.

• No valuable items should be brought into school eg: iPods, favourite teddies .

Behaviour around school

The school has a Behaviour Policy and an Anti-Bullying Policy. Both can be downloaded from the parent log-in section of the school website. The following is a summary of some of the key elements.

We believe that the atmosphere of the school should feel safe and friendly and have a sense of purpose and enjoyment.

Children should: • Move around the school showing

consideration for others, including holding doors open for each other and for adults.

• Keep to the left when walking up or down the stairs.

• Be polite and respectful to others at all times.

• Ask for permission to leave or to enter another class.

• Be silent entering and leaving assembly.

Children in all classrooms are expected to:• Be on task and be considerate of

those who are working.• Work to the best of their abilities.• Listen to the instructions of staff and

do their best to follow them.• Show respect for school property

and that of others. If equipment is broken either deliberately or through careless action charges will be made.

Children should observe the general considerations of the playground:• Girls should take out everything they

need for play before exiting the building and not re-enter without permission.

• Girls must not go onto the main playground area at the beginning of break until a member of staff is present.

• Girls should try using TAG (see overleaf) and try initially to sort their friendship issues before seeking adult help.

• Only selected monitors are allowed into the PE store.

• Playground toys are kept in specific areas. All equipment should be returned at the end of play.

• Rubbish should be placed in bins.

23

• Accidents/incidents should be reported to the adult on duty/ a first aider.

• The pond area is out of bounds. • The climbing equipment can only be

used when a staff member is present according to a year group rota.

• Children must ask for permission to use the toilets during break and respect the privacy of others.

• At the end of play all children are expected to stand still at the first bell and line up at the second bell in silence.

Health and safety: • No running is allowed in the

corridors.• If a teacher has not arrived at a new

lesson within a short period of time, the form captain should inform the office or go to the staff room.

• Climbing equipment is out of bounds to all children at the beginning and end of the school day, including siblings.

• The ICT room, art room, DT room and science lab may not be entered without an adult present. Pupils must line up outside the room and wait for a member of staff to arrive.

Friendship issues

If children have difficulties in the playground we have a useful code called TAG.

The letters stand for:T Tell the person who has upset you

how their action or words make you feel.

A Ask them to stop.G If this does not work, get help from

an adult.

Most of the time, the girls can resolve their own situations in this way. However, adults are always there to help if necessary. In the event of a prolonged difficulty with a girl or girls, form staff, and ultimately the Head will step in to help resolve the problem.

We have a no tolerance policy for any aggressive physical behaviour, and an adult will always intervene. Parents will normally be informed if this takes place.

24 Behaviour

Use of computers/internet/e-mail

Pupils throughout the school have access to computer technology on a regular basis including supervised access to the internet for all pupils in the school and e-mail use for pupils in KS2. This is provided via Trust Head Office which has established an effective firewall and screening procedure to restrict access to unsuitable material.

Our ICT Code of Conduct is sent home each year for parents to read and discuss with their daughters. Parents are asked to give signed permission for their daughter to use this facility and confirm that they will abide by the school policy.

The school runs regular Internet Safety Days which include workshops during the school day for KS1 and KS2 children and a session for the parents in the evening. All of the sessions are hosted by Childnet respresentatives. For more information on internet safety please visit: www.thinkuknow.co.uk or www.childnet-int.org.

Information on school fees is sent direct to parents by the Trust before the start of each summer term and the Trust will give not less than one term’s notice of any increase in fees. Fees cover tuition, all stationery, textbooks and scientific materials and pupils’ personal accident insurance. Fees do not include school lunches, the cost of which is added to the fees account.

An invoice for all three terms is sent out at the beginning of each school year. Fees are paid via the bank direct debit system and are payable termly in advance before the first day of the term concerned. Fees may also be paid by monthly instalment. Parents should contact the Trust Office with any queries.

Extras bills

These are sent out at the end of each term and cover the cost of trips, clubs, visitors and other extra activities.

