Welcome to Warwick Junior School

Transcription

1 Dear Parents and Boys Welcome to Warwick Junior School At Warwick Junior School we firmly believe in a partnership between parents and the school to provide the best opportunities and education for your son. We try our best to develop a sense of responsibility in each boy. We also aim to develop his level of confidence and self-esteem. The information given in this handbook is about the school of today. As changes occur we aim to continue to keep parents informed and hope that this handbook will help parents of new boys joining the school. However, if you do have any concerns or you would like any further information please ask your son s form tutor in the first instance. He or she will be happy to help. We hope that both you and your son will be very happy at Warwick Junior School. We look forward to you completing the team. Best wishes Yours sincerely G. Canning Headmaster of Junior School 1

2 Members of Junior School staff September 2016 correct at the time of publication Mr A. C. Hymer (Headmaster of Junior School) Mr T.C. Lewis (Deputy Head) Miss H.N. Mellor (Head of Lower School) Mrs C.J. Askwith (Director of Studies) Mrs A.J. Appleyard Mrs H. Brotherton Mrs K. Bull Mrs G. Clark Mrs R. J. Cowie Mrs F. Goodrem Mr T.W. Hancock Mrs O. Hartwell Mr O.R. Herringshaw Mrs A. Jones Mr K. Marshall Miss J. Needham Mrs K. Savage Ms H Sayers Mrs J.E. Schalch Miss L.C. Sharp (Head of Junior School Music) Miss C. Townsend Miss K. Walton Mr J. Williamson Mrs H. Wragg The Reverend A.W. Gough (Chaplain) Mrs J. Turner (Headmaster s Secretary) Mrs G. Cumberland (Secretary & Librarian) Useful telephone numbers Warwick Junior School Medical Centre (Direct Line) Absence Reporting Voice Mail Sports Weather Line School mobile (Taken on trips) enquiries@warwickschool.org Junior School j.turner@warwickschool.org 2

3 The Purpose of Warwick School is: 1. To provide the highest quality education in the Midlands for boys aged 7 to To develop responsible, self reliant and compassionate young men of character equipped to succeed in a changing world. 3. To build a safe, caring community in which all members are able to realise their full potential. At Warwick School we value: inspirational teaching a commitment to do one s best in all areas academic rigour and the development of intellectual curiosity an appreciation of Christian values whilst welcoming and respecting members of other faiths and those with no religious faiths at all close cooperation between students, staff, parents, old boys, governors and the local community creativity, imagination, spirit, liveliness and fun enthusiasm, endeavour and self discipline in all that we do fairness, trust and honesty in our dealings with one another development of an environment in which openness in communication encourages initiative and approachability qualities of loyalty, support, friendship and service to others team spirit which includes effective collaboration and corporate discipline. 3

4 Get the best out of Warwick Junior School a rough guide! Checklist for boys At the beginning of the day Have you got everything that you need? Do you have your pencil case? Have you checked your bag? Do you have a music lesson? Do you know who is picking you up at the end of the day and at what time? Are you doing a club or prep at the end of the day? Standard of Appearance It is a good idea to begin each day looking your best in your uniform. You should wear your uniform with pride and make sure that any tears, missing buttons and holes are mended. Your shoes should be polished by you every day. Hair should be no longer than the collar of your shirt at the back, not completely covering the ears; no shorter than No. 3; no artificial colouring or gel; conventional cut and most importantly neat and tidy. During the day Talk to your form teacher if you are worried about something. He or she will help you to solve your problem. At the end of the day Have you packed your prep diary and homework? Do you look smart? Have you remembered all your belongings? At home Read to your parents every night. Talk to your parents about what has happened at school during the day. Do something with your family that is fun. Try not to spend all your free time playing computer games! Help your parents around the house by doing jobs for them. Advice for parents Try to find time to talk to your son about the day s events. This will help to develop his language skills and help him to feel confident about talking things through with you. Be prepared for ups and downs, particularly in the early days. Settling into a new school can be difficult. WJS staff and boys will do their best to make your son feel welcome, but he may need extra emotional support from you. 4

