The Middle School 2018 - 2019 An Introduction Contents Middle School: Key Information Middle School Contact details 1 Welcome to the Middle School 2 Your Three Terms in Year 9 3 The School Day 4 Founders Day 4 Middle School: Academic Academic Objectives 5 Daily Reports 5 Reports and Progress 6 Learning Support 6 Educational Visits 6 Wodehouse Library 7 Careers 8 Middle School: Pastoral Forms 9 Attendance and Punctuality 9 Temporary Absence of Parents 10 Code of Conduct 10 College Rules 10 Mobile Phones 10 Peer Mentoring 10 College Counsellor 10 Medical Care 11 Chaplain 12 Religion 12 Middle School: Co-Curricular Beyond the Classroom 13 House System 13 Union 14 Games / Saturday Commitments 14 Music Department 15/16 CCF 17/18 Duke of Edinburgh 19 Scouts 20 Middle School: General Dulwich College Online 21 The Commissariat 22 Uniform 23 The Nearly New Shop 23 Travel 24 Insurance 24 Fees 25 School Meals 25/26 Friends of Dulwich College 26 Frequently asked Questions 27 Map of Dulwich College Campus 31 Middle School, Staff Contact Details Head of Middle School Dr N D Black Deputy Head of Middle School Mr M K Davidson Head of Year 9 Mrs A R Lees Head of Year 10 Mr J H Faiers Head of Year 11 Mr M R Geach Middle School Secretary Mrs K Milburn [email protected] Telephone Middle School Office 020 8299 9255 College Switchboard 020 8693 3601 Absences [email protected] 020 8299 5194 Email [email protected] Dulwich College Senior Staff Master Dr J A F Spence Deputy Master (Academic) Mr D A P King Deputy Master (Pastoral) Mrs F M Angel Deputy Master (Co-curricular) Mr I L H Scarisbrick Deputy Master (External) Dr C S Pyke 1 Welcome to the Middle School Dr Nicholas Black Mr Max Davidson Head of Middle School Deputy Head of Middle School [email protected] [email protected] This booklet gives me the opportunity formally to welcome you all into the Middle School at Dulwich, especially as this forthcoming academic year will see the College celebrate the 400th Anniversary of its foundation. Details of what are planned to mark this milestone will be sent to you all in January 2019, and we very much hope that your sons will find this a memorable year. The booklet is intended to tell you a little about the Middle School and how it works, and answer some of those day-to-day questions which may arise. Year 9 is an important year, as it sees some significant foundations laid towards eventual GCSEs in Year 11, but it is also a time when boys can begin to find the things which really interest them through the array of clubs and societies which are available to boys in the Middle and Upper Schools. There are challenges too, whether it is making new friends, coming to grips with the world of social media or beginning the journey to adulthood, but, as I hope this booklet shows, there are plenty of people who are here to help and guide all the boys through the next three years at Dulwich. Organisation Mrs Alice R Lees Mr James Faiers Mr Martin Geach Head of Year 9 Head of Year 10 Head of Year 11 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] There are about 600 boys in the Middle School, with approximately 200 in each year, who are usually placed in one of ten Forms. In Year 9, boys are placed according to how they have, in general, performed in their previous exams. Forms can also be created around first or second language choices and social mix. In Year 10, Forms are created around science and mathematical ability as well as social and academic considerations. We try to provide the right number of combinations to cater for the needs of the specific year group. Forms or sets are also created to meet GCSE choices. The policy of the Middle School is to provide continuity of teachers between Years 10 and 11. A decision on which subjects are studied to A level is made in the Lent term of Year 11. 2 Your Three Terms in Year 9: an Overview MICHAELMAS 2018 Friday 31 August Induction Day Monday 3 September Term begins Monday 10 September Team Building Day Wednesday 12 September Parents’ Social Evening with Form Tutors TBC Union Fair Friday 21 (5.30pm) – EXEAT Weekend for Boarders Sunday 23 September (5.30pm) Saturday 20 October – Half Term Sunday 4 November October & December Assessment Grades Friday 23 (5.30pm) – EXEAT Weekend for Boarders Sunday 25 November (5.30pm) Friday 14 December End of Term at 12 noon LENT 2019 Wednesday 9 January Term begins Friday 25 (5.30pm) – EXEAT Weekend for Boarders Sunday 27 January (5.30pm) February & March Assessment Grades Saturday 16 – Half Term Sunday 24 February Tuesday 12 March Parents’ Evening GCSE Choices made Friday 29 March End of Term at 12 noon SUMMER 2019 Wednesday 24 April Term begins May & June Assessment Grades Friday 3 (5.30pm) – EXEAT Weekend for Boarders Monday 6 May (5.30pm) Saturday 25 May – Half Term Sunday 2 June Monday 3 – Internal Examinations Week Friday 7 June Monday 24 – Founder’s Week Saturday 29 June July Report Thursday 4 July End of Term at 12 noon The final day of term includes an assembly which is an important reflection of the College as a community. Boys should not leave school early. 