DEAN DC CLOSE CHELTENHAM SENIOR S CHOOL Handbook for Parents September 2019 INTRODUCTION FROM THE HEADMASTER Dear Parents and Guardians, Welcome to the Dean Close Handbook for Parents. This handbook is intended to give you answers to many of the detailed questions that may arise and to give you some idea of the activities and experiences that take place in School. Most importantly, it is not a substitute for conversations with all of us who are responsible for your child’s progress and you should feel most welcome to contact us at any time by telephone or email and we shall aim to arrange meetings whenever necessary. It is wonderful for you to be involved as well, but please bear in mind that as your sons or daughters move on in the School they are learning to think and speak for themselves and you can often help best by giving them an opportunity to take the initiative. If that doesn’t work then, as always, please let us know. As the proverb has it, ‘it takes a village to raise a child.’ Education is a team effort and we greatly look forward to working with you in the coming year. Bradley Salisbury DEAN CLOSE SCHOOL CONTENTS : PAGE Introduction from the Headmaster PAGE Important Information for Parents 2 Nomenclature 2 Notes for Boarding Pupils 10 Contacting the School 2 Stated Aim 10 School Calendar 3 Leave-Out 10 Visiting the School CONTENTS 3 Social Events 3 Half terms Parents’ Meetings 3 11 Page No. The Business Club 3 Exeats Our Values INFORMATION FOR PARENTS 4 11 2 Day Boarding 4 Airport Transport 11 OUR VALUES 4 Pastoral Information 5 Information Communications Technology 11 The HouseP SAySsTteOm RAL INFORMATION 5 Using Laptops in School 5 11 Counselling 5 Use of the Internet 12 The TutoriaAl CSAysDteEm MIC INFORMATION AND TIM5 ETABLECareers Advice 7 12 Personal, Social and Health Education 5 Work Experience 13 NOTES FOR ALL PUPILS 9 Guardianship 6 Co-curricular Activities 13 Chaplaincy NOTES FOR DAY PUPILS 6 Sport 10 13 Academic Information 7 Music/Drama 13 Daily TimeNtaObleTES FOR BOARDING PUPILS 7 Monday & Wednesday Ac1tiv0 ities 13 Curriculum 7 CCF 13 INFORMATION COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY 11 Examinations 8 Duke of Edinburgh 14 AssessmeCntA aRndE MEoRnSit oAriDngV oICf PE rogress 8 Community Action 12 14 Learning Support 8 Clubs and Hobbies 14 English LaCngOu-aCgeU TRrRaiInCinUg LAR ACTIVITIES 9 Fourth Form Activities 13 14 Academic Discipline 9 Medical Information 14 MEDICAL INFORMATION 14 Notes for All Pupils 9 Appointments 14 Timings BURSARY INFORMATION AND POL9ICIES Insurance 15 14 Leave of Absence from School 9 Treatment for Day Pupils 15 Chapel THE OLD DECANIAN SOCIETY 9 Immunisations 16 15 Transport 9 Gum Shields 15 SCHOOL SHOP AND UNIFORM 16 Cars 9 Bursary Information 15 Belongings SCHOOL BUS SERVICE 9 Payment of Fees 21 15 Implications of Absence from Lessons 9 Insurance 15 The SchooMl CAoPdSe of Conduct 9 Extras 23 15 Dress and Appearance 10 Optional Extras 15 Mobile Phones 10 Notice of Leaving 15 Field Day and Other Activities 10 Electrical Testing 15 Beginning of Terms 10 Policies, Guidelines & Procedures 15 Parties 10 The Old Decanian Society 16 Eighteenth Birthday Celebrations 10 School Shop 16 Notes for Day Pupils 10 Hours of opening 16 Absence 10 Clothing Lists and Regulations 17 Extra Meals 10 Uniform for Lower School 17 Conduct 10 Uniform for Sixth Form 18 School Buses 10 Sports Clothes (all Pupils) 19 Occasional Boarding for Day Pupils 10 General Uniform Guidelines 20 Boarders’ Requirements 20 FOR PARENTS HANDBOOK DEAN CLOSE SCHOOL INFORMATION : INFORMATION FOR PARENTS While we hope very much that most common questions are answered in this handbook, it is not intended to replace face to Paul Montgomery face conversations or telephone communication. Please do get Field [email protected] in touch with us if you are in doubt about any aspect of school 07825 413580 life, or if you have any suggestions as to information which should be included in this handbook. One of the first things to Matt Wilkes be aware of is that there is certain terminology which may not Gate [email protected] be used elsewhere but is part of the Dean Close language. The 07884 667294 most common ones are given below, for further Dean Close terminology please refer to page 10 of the Appendix. Kate Milne Hatherley [email protected] 07825 214315 DEAN CLOSE NOMENCLATURE Cathy Feltham Mead DCS Abbreviation for the Senior School [email protected] DCPS Abbreviation for the Preparatory School 07469 159824 HsM Abbreviation for Housemaster/Housemistress Julie Kent Exeat School closes for the weekend from Friday Shelburne [email protected] afternoon to Sunday evening 07884 667293 Field Days Compulsory day when the timetable is suspended for activities Brian Poxon Tower [email protected] Mufti Casual dress 07884 666192 Ciara Allen Terms Turner Hall Michaelmas September - December [email protected] Lent January - March 07884 667295 Trinity April - early July Other useful numbers Year Groups School numbers are 01242 258000, followed by extension Fourth Form Year 9 number. There are also DDI lines. Remove Year 10 Fifth Form Year 11 (main GCSE year) [email protected] Headmaster Lower Sixth Year 12 (First year of A levels) 01242 258000 Option 1 Upper Sixth Year 13 (Second year of A levels) (GFeronnetr oaflf iEcne)quiries [email protected] 01242 267401 CONTACTING THE SCHOOL Headmaster’s PA [email protected] It is our aim to work very closely with parents and guardians to promote the education and welfare of each pupil. Deputy Headmaster (Operations) Communication about the pupil should in the first instance - Absence from School 01242 258036 always be with the HsM (Housemaster/Housemistress). HsMs [email protected] will let parents and guardians know of good times to phone and of any other useful information, eg email addresses. We Deputy Head (Pastoral) use a wide range of printed and electronic means to keep - Safeguarding Lead 01242 258019 parents and guardians informed, as well as the many [email protected] opportunities that arise for face to face discussions. Deputy Head (Academ0ic1) 242 258037 HOUSEMASTERS AND HOUSEMISTRESSES [email protected] Jonathan Pitt Brook Court [email protected] Director of External Relations 07884 667292 01242 267446 [email protected] Ben Price Dale [email protected] Director of Fourth Forma jgSetuodrgiees @deanclose.org.uk 07584 356954 Jessica Briggs Director of Remove & Firfjtdho Fnaolrdmso Snt@udeieas nclose.org.uk Fawley [email protected] 07884 667287 Director of Sixth Form [email protected] FOR PARENTS 2 HANDBOOK DEAN CLOSE SCHOOL INFORMATION : 01242 258062 VISITING THE SCHOOL Chaplain [email protected] Parents, guardians, relatives and family friends are always welcome at School at any reasonable time and, in particular, 01242 258044 Registrar [email protected] to plays, concerts and matches (including match teas in the Dining Hall). We ask that if you are planning to visit a boarding 01242 258086 house, you make contact with the Housemaster or Bursary [email protected] Housemistress in advance and ‘touch base’ with whoever is on 01242 258042 duty on arrival. All visitors should sign in at the front office Accounts [email protected] during office hours. 07762 469381 Estates [email protected] Other meetings with Headmaster, Housemaster/mistress, Director of Studies, tutor, etc 01242 258016 If such a meeting is desirable to discuss any aspect of the School Shop [email protected] pupil’s progress, an appointment should be arranged by telephone or email. 01242 258080 Health Centre [email protected] 01242 258002 PSaorceinatls E avren atls ways very welcome to attend school events, Theatre Administrator Fax 01242 258007 matches and match teas. Any suggestions or offers to arrange other social events would be warmly received; a group of parents meet on Saturday mornings to play hockey in the winter and tennis in the summer. ASnayfe pgupairl dwineglfare or safeguarding concerns should be referred to Jacquie Davis, Designated Safeguarding Lead, [email protected]. IPna are wnotsrl’d M ine ewtihnicghs electronic communication is increasingly becoming the preference of so many, parents’ meetings provide the invaluable opportunity to meet one to one with Weekly mailing The weekly mailing is available online at each of your son/daughter’s teachers, face to face. The dates www.deanclose.org.uk/weeklybulletin, with important and times of the meetings are advertised, each term, in the information about the week ahead. School calendar and via mailings. TWheeb Sscitheo ol website can be found at www.deanclose.org.uk. Pareennttss a’ St Doceiaenty Close are all members of the Parents’ Society, It is updated on a daily basis and contains the latest news, which was newly formed in the academic year 2017-18. It aims sports results, events, departmental information, etc. Within this to improve the communication between the School and parents site is a Parent Hub area. and to plan a programme of events, both informative and social. We are keen for parents to work together with us even more effectively in bringing up and educating their children. Evmearyil paudpdirl ejosisn infogr tphue psiclsh ool is issued with their own email The Parents’ Society committee is made up of a group of address, which starts with surname then first (or first and volunteers under the chairmanship of Mr David Evans, Director second) initial ie. [email protected]. of External Relations, and meets with the Headmaster termly. Members of the committee hope to be at all induction events in IAt disd eressesnets ial that parents (and guardians where appropriate) September. For more information contact Mr Evans on keep the Database Manager informed whenever address, [email protected].