5 Help your son to mix by encouraging him to bring friends home and by encouraging him to join in with clubs and activities, including those outside school. Try to discourage the reliance on TV and computer games for entertainment. Family games and outdoor play are usually better! It is important that parents and tutors work together to achieve the best results possible for all of the boys. Please do contact your son s form tutor if you have any concerns about him, no matter how small the problem may seem. We believe that we have a fair and positive rewards and sanctions system which we operate carefully. As well as being recognised for the good things that your son will achieve he may occasionally make a mistake. If this occurs the matter will be dealt with by the member of staff so that your son can learn positively and be able to move on afresh. Frequently Asked Questions Do we set/stream boys in the Junior School? Boys are not organised into sets or steams whilst in the Junior School. In each year group there are three mixed ability classes. What quantity of specialist subject teaching occurs in the Junior School? In the Lower School boys are taught mainly by form tutors with some specialist subject teachers and in the Upper School they are taught totally by specialist teachers. What if my son needs extra learning support and help? The Junior School has a Curriculum Support (SEN) department, co-ordinated by Ms Sayers. Small group and one-to-one sessions are carried out to provide support in English and Mathematics. If long-term support is needed then the school generally requires a report from an Educational Psychologist, detailing the level of need. If the support required is on a more short-term basis, the level of need will be assessed by Ms Sayers, the class teacher and you as parents. Currently the charges for Curriculum Support sessions are as follows: Individual session Group sessions What musical opportunities are there? Music is an important element of Junior School life. There is the opportunity to learn a wide range of instruments with our specialist peripatetic staff. Boys also have the chance to experience playing in one of our many ensembles, such as Orchestra, String Orchestra and Wind Band. Throughout the year instrumentalists will be able to take part in concerts either as a soloist or as part of an ensemble. First Year String Project this is a scheme that operates as part of the First Year s timetabled music lessons. Boys are given the option to play either the violin, viola, cello or double bass within their class lesson, where they benefit from having the instrument to try out the knowledge and skills they are learning in music theory and aural training. They will give regular concerts throughout the year and hopefully continue with individual tuition in subsequent years. All music and instruments are provided. There is no charge for taking part in the project. What uniform are the boys expected to wear? 5

6 Lower School Shorts, grey shirt, school tie, socks, jumper and blazer. Upper School As above but boys wear long trousers. There is a school fleece for break and lunch times. Are after school clubs for everyone? Yes, in short. There are clubs grouped by year group and for the whole school. There may be a situation where only a particular group of boys are invited. How can my son attend a club? Initially, fill in the activities request proforma. Some clubs are invitational though but with interest and enthusiasm most clubs are open to all. Are there a maximum number of boys in a club? Some clubs can only accommodate small numbers because of safety. On these occasions, the attendees are rotated. Most clubs try to accommodate as many boys as possible. Is equipment provided? Yes. All clubs provide the necessary equipment but on some occasions boys wish to bring in their own such as cricket helmets. Is there a charge for activities? There is a charge of 7 for some specialist activities where outside instructors are bought in. Charges are added to the end of term bill. What other after school care is provided? From September 2016 we are offering a new and improved service: At 4pm the boys who are staying for prep will be taken to the dining room for tea. This will be a substantial, healthy tea and will allow a decent amount of time to relax before going back to work. At 4.30pm the Lower School boys will do their prep in the library and the Upper School boys will do their prep in the downstairs computer room. 4.30pm to 5pm will be a silent working time, unless the boys are requiring help from the member of staff. Boys who, for whatever reason, have no or very little prep, will read a book when they have finished working. From 5pm onwards, boys will be allowed to use the computers, play games inside or play on the playground if the weather permits. The costs will be as follows: For those who stay up to 5pm - 5 per evening For those who stay up to 5.45pm - 7 per evening 6