Payment by bank transfer is preferred.NatWest BankSort code: 60-04-04Account No: 24060585

Please use your daughter’s name as a reference. If paying by cheque, please make cheques payable to Kensington Prep School and write your daughter’s name and form on the back.

School fees

25

Kensington Prep was the first school to be established by the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST).

The GDST is the leading network of independent girls’ schools in the UK, with nearly 4,000 staff, and 20,000 students between the ages of three and 18. As a charity that owns and runs a network of 24 schools and two academies in England and Wales, it reinvests all its income in its schools. Founded in 1872, the GDST has a long history of pioneering innovation in the education of girls, and is the largest single educator of girls in the UK (and the UK’s largest educational charity).

Governing Body

Unlike most other independent schools, the Council of the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST) rather than individual school governors, hold the ultimate legal and financial responsibility for the running of the GDST schools.

Kensington Prep in common with other GDST schools, has a body of school governors whose role is to foster excellence in the school, help develop its strategies and plans, advise on ways in which the available resources might be used to best possible effect, and to help maintain the school’s high standing in the local community. A governors’ meeting is held once a term.

Governors are appointed from the school and local community so they have local knowledge of the school and the community it serves – and serve a four year term. Details of the Governing Body are given in the Appendix.

Girls’ Day School Trust

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Autumn Term 2013

Staff Study Day Tuesday 3 & Wednesday 4 September

Term start s Thursday 5 September

Half-term Friday 25 October – Friday 1 November

Term ends Wednesday 18 December

Spring Term 2014

Staff Study Day Monday 6 January

Term starts Tuesday 7 January

Half-term Monday 17 – 21 Feb

Term ends Wednesday 2 April

Summer Term 2014

Staff Study Day Wednesday 23 April

Term Starts Thursday 24 April

May Day Monday 5 May (No School)

Half-term Monday 26 May - Friday 30 May

Term ends Thursday 10 July

Term dates 2013 –14

27

School uniform can be ordered by telephone or online from our school outfitters: Perry Uniform.

Perry Uniform: Telephone 0113 236 2095 www.perryuniform.co.uk Customer service 09.00 – 17.00 Mon to Fri.

All uniform must be clearly and securely named. (Perry Uniform also stock woven name tapes and adhesive identity labels).

OuterwearNavy/red check jacket withdetachable sleevesNavy waterproof mackintoshOptional, no other colour or stylemay be worn:Red fleece hatRed fleece glovesRed fleece mittensNavy or black shoes (straps or laces)

Winter uniformIvory blouseBlue/red check skirtRoyal blue jumperLong navy socks and/or tights

Summer uniformStriped summer dressFor chest sizes 28” and abovestriped dress with inverted pleat skirtRoyal blue cardiganAnkle length white socks(Must be plain with no frills or lace)Navy or black sandals (no open toesor heels)Optional:White sun hat

PE kit – Reception to Year 3White KPS polo shirtRoyal blue games shortsNavy KPS sweatshirtNavy tracksuit bottomsBlack leotard 3/4 sleevesBlack gym pantsKPS sports duffle bagReception to Year 2:Black elasticated plimsollsVelcro strap plimsolls

Uniform list

28

PE kit – Year 3 to Year 6White cotton KPS polo shirtRoyal blue games shortsGames skort (Years 5 and 6 in additionto shorts)Navy KPS tracksuit topNavy microfibre tracksuit bottomsBlack leotard 3/4 sleevesBlack gym pantsKPS sports duffle bagTrainers (white/plain design)Optional: Long red sports socks

Swimming kit – Year 2 to Year 6Children swim for ½ academic year.Contact school office for moreinformation:KPS Baker house swim hat (Green)KPS Burke house swim hat (Red)KPS Charlesworth house swim hat(Royal blue)KPS Home house swim hat (Yellow)Navy Speedback swimsuit

Art overallsReception to Year 4Waterproof art smockYear 5 and Year 6Apron

School bagsReception to Year 2KPS book bagYear 3 to Year 6KPS school back pack

HousesBaker – GreenBurke – RedHome – YellowCharlesworth – Blue

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The Council of the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST) has the overall responsibility for the management of all Trust schools. However, the school also has a body of governors which includes a Council representative. The board acts in an advisory capacity to the head, and meets once a term.

