Pontypridd High School. Moving On Everything you need to know about coming to our School. A message from our Head teacher Mr Cripps Dear Future Pontypridd High School pupil, We hope you like our “Moving On” booklet. This is the first edition and another 2 editions will follow, one in January and the third will be out in May. We will send them to you in your primary schools. We understand that many of you will be nervous about coming up to the “High School” and hope this helps you understand what is in store for you. There are things we want you to complete in each of the booklets, such as quizzes, worksheets, questionnaires, poems, problems, stories and art. We want you to look after this booklet and bring it with the other two books on your Transition visit in July. We award a prize for the best one and this will be presented in our Awards Ceremony in September 2013. It will be the only Year 7 prize given, so is very important. We hope you enjoy our Open Evening and look forward to seeing you in September 2013. Your Name Your Primary School How do you get to come to us? Pupils tend to come to Pontypridd High School if they have been to one of our “feeder schools”. This means they live in the area and have gone to a local Primary School. These schools are…. Trerobart Primary, Ynysybwl Craig yr Hesg, Glyncoch Cefn Primary, Glyncoch Coed y lan Primary., Pontypridd Maes y coed Primary, Pontypridd Trehopkyn Primary, Hopkinstown Cilfynydd Primary, Cilfynydd We also have pupils who come from further away, such as, Abercynon, Nelson, Edwardsville, Coedpenmaen, Graig, Porth, Trehafod, Penrhiwceiber, Tynt, Mountain Ash, Treharris, Quakers Yard, Rhydyfelin, Beddau and Taffs Well. What’s our School Uniform? We expect you to be smartly dressed at all times and feel our school uniform is a good way to show that you belong to our community. It is important be- cause it sets a standard and shows you are proud to be part of our school. The uniform is very simple, Boys must wear: Girls must wear: Black Trousers - not jeans Black Trouser - not jeans or a knee length skirt Black Sweatshirt, v neck jumper, cardigan with school badge Black Sweatshirt, v neck jumper, cardigan with school badge White polo shirt with school badge White polo shirt with school badge Black shoes - not trainers / canvas daps Black shoes - not trainers/canvas daps Dark Coat - no hoody type tops Dark Coat - no hoody type tops For PE For PE PHS rugby shirt or PHS training top PHS Polo Shirt or PHS training top Black/Navy shorts and/or Black/Navy jog- Black/Navy shorts and/or Black/Navy ging bottoms jogging bottoms Trainers/ boots for the field Trainers You can wear one pair of STUD earrings, one fine necklace and one ring. Getting Here Most of our pupils are brought to school on buses. If you come on the bus you must have a bus pass. If you don’t have one you will not be allowed on the bus. You are expected to behave on the bus and if you don’t you may have your pass taken from you which will stop you catching the bus to school. Everyday 16 buses bring the pupils to school. You usually have to get to the bus stop by 7.45 am to 8 am. The bus then picks up along the usual bus route and gets you to school by about 8.25 am. Bus Pass Where? Starts at Time Abercynon Carne Park 8.05 am Coed y Cwm Ger yr Afon 7.45 am Glyncoch Girls Derwendeg Avenue 8.00 am Glyncoch Craig yr Hesg 7.55 am Graigwen Graigwen Place 8.00 am Maesycoed Maesycoed School 7.55 am Merlin Close 8.00 am Pantygraigwen Ty Mawr Hotel 7.55 am Trehafod Trehafod playground 7.50 am Tyntetown Pentwyn Avenue 7.45 am Ynysybwl Heol y Mynach 7.50 am Robertown 7.55 am Ebenezer Chapel 7.55 am The Common Common Rd / Hosp Rd 8.05am Trallwn The Square 8.10am The Graig Highlands 8.00am What to pack in your Bag? Bus Pass On your first day at Pontypridd High School, make sure you have all these things. After your first day you will have been given your timetable and will know when to bring your PE kit and books to school. What not to bring and why? Our school is a friendly, safe place to be, but sometimes, things can get lost, broken or get in the way of learning. The latest technology is very impressive but how sad would