7 For those who join prep at 5pm after a free club - 2 Boys who already pay for a club and later join prep No extra charge Boys not collected by 5.10pm from clubs will automatically be sent into prep for their safety and charges may be applied. Do you prepare boys for the local Grammar Schools 11+? We prepare boys for the Warwick School entry exam as the vast majority of Warwick Junior School boys move on to the Senior School. Do I have to enter my son for the Warwick School exam? No, this is done automatically for you. However, if you decided to sit your son for the LEA 11+ then you will need to be responsible for entry requirements. How many boys sit the Warwick Senior School exam? This varies each year. There are often more than 200 boys sitting the exam. When is the exam? The exam is held in January of each year. What constitutes the exam? Skills and understanding are tested in Maths and English along with a NVR (non verbal reasoning) test. Can I obtain past papers? For the Senior School entrance examination a pack will be sent out in the Michaelmas term prior to the exam in January. Sample papers can be found on the Warwick School website. What are the arrival and pick up arrangements for the Junior School? A member of staff will be on duty in the playground from 8.00 am every morning. Therefore boys are asked not to arrive before this time. Boys will be allowed into the building from 8.30 am for registration to begin at 8.40 am. The first lesson begins at 8.50 am every morning. At the end of the day the boys will be dismissed at 3.40 pm. If they are attending after school clubs these will finish at 5 pm. Prep continues for those who want it until 5.45 pm. If any boys are asked to stay back for any reason other than prep or an extended day activity parents will be notified in advance. For security reasons and for the safety of your son we require him to be collected from the Junior School playground. Boys are not permitted to wait for collection at the front of the Junior School building. Other special arrangements will have to be agreed with the Headmaster of the Junior School. How much homework will be set? The following table outlines the guidelines for homework each evening. YEAR GROUP First Year EXPECTED PREP TIME 20 minutes + 10 minutes shared reading and discussion 7

8 Lower Two Year Upper Two Year Third Year 30 minutes + 10 minutes shared reading and discussion 40 minutes + 10 minutes shared reading and discussion 45 minutes + 10 minutes shared reading and discussion What are the class sizes? The following table outlines the maximum class sizes for each year group. YEAR GROUP MAXIMUM CLASS SIZE First Year 18 Lower Two 20 Upper Two 22 Third Year 24 Daily routine Boys who arrive at school between am are supervised by duty staff on the playground but if the weather is inclement in the library. In addition staff will be in their form rooms from 8.30 am when the boys can prepare and be organised for their day before assembly. However, all boys should be available for registration at 8.40 am. If a boy is late and misses registration he must report to the office when arriving at school. This ensures that we know where boys are. A member of staff is on duty until 4.05 pm. The boys are expected to leave the premises by 4 pm unless they are taking part in the extended day programme, in which case they should be picked up at 5 pm prep can be done until 5.45pm. On a normal day, they will wait on the playground but if the weather is particularly severe boys should be collected from the library. If there is an emergency and parents finds themselves unexpectedly delayed at the end of the school day, they should telephone the school office where appropriate arrangements will be made for the safe care of their son. Daily Timetable (subject to change) 8.25 am Playground whistle for line-up 8.30 am Move to classrooms 8.40 am Registration 8.50 am Lesson 1 (Assembly on Mondays) 9.20 am Lesson am Lesson am Lesson am Break am Lesson am Lesson pm Lunch 1.10 pm Assembly (Friday only) 1.25 pm Registration 1.35 pm Lesson pm Lesson pm Lesson pm Lesson pm Form period Timetable (see samples Appendices i & ii) Slight changes to the timetable will be made as your son progresses through the Junior School. 8

