Welcome Pack Year 7, September 2021 Test Valley School | Roman Road | Stockbridge | SO20 6HA Tel: 01264 810555 | Email: [email protected] “In Pursuit of Personal Excellence” A Warm Welcome to our new Pupils and Parents ... A note from our Headteacher It is with absolute pleasure I welcome you to the small, rural , high achieving Test Valley School. The move to secondary school is often a big step for individuals. Test Valley, as a small, rural school is well placed to ensure that this transition is smooth. We pride ourselves on knowing every child individually and ensuring they are both nurtured and stretched to ensure they unlock their potential. We are excited to welcome your child to our Test Valley ‘family’ and look forward to five years of working in partnership with you. With best wishes, Ms Wilden, Headteacher A note from our Head Prefect Hi I am Archie, one of the head prefects at Test Valley school. I have been part of the school community ever since I started back in Year 7 (which feels like ages ago!), and have grown up with the support of the school and those around me. Although the change to secondary school may seem daunting, our small community is a brilliant place that provides a sense of security and family. Our small community feeling is achieved by the large amount of opportunities you have to get involved in the life of the school. For example, courses like sports leaders allow you to develop teamwork skills and get involved with likeminded people to help host sporting events for other schools. If sport isn’t your thing then you could join one of the committees (such as the eco committee) and help to provide new ideas on how the school can improve for all pupils . There is no limit to what you can do so if you really want to get involved then you can join multiple groups all at once. Being of a rural background myself the animal and garden area on top field provides unique opportunities to learn by making use of our ducks, chickens and goats to help visualize certain aspects of our lessons. Moreover, having chickens and ducks walking around the school and a goat that will watch when you play football at break, helps to make school feel less like... well school! Finally, the teachers we have are all extremely devoted to their work and treat everyone as an individual. Because of this, we all enjoy learning and want to listen and do well. As I am soon to experience a big change myself moving on to college, looking back on the memories I have of Test Valley School reminded me of the great experience that I have had here and the opportunities that it has given me. I know that you will find yourself doing the same in years to come and will feel the same sense of pride that I do, knowing I have been part of such a fantastic community. Good luck! Archie “In Pursuit of Personal Excellence” A note from Year 7 Pupils Year 7 has been a great experience for me. When you first join, you are taken to your tutors to meet new people and get to know your tutor group. You will also, over the next few weeks meet your Head of Year. A Head of Year is somebody who will oversee Year 7 and you can go to them if something has happened, and you need to share it with a teacher. At break and lunchtimes, you can run around, chat and eat lunch on the fields in the summer but in the winter, you must be off the field and in your Year 7 area. There will be plenty of people you can get to know, and you will share the same hobbies with some of them. When you first join you will receive a planner where you will write the name, time, and day of lessons. In the planner there are also pages containing boxes for the whole year, these are for the end of lesson stamps. At the end of the lesson the teacher will stamp your planner if you have worked well plus additional stamps if you have completed extra or finished all the work. If you receive a code, (it might be for not listening or not showing determination in your work) it will be recorded but the odd code isn't the end of the world, you can always improve. I have enjoyed being in Year 7 because the teachers teach you loads and are very welcoming. Freddie, Year 7 Pupil. Starting secondary school was a big leap in life for me. I was extra anxious about starting. I felt worried, upset and excited. It was an emotional rollercoaster, but I soon figured my way out of it. My life was going to change the moment I stepped in that new place. That morning, I met my friends at the entrance and we walked up to the school together. Everything was organised and there was a place for everyone to go. Us three sat next to each other in a room full of strangers, but little did we know they would be our new family. We were shown to our tutors and looked after amazingly, we were shown around the school by our mentors and given our planners that would hold our lessons for the next year. It took about a week to get used to the new school but before we knew it, we were walking around like we had been there for years. Secondary school is a big part of growing up and definitely is the best part. I’ve met tons of new people and have learnt/learning very exciting things. I can’t wait to see what it is like in the future. Darcie, Year 7 Pupil. “In Pursuit of Personal Excellence” Transition We know that this is a daunting time and we will be working very closely with you to make sure the transition is seamless Key Contacts to Remember Ms Wilden Headteacher [email protected] Mr Page Deputy Headteacher [email protected] Mrs Osborne KS3 Leader [email protected] Mrs Wheeler SENCo [email protected] Mr Pullinger Transition Lead [email protected] Here at Test Valley School our motto is 'In pursuit of personal excellence', that is why we've called our transition programme 'Test Valley Pursuit'. We will shortly be coming to visit you in your primary school and discuss your hopes and fears about moving to secondary school. There will also be a number of opportunities for you to come and visit Test Valley School and familiarise yourself with the layout of the school and find your way around, as well as meeting and making friends with other pupils who will be coming to Test Valley School in September. We are really excited this year to be offering a programme of 'Pursuit' days and a 'Pursuit camp', where you can come to Test Valley School and have fun learning circus skills, making a marble run and making your own pizza, learn a new dance, create a tie dye T-shirt, as well as the opportunity to camp overnight with your new friends. “In Pursuit of Personal Excellence” Information for our new pupils ... Your Tutor Group The form tutor will be your main point of contact and support in school. We aim to keep you with your tutor throughout your Test Valley journey. You see your tutor and tutor group at the start of every day and for 30 minutes after lunch. Your tutor and the people in your tutor group will soon become well known to you. You will be in tutor groups for some lessons and mixed with other pupils for some other lessons. This gives you a chance to make new friends. The school day 8.50am – 8.55am Morning register The School Day 8.55am – 9.55.am Period 1 The school day starts at 8.50 am with registration. The school day ends 9.55am- 10.55am Period 2 at 3.20 pm 10.55am – 11.15am Break 11.15am- 12.15pm Period 3 You will have five lessons a day. Each lesson lasts for sixty minutes. As you will have a different teacher for each subject you may need to 12.15pm- 1.15pm Period 4 change classrooms for each lesson. In Year 7 you study English, Maths, 1.15pm- 1.50pm Lunch Science, Design Technology, Computing, PE, RE, History, Geography, Music, Art and Drama. 1.50pm – 2.20pm Tutor and assembly 2.20pm-3.20pm Period 5 There are two breaks during the day. There is a 25 minute break in the morning and a 35 minute break at lunch time. Punctual and ready to learn The Pupil Handbook Respectful of each other When you arrive in Year 7 you will be given a Pupil Handbook. It is Individually responsible important to have this with you at all times. You will record your Home Determined and Ambitious Learning tasks in your Handbook and it will be the main communication Enjoy our time at Test Valley between school and home. Each lesson you will receive a stamp if you have followed the PRIDE expectations. Each week your tutor will count your stamps and these will build upto rewards. Each Friday our top stamp earners are invited to Hot Chocolate Friday with the Headteacher. Stamps will also allow you entry to our end of term events.