3 The School Day: Registration 0835 - 0850 Monday - Friday Period 1 0850 - 0945 Period 2 0950 - 1045 Break 1050 - 1120 Period 3 1120 - 1215 Period 4 1220 - 1315 Lunch 1315 - 1435 Period 5 1440 - 1545 and registration (1430 start for games) Founder’s Day Each year, the College celebrates the life and spirit of Edward Alleyn, who founded the original College of God’s Gift in 1619. Founder’s Day usually falls on the last Saturday of the summer term and all staff and boys are expected to attend on the day and to participate in some event or activity. Middle School activities include a wide range of charity fundraising initiatives and House cricket matches. The day ends with a spectacular outdoor concert and firework display which takes place on the Front Lawns at 7.45pm, picnics from 6pm. However, Founder’s Day in 2019 will be part of a week-long celebration of the College’s 400th Anniversary. Details for this will be sent out in January 2019. 4 Middle School: Academic Mr D A P King Deputy Master (Academic) [email protected] Academic Objectives Year 9 is used as an occasion for preparing boys for their two-year GCSE courses. It is important that boys’ parents are aware of the two types of subjects boys follow, sometimes referred to as compound and discrete. Compound subjects include languages, Mathematics and sciences. In the case of these subjects Year 9 work is vital, for, without a firm foundation, work in Year 10 and Year 11 becomes difficult, especially as some GCSE syllabus work is taught in Year 9. Discrete subjects, such as Geography and History, do, of course, teach vital skills and basic information but, in the case of these subjects, they are more topic based. One of the most important skills required in both types of subject in Year 9 is learning. Pupils must develop their own techniques for efficient learning; they should be aware of the distinction between short and long term memory, they should be aware of rote learning and the need to use this technique. These skills and recognitions should be in place by the end of Year 9 to ensure academic success in Years 10 and 11. A second important area is prep. Boys will be expected to begin to develop their own skills of organisation in this area. It is vital that they realise the place of prep in the Middle School; it is not an optional extra but an important extension of work done during lessons. In Year 9, boys should spend about one and a half hours per night on prep. This must be quality time, when they are concentrating, working quietly without distractions. Boys will be offered plenty of support in the Middle School helping them get into good study routines. They will spend time with Form Tutors talking about and planning time for revision along with attending seminars run by a visiting company “Elevate Education”. Further support from Elevate is available on their website and via Twitter which boys are encouraged to use. In Years 10 and 11, the amount of prep will increase and boys will be expected to manage their time to be able to deal with extended preps as they begin to tackle written coursework in a number of subjects. All boys in the Middle School are issued with an academic prep diary which they are required to use and we encourange parents to check. Daily Report The College runs an online record system called ‘Daily Report’. The aim of this is to monitor boys’ learning habits around punctuality, organisation and effort. Through this system, parents are notified if a boy has failed to complete his prep to a satisfactory standard. Boys who are flagged up on Daily Report three times in a week, in each monitored area, will serve a Daily Report detention on a Wednesday at lunchtime. Parents are also notified if a boy has been awarded a merit for effort in the classroom. 5 Reports and Progress Boys in the Middle School usually receive one full written report each year: in Year 9, at the end of the Summer term; in Year 10, at the end of the Lent term; in Year 11, in the second half of the Michaelmas term.