9 The First Year have their games afternoon on Fridays, Lower Twos on Thursdays, the Upper Twos on Mondays and Third Year on Wednesdays. Mid Morning Break Tuck Boys are allowed to bring a bottle of water and a healthy snack for mid morning break. We encourage one item of tuck only as the boys have their school lunch just over an hour after mid morning break. Once a week boys will be allowed to go to the Tuck Shop. Each year group has a different day and the maximum amount of money allowed is at present 80p. Lunch Procedure It is the school s policy that every boy should have a school meal in the Dining Hall. The school operates a system that allows your son to choose from a selection of meals. He sits on a class table and is expected to behave in a gentlemanly fashion. The lunchtime supervisors will dismiss boys at an appropriate time when they then proceed to the Junior School playground where they are met by the member of staff on duty. A sample menu is attached. (see Appendix iii) Car Parking If you bring or collect your son by car then you will need to park in the Junior School car park. For obvious reasons, at the beginning and end of the school day a great many cars need to use this area and parents are asked to park sensibly. Please do not park your car in such a manner that other cars are impeded in any way. Car park marshals are present to assist you in identifying an empty space. Assembly and Services As a part of our religious education each boy attends Assembly on Monday and Friday. In Monday Assemblies there is a theme upon which your son is able to listen, respond and reflect. Friday Assembly is a congratulations assembly where boys are awarded commendation certificates and badges. On Wednesdays there is a Chapel Service which is led by the School Chaplain. During the course of the year, parents are invited to special year group festival services. Assessment and Reporting We regularly report on your son s progress during the year. For the full schedule see appendix iv. Your son s reports are important documents. Most boys work hard and fully deserve encouragement and commendation but when less positive comments are necessary they are intended to be constructive. It is hoped that parents will then encourage their sons to act upon comments made in the report and, if necessary, consult further with either his form or subject tutor. 1 st /Lower II Year related to teaching group Upper II/Third Year related to year group Effort Grade Criteria: Excellent Good Exemplary approach and attitude Shows a great deal of enthusiasm Positive attitude Shows enthusiasm Works efficiently in class (does not distract) 9

10 Takes pride in his written work Satisfactory Cause for Concern Is doing what is expected of him within the class Classroom behaviour requires no more than occasional reprimand Is working below the expected standard for the class Shows little or no interest Slow to get on with his work A pattern of disruptive behaviour The criteria given above are broadly based. Pupils do not have to satisfy all the criteria to be placed in a category, but it is felt, by a number of staff, that it strongly reflects the pupil s overall work and attitude. If there are concerns about your son s progress at any stage, please contact your son s Form Tutor to arrange a meeting to review the situation. After May half-term we have the end of year examinations. All necessary information in relation to these will be provided by your son s teachers in the first half of the Summer Term. We expect the boys to take these exams seriously and complete the recommended amount of revision over half-term. However revision for the exams should not dominate the weeks prior to their start. Your son s performance, in the end-of-year examinations, will be shown on the Summer Report which will show his personal mark and the form highest and form median in each subject. This will convey some idea of your son s achievement, under examination conditions, relative to his peer group. Prep Diaries Each boy is issued with a Prep Diary and it is used as the main form of communication between school and home. Boys write their daily prep in their diary and this should be taken home at the end of each day and signed by parents to acknowledge that the work has been done. This is returned the following morning. Please check that your son is writing in his prep in detail and not just writing Maths or English and that you sign the diary each day after checking that the homework has been completed. Please note that the amount of prep increases as the boys progress through the school but should not regularly take longer than the time advised by the school. If there is a problem with the time taken over prep, please do liaise with your son s Form Tutor. Please do read the prep guidelines in your son s prep diary. Reading Diaries Parents and teachers agree that successful reading development is a key issue in a child s academic progress. At Warwick, we aim to encourage reading for pleasure through use of our central and class libraries; through the annual book fair; and in providing a quiet time each day when the children are asked to read a book they have chosen. In school the boys read to an adult on a regular basis. If any reading problems develop they will be referred to those in charge of curriculum support and contact will be made with parents. We know that many parents hear their children read each week, and this is a practice which we believe to be invaluable in supporting the work done at school. We would like the boys to be heard for a short time each evening, perhaps ten minutes, and for the children then to be encouraged to spend a similar time in private reading. At school, a reading diary is kept in which the boys note date, title, page number of the book being read. The reading diary must be taken home each day, be filled in and returned to school the following morning. The reading record is passed on to the boy s next teacher at the end of each academic year. 10

