Parents Association Guide for St Leonards St Leonards Senior School , , KY16 9QJ t: +44 (0) 1334 472 126 f: +44 (0) 1334 476 152 stleonards-fife.org 201 7-2 01 8 WHAT’S THE PA? to play outside; an oven for cookery club; All parents and guardians of pupils at St mobile flood lights for the sports Leonards are automatically members. department and modular staging for The PA’s role is social, to support events drama and music productions. organised by the school - ie the Art PA NEW FAMILIES Exhibition or Rugby Tournaments - and LINK PROGRAMME it also raises money for ‘extra’ items that If you are a new family joining St St Leonards Senior School and the school needs. These items are on a Leonards and you are interested in Wish List (see below) drawn up by the meeting a family who’s already here to fill Headmaster in consultation with staff. By now you may have ploughed through the Senior School’s in any information gaps before your child The PA is a great way to meet parents or starts school, then please email paperwork, bought uniform and even sewn in name-tapes. It’s time learn about the school. [email protected] for the PA to for your child to become immersed in life at St Leonards. The PA is not a PTA, in that it is not a put you in touch with a friendly face But what about you, the parents? Where do you fit in? voice for parents with concerns or from your child’s year group. This will complaints. Please see the section on ensure that your child has someone to Solving Problems for more on that. link up with, who can help them out in You’ve automatically become members of the Parents Association The PA has open monthly meetings and their first days and weeks at School. (PA). Our role is to help other parents and guardians get to know all parents are welcome. SOCIAL REPS each other, to run social events for families and to raise funds for It has its own elected committee of Each year there is a request for ‘extras’ requested by school staff for inclusion on the between 10 and 15 parents. There is also volunteers to become social reps to a band of regular volunteers who don’t organise year group or parent get- Headmaster’s Wish List. want to be on a committee but who togethers, drum up support for PA happily supervise or run events. If you events and organise things such as a We hope this little guide produced by current parents will be helpful can help in any way please do contact: Christmas or leaving gift for teachers. [email protected] Being a Social Rep is a great way to meet as a supplement to the School’s official handbooks. It’s designed to THE HEADMASTER’S other parents. help demystify St Leonards and its quirks and curiosities. Like all WISH LIST INFORMAL PARENT institutions St Leonards has its own jargon and we’ve tried to The PA’s remit is to raise funds for ‘extra’ CONTACT LIST decipher it to enable parents to understand when their child says: items to benefit our children and that All family contact details are kept “I’ll meet you by the MC,” or “We’re playing the match on Birdcage.” staff at school say they need. The teacher confidential by the school. But as a PA specifies the item and its total cost and we will ask if you’d like to be included in asks the Headmaster to include it in a an unofficial whole-school parent contact It should at least help you sort out your CAS from your CDR. Wish List which he then puts to the PA list. Parents find that it’s good for sorting for consideration. We have recently out lift-shares and party invitations etc. funded Lego for children Being listed is voluntary and you will sign Contact: pa@stleonards-fife.org and indoor games for when it’s too wet a form if you would like to be included. If you somehow miss the email sent out Items to be sold in the shop need to be SCHOOL BUSES MEDICAL MATTERS, INHALERS in September then please ask the PA handed in to the School office or direct to The person to contact about routes and AND EPIPENS ETC about it: [email protected] the Shop. One third of proceeds go to schedules is Mr Colin Knight, the new The Medical Centre (MC) is staffed the PA and two-thirds to the pupil’s Domestic Bursar throughout the day. It is located off The COMMUNICATING account. [email protected] Pends near the Music School Auditorium WITH THE PA For information please email WHAT TO BRING TO SCHOOL down the slope between Bishopshall and *Come to the monthly meetings if you [email protected] St Rule. Inhalers should be with the can. Details are in the school calendar. THE START AND END Students each have a locker - and need to children at all times. The School Nurse *The hotline to the PA chair and vice OF THE DAY bring their own padlock. advises students to bring a spare to the Bottle of water. chair is: [email protected] It’s best to arrive at School at 8.20am to MC, as a back-up. *The PA also has its own closed group on Day students should bring a snack to eat allow time to go to lockers. Pick-up is at after the school day if they’re going on to All other medication should be taken to Facebook: 4.15pm unless your son or daughter signs the MC. It is important that any updates Facebook.com/groups/StLeonards activities starting at 4.30pm. up for after-school activities, in which Suncream in hot weather. to medical conditions are passed on to the ParentsAssociation case it’s 5.30pm. MC. It complements the emails sent out from Navy blue lightweight pack-a-mac to pull PA committee members via the School PARKING on for those sudden downpours (The If your child is unwell, please don't send secretaries. Any St Leonards parent can There’s a one-way system from half-way reality is that we’ve all tried to persuade him or her to school. The main purpose use this closed group page for PA down The Pends to the Harbour archway. our kids to wear a waterproof but few of the MC is to support boarders as well business - eg, to suggest social events; to But in effect it’s one-way all the way down take heed…) as any on-the-day medical situations. It is request volunteers for events and to drum from South Street. If you want to make Mobile phones are allowed but switched not a proxy GP service, nor is it a care up support for PA fundraisers for the yourself really unpopular try coming up off