you be if it got damaged or lost? You should not come to school wearing lots of jewellery, our school rules do not allow it. It’s just safer not to bring them. What time does school start? Once you arrive in school, you usually have to wait for the bell to go for registration. It is a good time to chat to your friends and catch up on all the latest gossip. If it is raining you are allowed to go into the hall (soggy uniform makes for a miserable and cold day). If you haven’t had breakfast you can go to the Boost Bar, behind Reception, and buy toast and a hot drink. The bell goes at 8.40 for registration and you need to go to the Lower School to get your mark for the day. Time What happens? 8.40 Bell for Registration 9.00 Lesson 1 starts 10.00 Lesson 2 starts 11.00 Break-time 11.20 Lesson 3 starts 12.20 Lesson 4 starts 1.20 Lunchtime 2.05 Lesson 5 starts 3.05 End of School 3.10 After School Clubs start Will I get lost? The school is split into two. The Lower School and the Upper School. It is easy to find your way around. You will be based mostly in the Lower School. Each classroom has a number, 106, 204. The first number, tells you where to go to, 1 is for downstairs and 2 is for upstairs. This map will also be in your planners What’s my Timetable? Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Mon:1 Tues:1 Wed:1 Thu:1 Fri:1 Humanities Games Humanities Humanities English CC 103 KM CC 103 CC 103 JJ 101 HALL Mon:2 Tues:2 Wed:2 Thu:2 Fri:2 English Music Information Tech Science Science JJ 101 REJ 117 SBr 201 RW 207 RW 207 Mon:3 Tues:3 Wed:3 Thu:3 Fri:3 Mathematics Technology Opening Minds Mathematics Opening Minds JW 211 ALC 105 AJE 110 JW 211 AJE 110 Mon:4 Tues:4 Wed:4 Thu:4 Fri:4 Opening Minds Opening Minds English Art Humanities AJE 110 AJE 110 JJ 101 MM 106 CC 103 Mon:5 Tues:5 Wed:5 Thu:5 Fri:5 Music Mathematics Welsh Games Spanish REJ 117 JW 211 KCJ 110 KM AC 111 HALL When you come to Pontypridd High, one of the first things you will be given is your timetable. This tells you what subject you will be doing, when and where. It will also tell you who your teacher will be. So, on Thursday, lesson 3, this pupil will have Maths with Mr Watson in room 211. Who’ll be in my class? When you come to Pontypridd High School, we try and make it as simple as possible. We spend a lot of time working out the best class for you and we try and place you in a class with at least 1 of your friends. The class has about 25 people in it and will have people from many different primary schools. It seems a bit scary, but through this year we will spend time getting to know each other. We will be working on tasks in groups to help with making friends. Another thing that will help is your registration teacher will be with you all the way through school. They will watch you grow from Year 7 right up to Year 11, and maybe into the Sixth form. What homework will I have? Homework is compulsory. It is given by every teacher in every subject. This is an example of what you can expect to do in the Autumn Term. ]Subject Description of task English Tracks of my life – select songs that you feel reflect times in your life or things about you. Write reasons why you chose these songs. This will be presented to the rest of the class. Maths Completion of online tasks using ‘My Maths’. Pupils log in to the portal and complete tasks. Results can be checked by parents/teachers. Science Look up the meaning of the science lab safety symbols and complete the task sheet by writing about each symbol. Geography Research tourist attractions in Wales. Select six and create a story- board. Each attraction will need to be drawn and described on the story- board. History Why did William win and Harold lose the Battle of Hastings? Explain long and short term reasons for William’s victory. Explain the causes and con- sequences. Use names, dates and keywords correctly. RE Pupils must respond the question on the sheet called ‘Beginnings’. Consider the views of others (eg. science and religion) and respond. French Research a famous French person – write and present between 5 and 10 facts. Welsh Prepare for a written vocab test. Complete tasks set in your homework booklet.