11 When hearing children read aloud at home, three points should be borne in mind: fluency in reading is clearly the prime aim but we do look to develop expression through recognition of punctuation marks, and reading ahead; we also encourage children to break down words into component parts where the word is one they fail to recognise immediately. Our own teaching of this area is based on phonics, with input from other approaches where this is felt to be helpful. If you have any questions about reading in general, please approach your son s class or English teacher, who will be more than happy to discuss any problems. Queries regarding the library should be addressed to the librarian. Miss Mellor, Head of Lower School, is available to meet parents who feel that their son has a problem which might require more specialised attention. Curriculum Support In a minority of circumstances boys are offered curriculum support in either English or Maths or occasionally in both. A charge for this support is made and a boy s individual progress is reviewed termly. See also detail on page 5. Classes There are three parallel forms per year group. In some rare cases it might be necessary to move individual boys during their time at the Junior School. Excursions Throughout your son s time in the Junior School it is intended that he will have the opportunity of participating in a wide variety of school excursions. These may be local field trips or excursions abroad. Some excursions are residential involving overnight stays of differing durations. All parents are notified by the relevant excursion leader in plenty of time as to the nature and the cost of the trip. School Security Please note that the school will be locked during weekday evenings and at the weekend. This does mean that if your son forgets any bags, books etc., he will not be able to get into the school, outside normal school hours, to retrieve them. We do our utmost to remind boys to check they have collected all their belongings, but we would also appreciate your support in this matter. Please reinforce to your son that it is important he has all he needs before leaving school. Medical Matters Please inform the school of any medical problems that may affect your son whilst he is at school and details of any medication he may require. If medication is to be administered it should be given to Sister in the Medical Centre and not to the Form Tutor. The school has a fully equipped medical centre with a qualified nurse on duty throughout the day. If your son feels unwell or has an accident, someone will be asked to accompany him there. You will be contacted by the nurse if she feels it is necessary to send him home. Any boys who use inhalers for asthma should carry them with them at all times. Each inhaler should be labelled with their name. A health education programme will be studied which will include such topics as drug and sex education at the appropriate age. Please note the direct line to the Medical Centre, the number is listed at the front of this handbook. Please note the following school policy regarding head lice. (i) Wash the hair in the normal way with an ordinary shampoo. (ii) Inspect the rinsing water for lice floating to the surface. (iii) Using lots of hair 11

12 conditioner and, while the hair is very wet, comb through with a fine toothcomb. Make sure that the teeth of the comb slot into the hair at the roots with every stroke. Do this over a pale surface such as a paper towel. (iv) Wet lice will not move and slippery hair is hard for lice to get a grip on so they should be easy to remove with a comb. (v) If you do find any lice you should repeat this routine every three days for two weeks and inform the school. Absence (Illness) When a boy is absent from school because of ill-health his parents or guardian should inform the school by 9.15 am on the first day of his absence and he should bring with him, on his return, a note from his parents or guardian giving information about the illness and the absence. He should give this note to his Form Tutor. If the absence for ill-health lasts more than three days, a note of explanation should be sent to the Headmaster on the fourth day. If boys suffer from sickness, please keep boys at home for 48 hours following illness to avoid spreading infection. Absence (requests) please see School Regulations in the Pre-Enrolment Document Appointments out of school Boys must sign out and in again if they have to leave the premises for hospital/dental appointments etc. Again this should ensure that we know where all boys are. Whenever possible parents are asked to arrange appointments outside school hours. Library The Junior School library stocks a large number of reference and fiction books. Parents and boys are welcome to use it as much as possible. Each form in the school has one library lesson each week. In these lessons, boys are taught how to use the library, are introduced to a wide selection of fiction books and are given an additional opportunity to borrow books. Third Year monitors help during lunch-break and after school when boys can come to browse around the shelves, borrow and return books or simply sit and read. The librarian is available at these times to help boys with their choice of books. The library is also open for boys and parents after school until 4.00 pm. Parents are most welcome, and indeed encouraged, to come to help their sons choose books. Please do not hesitate to speak to the librarian if there are any problems. Houses At the beginning of his school career your son will be put into one of four Houses: Drake (green) Nelson (blue) Scott (red) Wellington (yellow) Any House points gained for either work or good behaviour will go towards a weekly house points competition. House ties can be purchased from the school shop and each colour denotes the boy s house, as shown above. The House system is used as a means of offering sporting and other competition to a wide group of boys. A House Point system is used within the school to encourage the boys to behave in a gentlemanly way and to produce work of a high standard. The House Points awarded are collated at the end of each week and 12