in class unless they’re needed for centre for sick day pupils. School’s Wish List. the narrow, upper, two-way section of teacher-directed school work. DEFIBRILLATOR As with all PA communications it must The Pends against the traffic during Rush SCHOOL BAG It’s for public access, not just for School, not be used for political, personal, Hour… A rucksack that spreads the load is the and is located by the MC. Children and financial or business matters - no …Many avoid the area altogether and recommended choice because students parents have regular demonstrations on lobbying or campaigning etc! “Kiss & Drop” on South Street, or at the need to lug books and A4-size files to and how to use it. Do ask at the MC if you Harbour or the car-park of the East SECOND HAND UNIFORM from school and from classroom to would like a demo. Sands Leisure Centre for a short walk classroom. SHOP (SHU) along the seafront to and from school. SCHOOL FOOD STUDENTS’ SOCIALS It’s a fantastic resource run by PA If you live locally, it’s strongly Our caterers are Baxter Storey, based in volunteers. It’s open on the last Friday of recommended to walk or cycle, as there’s Once a term, usually on a Friday, the the Central Dining Room (CDR). The each month 8:30am-9am during term so much pressure on parking. If you live School arranges a year group Disco or CDR staff are usually around to chat to at time or by individual appointment. You’ll outside town a school bus is a good Ceilidh for the students. It’s held in the school events. Menus are sent out to find the SHU Portakabin in front of St option. main School Hall and hotly anticipated. parents each Friday. The CDR staff are Rule in The Pends. The actual dates of managed by Laura Paterson the openings are also in the weekly ([email protected] ) and she newsletter, as are volunteers’ contact is incredibly open to ideas and feedback. details. Learning about St Leonards GCSEs/IGCSEs: Exams taken in May St Leonards map and legend and June in Year 11, after a two-year course. St Leonards also offers a one-year Ad Vitam: The St Leonards Latin motto, course, often known externally as Pre-IB1. Auditorium: in the Music School Ollerenshaw: Boarding and Sixth meaning Towards Life, but interpreted at It’s for students aged 15, who come new to Form day house St Leonards as For Life. Ad Vitam is also the School either specifically for one-year Big Field: St Leonards main sports fields Pends Gate: Pedestrian entrance to the name of the PSHE (personal, social away from their home country or as a and health education) syllabus in School. the Junior School year’s preparation for St Leonards IB Birdcage: Where lacrosse is played in Diploma Programme. The year’s course Apostrophe (lack of): St Leonards School winter, badminton in summer; where School Reception (for the whole culminates in six IGCSEs (I stands for and St Katharines Hall, like the town of St tea is served after Speeches and school): For all appointments with International) Andrews, have no apostrophe. This usage Prizegiving Administrative and Senior School teaching staff is historical. Middle School: The Middle Years Bishopshall: Boarding and Sixth Programme is the curriculum followed in Boarding Houses: St Rule, Ollerenshaw Form day house School Lane: Visitors entrance. Years 7, 8 and 9 as preparation for and Bishopshall are homes to around 150 GCSEs/IGSCEs. boarders, with spaces allocated to flexi and : Town theatre where Second-hand uniform shop (SHU): weekly boarders IBDP: Sixth Formers (Years 12 & 13) are St Leonards productions are Run by the PA and staffed by parent performed in February and May volunteers prepared for the two-year International Day Houses and House Activities: In Baccalaureate Diploma Programme after Senior School, students in Years 8-10 are CDR: Central Dining Room SLG: St Leonards Grass GCSEs/IGCSEs. placed in three competitive Houses (separate from the boarding houses), each They study six subjects, three at Higher Fives Court: St Leonards Chapel: St Andrews with a colour: Level and three at Standard Level. These Junior School playing field University chapel, also used for include a level of Maths, a Science and a St Leonards lunchtime concerts St Leonards Fields (SLF) Green Room: foreign language from scratch or Gold with bronze badge Visitors Reception in the Main School St Rule: otherwise. Students write an Extended Boarding and Sixth Form day house St Nicholas (SN) Essay on a topic they choose, do a Theory New Park Building: Green with black badge of Knowledge (TOK) course and Home to the Junior School Teinds Gate: Entrance off Abbey Street undertake projects involving Creativity, for access to Junior School parking at the Abbey Park (AP) Activity and Service (CAS). MC: Medical Centre start and end of the day Blue with burgundy colour badge The Learner Profile: Don’t be surprised Students take part in inter-House drama, Mentone: (pronounced Men-tony) Quad: Historic heart of St Leonards; when your daughter or son comes home Junior School play area, which includes for access to School Reception, music and sporting competitions which are quoting the St Leonards Learner Profile - fiercely fought. Dougal's Trail, named after a New management offices, Headmaster’s ie - that pupils aspire to be Inquirers, Park pupil who died from House; pupil only access to Senior Sixth Form Houses: All day and Knowledgeable, Thinkers, neuroblastoma in 2003, aged 6. School lockers and classrooms, Main boarding students in the IB Diploma Years Communicators, Principled, Open- School Hall, QML and Music School 12 and 13 are allocated a boarding house. minded, Caring, Risk-takers, Balanced and Oliphant Gate: Entrance to Big Field Each pupil has locker space there, takes Reflective. QML: Queen Mary’s Library, the main breaks there and works and socializes school library with garden and entrance off the Quad there. Queen Mary’s Library G1 South Street Site of Main Teaching Building G2 G School Hall G3 G1 e Pends St Leonards Chapel G4 G G2 G3 e Coach House G4 G5 G5 G6 One-way system G34 SenIOR SCHOOL nuns Walk G6 M M G7 G8 G9 G10 M G31 M School Reception G7 G29 M G G11 G12 G13 M Headmaster’s House G8 Abbey Street G33 G15 Music School G9 G16 G14 G17 e Auditorium G10