Governing BodyMrs R. Bowman BA PGCE (Chairman)

Mrs K. Easton CBE, BA (Vice Chairman)

Mrs M. Fanshawe BA (Oxon)

Professor R. Tait DPhil (Oxon)

Mr R. Wastcoat BS

Mrs C. Wells BA

Mrs G. Windsor Clive BA

Governors

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HeadMrs Prudence Lynch MA (St Andrews) PGCE

Deputy Head:Mrs C. Raines BA (London) PGCE

Director of Individualised LearningMrs J. Schiff Cert. Ed (London)

Director of StudiesMiss P. Daverson BEd (Chichester)

Head of AssessmentMr D. Shattock BSc, PGCE (Brunel)

Teaching StaffMiss L. Archer MA (Durham) QTS

Mrs H. Alton BA (Roehampton) PGCE

Miss C. Amiss BEd (Exeter)

Mrs V. Atkinson BA (Warwick) PGCE

Mr J. Burgess BA Dip Arts (Mus)

Miss R. Churchley BA (Exeter) PGCE

Miss S. Edwards BSc (Bath ) PGCE

Miss X. Fried MMus (Goldsmiths) PGCE

Mrs T Gale BA (Reading) PGCE

Miss G. Illsley BA (Birmingham) QTS

Mr D. Jameson BA (Manchester) QTS

Miss E. Jones BA (Sheffield) PGCE

Miss A. Keys BEd

Mrs C. Lanfranchi BA (Roehampton) QTS

Mrs C. Leach BEd (Durham)

Mrs C. Lobbezoo BEd (Utrecht)

Mrs D. Marcangelo BEd (London)

Mrs T. Molony BA, PGCE (Cantab)

Mrs H. Salman BA (Goldsmiths) QTS

Mrs E. Stuckey BA (Oxon) PGCE

Teaching AssistantsMiss J. AltonMiss C. Barrington Haynes BA

Miss L. Bartlett NVQ3

Mrs K. Beaney NVQ3

Mrs C. Hitchcock MA (Oxon)

Mrs J. Seeley NNEB

Miss A. Timmis BA

Mrs Vidal-Hall BA (Cantab) PGCE

Miss S. West BA

Director of Operations and FinanceMr S. Allen MA (Cranfield)

Finance OfficerMrs K. Cadman BSc, ACA

Head’s PA, Registrar,Clerk to the GovernorsMrs J.M.A. Bonner

School SecretaryMiss J. Riley

Site Network ManagerMr C. Thackray BSc

School LibrarianMrs A. McGinley BA Lib

School Marketing ManagerMs M. Smart MA

Medical ExaminerDr S. Halliday MBBS, FPCERT

Staff List

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Welfare OfficerMrs S. Wheeler MCSP

Site SupervisorMr A. Weller

Visiting StaffMrs B. Austin-Brown LRAM

Miss A. Birchall PGDipLTCL

Mrs C. CavalierMr J. Clark BA Hons

Mrs C. Cox Hornsby Institute Diploma

Mr B. Ellsbury PGCE, LTCL, ARCM, ALCM

Miss V. Guiffray BMus (London), LRAM

Mrs L. HollidayMiss A. Holmes LRAM

Mrs S. Kempf Adv. Studies Dip. RAM,

Dip. Moscow Conservatoire

Miss K. Mill BMus

Mrs P. Poppa MMusPGD

Miss C. SharpMiss H. Smith LRAM, PDP, PGCAME

Miss K. SteffanMiss K. Stephenson BA (Music)

Miss R. Stockdale BMus PGDP

Mrs R Vanni LRAM PGDP

Mrs E. Vickers MA (Edinburgh) PGCE,

Hornsby Institute Diploma

32 Staff list

All details correct at time of printing (July 2013)

Kensington Prep School 596 Fulham Road London SW6 5PA

Telephone 020 7731 9300 E-mail: schooloffice@kenprep.gdst.net www.kensingtonprep.gdst.net