13 announced to the school on a Friday lunchtime assembly. Throughout the year there are numerous inter House competitions, examples of these are Rugby, Cricket, General Knowledge, Swimming Gala, Sports Day and House Points. The Cock House Cup, presented at Prize Giving, is awarded to the House that has been most successful in these competitions. Prefects It is our desire to give boys a chance of holding a post of responsibility during their time with us. There are class monitors who undertake specific tasks for their Form Tutor. The Junior School prefects are selected from boys in the Third Year. The main role of the prefects is to try their best to set a good example in all they do. Other aspects of the role are to escort forms when they move from one place to another, act as representatives of the school when showing parents around, or (for example) helping with the organisation of Speech Day etc. The prefects wear a special tie which marks their achievement and position. Twelve prefects are appointed, through staff election, for the start of the academic year. Six more are appointed at Christmas, thus completing the appointment process. Change of address If you move house at any time during your son s school career, please inform the Junior School giving details of the new address and telephone number, (inc. mobile phones). In addition please ensure that any change in a business day time telephone number is communicated promptly to the school. Please also advise of any change of address. FOWS The Friends of Warwick School (FOWS) support numerous projects and help us provide an enriched environment for the benefit of all the boys. The FOWS raise money through a second hand uniform shop, Christmas Fair and other events. The support of parents is essential to their success. Members of the FOWS committee are available at the New Parents Meetings held at the beginning of the Michaelmas Term, to give further details. Channels of Communication We encourage parents and boys to discuss all matters openly with their Form Tutors. Parents are welcome to call into school for brief informal discussions with Form Tutors either before or after school hours, but an appointment should be made with the Form Tutor to discuss issues of a more serious nature. Apart from minor issues the details of all meetings with parents are recorded. If either the Form Tutor or parents feel it necessary to seek further advice or guidance, an appointment may be made with either the Head of Lower School or the Deputy Headmaster as appropriate. The Head of the Junior School will always be well informed of all interviews. Parental year representatives will be appointed on an annual basis to give parents both a social point of contact and assist staff with the administration of various events. Their contact details will be made known to you at the start of each school year. The Parent Portal website allows parents to link into the School s database from home giving you access to personal information relating to your child. The Parent Portal also contains general school information such as the school calendar, school policies, letters sent home and other school news. The move towards putting more information on the parent portal is part of our campaign to reduce the amount of paper issued by the school and improve the efficiency of communication. If you have lost your activation details or need any assistance, please your query to dse@warwickschool.org or the Junior School secretary jt@warwickschool.org. 13