G30 R Bishopshall 11 G27 G20 G U 18 G O Medical Centre G12 G28 JUnIOR SCHOOL G19 B St Rule G26 G20 R G13 G32 G24 A

Central Dining Room (CDR) G14 H

G25

25 M M G M

Ollerenshaw G15 MM

M G21

Birdcage M G16 M

M G23 M

Mentone G17 M Swimming Pool G18 G24 Big Field G30 Oliphant Gate M M One-way system M Squash Courts G19 G25 Art Department G31 Second Hand Uniform M Junior School and St Katharines Hall G20 G26 Science Department G32 Glasgow Gate G22 Astro Turf G21 G27 Gym G33 Coach drop off & pick up St Leonards Grass (SLG) e Byre eatre G Teinds Gate G22 G28 G34 Abbey Walk Fives Court G23 G29 Green Room 30 FOOD INTOLERANCES pass on any message to your child or the It is accompanied by the menus for the involving singers and musicians from the AND ALLERGIES relevant teacher. week ahead. whole school - Junior, Senior and Sixth Form, as well as teachers and, sometimes, Please ensure that you have completed SCHOOL COMMUNICATIONS Parents also receive regular academic and the Medical Information form and curriculum information relevant to each parents. returned it to the school. Information CLARION CALL year group, including about school trips EASTER MIX: As above but usually about food intolerances will then be This is still being trialled in Senior School, (see section on School Trips), and regular held in the Auditorium at the end of the passed on to the caterers. If you would having been established in Junior School. careers/universities updates as children go Spring Term. like to talk direct to the caterers, do It’s an online system for communications up through the years. CAROL SERVICE: Held just before contact the CDR manager Laura between the School and parents. Activities MUSIC the end of the Autumn Term in Holy Paterson: are booked through Clarion Call as well as The Director of Music is Mrs Fiona Trinity Church, in South Street, St [email protected] timeslots for meeting teachers at Parents Andrews. Evenings. Love: [email protected] SECURITY Details are in the calendar of all informal DRAMA, DANCE AND There are security codes for doors THE ST LEONARDS CALENDAR and formal concerts throughout the MUSICAL THEATRE throughout the school. Teachers, staff is sent in the post before the start of academic year. every term and gives details of all key The Director of Drama is Mrs Nickie and volunteers, including those who are Among the set piece musical events each Ledger: [email protected] official committee members, should wear dates for the Junior School, Senior School year are: ID at all times. If you need to see your and Sixth Form. It’s also on the school website. THE JULL: Popular singing award School plays and musicals have child during the school day for some following a competition held annually in traditionally been held in the Byre reason, please call the school first and if THE WEBSITE: stleonards-fife.org the Auditorium, open to a general Theatre, in the School Hall and in the you can’t do that then please make sure The site is constantly updated and the IT audience and judged by an external Auditorium. Years 11, 12 and 13 stage a you report to Reception at the outset. department keeps us informed about adjudicator. performance for three nights every Don’t be offended if you are asked for ID details of the parents’ portal etc. February. Years 8-10 perform their play in THE DUNCAN AWARD: Annual on school premises. May. Trinity Guildhall candidates perform SOCIAL MEDIA competition for senior instrumentalists BOARDING for parents once or twice a year. Facebook.com/stleonardsschool and (Year 11 and older), open to a general Around 140 boarders live in St Rule, Twitter @StLeonards_Head are audience. Held in the Auditorium. The dance activity group put on a performance at the end of the summer Bishopshall and Ollerenshaw. Weekly and increasingly popular channels used by the THE GALLOWAY AWARD: Popular term, usually in the School Hall. flexi-boarding is actively encouraged from School to put out regular news about our annual competition for junior Year 7. ‘Taster’ nights are arranged via the children. St Leonards Sport and St instrumentalists (Years 8, 9 and 10), open SPORT Registrar, Dr