14 Rewards and Sanctions The school strives to encourage your son at every opportunity. To this end we operate a range of rewards. We have found that boys respond positively to this system. Rewards Boys are rewarded in a number of ways. By: having constructive comments said and/or written down having work displayed anything else that is considered to be good practice such as use of stickers to further the use of the feel good factor for the boy concerned being given house points appropriately receiving commendations for academic work, sport or the arts for acts of exceptional conduct they receive a Golden Ticket Sanctions We expect our pupils to behave well. However, there are times when inappropriate behaviour has to be addressed. The system in use is as follows: firstly a verbal chat, preferably at the end of a lesson with the individual concerned secondly if a verbal warning fails then a strike is given thirdly an order mark then can be given to a boy who either does not respond to requests to improve his behaviour under the three strikes system during a period of five school days or whose behaviour is deemed serious enough to warrant an order mark straight away. The order mark is recorded and the Deputy Headmaster sees the relevant boy personally for a Deputy Headmaster s detention. The first order mark in a term brings a 30 min detention, the second requires a 45 min detention and should it happen, the consequences of a third order mark in one term is a Headmaster s detention lasting an hour. A Headmaster detention is given for receiving three order marks in a term and/or for a major infraction of the school rules. The detention is recorded. Most boys pass through the Junior School without ever receiving a detention. The Junior School Headmaster takes the detention, a time which ends with parents attending the meeting. A parallel system is also in place designed to help pupils be organised and look after their belongings. These are called Disorganisational Strikes pupils who gain four of these in a short period, will meet with the Deputy Headmaster one lunchtime and spend half an hour doing jobs of one sort or other. Bullying Unfortunately bullying, in some form or another, exists to some extent in all schools. Here at Warwick Junior School, we do take bullying very seriously and work with the boys to try to prevent incidents from taking place. We do this by raising awareness of bullying through whole school and house assemblies and by examining how to deal with it through PSHE lessons. We aim to deal with any incidences of bullying as quickly as possible. Boys who are confident rarely fall victim to bullying. The following suggestions give ways in which you can help your son to become more confident. Give regular praise when he does something well. Make him feel responsible by setting him tasks to do around the house. Talk to him regularly about what he has achieved at school and at any clubs that he belongs to. 14

15 Encourage him to mix with other children by involving him in clubs and societies. Help him to form relationships with his classmates by encouraging him to bring new friends home to play. It is important for your son to value the diverse society in which we live and to understand that sometimes, different people act in different ways. He should understand that tolerance is a virtue and that differences should be celebrated. You are your son s greatest role model and he will benefit enormously from spending time with you. Please do not hesitate to contact your son s form tutor if you have any worries about him, however trivial the problem may seem. Music Music is an important element in children s development. Your son will have the opportunity to learn to play an instrument under the guidance of our many music specialists. With such wonderful talent amongst our peripatetic staff it would be a great shame if such an opportunity was not seized upon. We actively encourage each boy to learn an instrument and there is ample opportunity for boys to play in a group situation such as in small ensembles, as well as string orchestra, wind band, brass group, rock band and, of course, the main Junior School Orchestra. For singers there are two school choirs, the Junior School Choir, which is open to all boys, and the Micro Choir which is an invitational choir for those more able singers who are capable of singing in parts. For those boys who are interested in a Church Choir two routes are possible: the School Chapel Choir and St Mary s Warwick. Music scholarships are available, some of these are awarded from St Mary s for their choristers and some are School Music Scholarships. If you are interested in following up any of these areas please see Miss Sharp. First Year String Project In the First Year, as part of their normal class music lessons, the boys are fortunate enough to take part in the String Project, which is an opportunity to learn either violin, viola, cello and double bass. This is so that they can make use of the music theory and aural knowledge, that they learn, on an instrument and improve their ensemble skills as well. This does not affect the normal individual music lesson scheme that operates at Warwick School, and it is not a substitute for it. Many boys will already play an orchestral instrument and we want this to continue. The project is aimed to stimulate a lasting interest and enjoyment of stringed instruments for beginners and is great fun! At the end of the year it is hoped that the boys will continue their studies by opting for individual instrumental music lessons and one day will play in the many musical groups that exist at Warwick, in both the Junior and Senior School. For boys to make good progress a short amount of practice on most days is required and it makes a huge difference if parents can encourage and support their sons. Most of us when young needed a little gentle persuasion to practise! The other thing we ask is that parents support the short informal concerts that the boys will give (about once a term). These give a real purpose to the boys work. The school will provide all necessary equipment for the first year (violins, violas, cellos, double basses and music). Please read the Terms and Conditions carefully for the use of these instruments, see appendix iv. Drama and Junior School Productions 15

16 Drama too is seen as very important. From the First Year onwards boys have Performing Arts on their timetable, thus giving them an opportunity to participate in a range of dramatic activities. Two productions are performed annually, namely the Lower Two play at the end of the Lent Term and the Third Year play in the early part of the Summer Term. The Lower Two play is performed in the Junior School Assembly Hall, the Third Year play in the Bridge House Theatre. Both productions are held in the evenings to enable family and friends to attend. School Matches The school undertakes a busy fixture programme playing teams all over the Midlands. There are matches for all age groups and, as a member of IAPS, (Incorporated Association of Prep Schools) the school takes part in a number of competitions. Representing the school is seen as an honour and your son is required to play if selected with the school taking priority over other commitments. Boys attend fixtures in full school uniform and if at home play host to the opposition. Should fixtures be cancelled or postponed due to weather conditions, a message will be left on the Sports Weather Line number given on page 1. Parents and friends are most welcome to attend all sporting fixtures, both home and away. Uniform On entry into the school parents are provided with a school uniform list. We expect the boys to come to school properly dressed with clean shoes and to wear their uniform with pride. Hats and gloves should be of a dark colour. The Friends of Warwick School (FOWS) Nearly New Clothing Shop The FOWS Shop opens weekly from 3 pm 4.30 pm every Friday in term time. The shop is situated at the top end of the Senior School car park adjacent to the School Clothing shop. The FOWS Shop stocks all current school uniform including blazers, trousers, shirts and sweaters, in addition to all sports uniform and equipment. Throughout the year Saturday sales of general uniform and specialist sales for cricket are held. Dates will be published in the school calendar. Lost Property At some stage during the term your son may lose some of his property. It would be helpful if everything was clearly named in an appropriate place as this will enable the property to be returned to him as soon as possible. Equipment lost in the sports area is often sent to The Pound in the Senior School. Regular collections from this room are made by Junior School staff. List of items for boys to have in school A school bag (available from the School Clothing Shop). clearly marked with your son s name. All boys would find it useful to have the following items: A ruler of 30 cm 3 or 4 HB pencils A good quality rubber A pencil sharpener which catches the shavings A set of coloured crayons A solid glue stick An A4 plastic wallet for prep for First Year boys 16

17 In addition to these items, boys in Lower II, Upper II and 3 rd year will require a fountain pen and in the Upper II and 3 rd Year a geometry set. Please ensure that all items are clearly named as they can get lost very easily. If your son wishes to bring books or belongings which relate to specific subjects or topics please put his name on them. Kit List The following kit list will enable your son to participate in the various sporting activities on offer in the Junior School. Parents are asked to ensure that their son s sports kit conforms to the official school clothing list. Most of the items are available at the School Clothing Shop located by the Guy Nelson Hall car park. Opening times are pm during term time Swimming School swimming trunks (blue) Medium sized towel (colour optional) Goggles optional but advisable P.E. P.E. top (polo shirt with badge) Shorts/socks/pumps (all white) Rugby/Football School rugby shirt Blue shorts School rugby socks Boots football boots with rugby safety studs are recommended (to B.S. 6366) Shin pads Mouthguards Cricket Unless there is the likelihood of your son playing for the school or other team, the expense of buying a specific cricket outfit is not necessary and the ordinary PE kit will suffice. The purchase of a cricket jumper may be advisable given the inconsistency of our summers! A school sports bag will be required to carry your son s kit and is available from the Clothing Shop. Cricket bags should only be brought into school when boys are involved in school fixtures and should not be of deluxe size! Finally, everyone at the Junior School wishes you and your son a very happy and successful time here. We would like your son to be able to flourish whilst he is with us and to leave with a treasure chest full of wonderful memories. 17