Caroline Routledge. Leonards Music have their own Facebook to a general audience. Held in the Director of Sport is Ms Clare Muir: [email protected] groups which you can ask to join. Auditorium. [email protected] GETTING A MESSAGE TO YOUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER THE IONA JACK: Annual award for Fintan Bonner is St Leonards Director of CHILD AT SCHOOL It is emailed by School Secretary Mrs musical composition, open to a general Golf: [email protected] Either phone the School Office on Coral Craik every Friday. It gives notice of audience. Held in Auditorium. It’s an honour to be picked to represent 01334 472126 or if you email upcoming diary dates and any changes to CHRISTMAS MIX: An unmissable the school. Parents’ support is actively [email protected] your the published School Calendar. annual extravaganza held on a Sunday in encouraged. At least one week’s notice is message will reach senior staff who will the Byre at the end of the Autumn Term, needed if your child can’t take part in a school fixture. Some children are PRIZEGIVING Financial awards are means-tested. They expectations of the time that needs to be members of sports clubs outside school, Speech Day in the Younger Hall in North are awarded throughout the academic spent on it then don’t suffer in silence. but if fixtures occasionally clash please Street, St Andrews, is seen as the most year and not only at the start. The Get in touch with the year group head don’t risk incurring the wrath of your significant event in the school calendar. teachers nominate our children for either by email or phone via the School School team-mates, their parents and the All pupils attend. Most parents do. There scholarships, not we as parents. office: [email protected] sports staff! Your allegiance is obviously are prizes awarded throughout the school, MERITS, CREDITS SCHOOL TRIPS to St Leonards! with most attention focused on those AND EXCELLENTS It’s a good idea to know what trips are The school’s Sport Facebook page is who have completed the IB Diploma. Glow with pride when your child is coming up so you can plan when increasingly used for info about fixtures Parents dress up - but not nearly as much awarded one of these for academic to say yes, and when to say no to your and teams: as the Year 13 leavers who process to the endeavour or success, or for considerate child’s pleading to go skiing, to Rome, www.facebook.com/groups/stleonard stage in their heels and finery (well, the behaviour. New York or…Blackpool. This is a ssports/ girls anyway…). Each Leaver is also DETENTION summary of some of the In Years 12 and 13 for the IB Diploma formally given a gift bearing the St main trips involving overnight stays, with Programme students must continue to Leonards lozenge. This is presented by a Many (if not most) parents at some point timings and rough costs: take part in a school sport. On offer are Senior ( a former pupil of St Leonards) over the years receive an email to say who welcomes the students into the St their child has been put in detention. It Autumn Term hockey, rugby, lacrosse, football, Half term holiday - Annually (usually in contemporary dance, swimming, Leonards Seniors Society, the alumni can happen every now and then even to network. the most polite, deferential or academic the 2nd half):Year 11 French Exchange, basketball, athletics, horse-riding and golf. Toulouse - £500 Students also have the opportunity to use Tea and cakes and fizz are provided pupil - and usually your child will tell you: the fitness suite in the local leisure facility afterwards back at school. “It wasn’t me” or “it wasn’t fair.” Don’t Autumn Half Term worry unless your child repeatedly gets Odd years - Annually: Yrs 10-12 Arvon and to ride at the St Leonards Equestrian LEAVERS BALL Centre. detentions, in which case you’ll probably Foundation - £360 Colours are awarded for students who This black-tie affair is organized for the have a meeting with the relevant staff Half term holiday - Even years - play for the school and these need to be IB Diploma Programme leavers and their member. Annually: Yrs 10 - 13 Stratford - £400 sewn onto the sleeve of their PE shirt or families and managed by a committee of ‘ON REPORT’ Spring Term Half Term jacket. their parents, with help from the School’s Alumni Office. Traditionally, the prime The child goes ‘on report’ in the event of Even calendar years Yrs 12 & 13 SPORTS DAY movers and shakers behind the Ball are serious or serial bad behaviour. Can be Florence - Italian -£475 While Big Field is the scene for sporting the parents of the Head Girl and Head very serious, depending on the colour of Even calendar years Yrs 11-13 Spain - prowess the PA excels on the sidelines, Boy and their Deputies. the report card. £550 serving home-made refreshments. We’re Its organization starts as soon as the HOMEWORK Easter Holidays encouraged to bring picnics. At the end of Prefects are appointed in At the start of the academic year Annually (Prior to the holiday) Yr 10 the afternoon is the trophy awards February/March of Year 12. It has you/your child will receive details of German Exchange - £350 ceremony also on Big Field, usually traditionally taken place either at The homework expectations from each Odd calendar years Yrs 8-12 Ski trip around 4:30/5pm. Fairmont or the Old Course Hotels. subject teacher. If you have constant (max 40) - £1,500 Even calendar years SCHOLARSHIPS battles over homework with your Yrs10-13 Classics/Geography trip - £950 Details of these are in the official school son/daughter and a mismatch between handbooks. They are mainly honorary. your/your child’s/the teacher’s Summer Term If you remain dissatisfied after those WHO’S WHO AT ST LEONARDS Annually Yr 12 Biology Fieldwork - £300 avenues are exhausted please contact the (Compulsory for Diploma Biologists and Headmaster, Dr Carslaw. Dr Michael Carslaw students of ESS - Environmental Systems Details of the Complaints Procedure are - Headmaster [email protected] and Societies). Last weekend of term Yr in the School’s official Parents Handbook. 10 Blackpool & Malham Tarn - £150 Annually Yr 9 Newtonmore Outward SCHOOL GOVERNANCE Dr Geoffrey Jackson-Hutt - Deputy Headmaster, responsible for Bound - £250 The St Leonards School Council is the pastoral matters [email protected] End of term/Summer Holiday: governing body of the whole school. It Even calendar years Yrs 8-13 Musical comprises parent-governors and others Mrs Dawn Pemberton-Hislop - Deputy Head and Director of Theatre-New York - £1,100 with different areas of expertise. Details Academic Studies, responsible for the academic curriculum of Council members are on the school [email protected] DoE expeditions late Spring, Summer website and their names are printed in and early Autumn the school calendar. Mrs Aileen Rees - Head of Years 12 and 13, including careers Cost varies depending on venture and [email protected] pupil numbers. YOUR CHILD IN THE NEWS SOLVING PROBLEMS If your son or daughter achieves Mr Ben Seymour - IB Diploma Programme Co-ordinator something spectacular or out of the [email protected] If you have a concern or a niggle, don’t ordinary do share it with the school. let things fester! It serves no purpose to The news can feature in an Assembly or Mr Rupert Crisswell - Housemaster of Ollerenshaw complain to someone who can’t do school newsletter, on Facebook or in the [email protected] anything about it – it’s far better to speak local press/media. Email directly to the person who can make a [email protected] - and Mrs Aileen Rees - Housemistress of Bishopshall difference. Normally, most worries are include a photo! [email protected] sorted out after a conversation with the subject teacher or year group teacher: Mr Mrs Liz Dunsmuir - Housemistress of St Rule Barlow for Years 8 and 9; Mr Durward [email protected] for Years 10 and 11; Mrs Rees for Years 12 and 13. If you’re still unhappy about Mr Andrew Durward - Head of Years 10 and 11 something, call, email or ask to see the [email protected] Deputy Head (Pastoral) Dr Jackson-Hutt, or Deputy Head (Academic) Ms Mr Dan Barlow - Head of Years 8 and 9 Pemberton-Hislop. Email addresses are [email protected] either in the Calendar or can be obtained from the School Office: [email protected]