Table of Contents Welcome 02 Communication 03 The School day 04 10 Other Half 11 Sport and PE 12 Music lessons 13 Code of conduct 14 Food 15 Fees 16 Miscellaneous Page 01 Medical information 05 06 Calendar and holidays Uniform 07 Academic 08 09 Homework and reporting
Welcome to Abingdon Prep School. We are delighted that you have chosen our school for your child and are very much looking forward to welcoming your family to the Abingdon Prep School community. We hope you will find the information set out in this document helpful in preparing for your child's start at school. Welcome Page 02 School life School life revolves around form teachers, pupils’ houses and Other Half activities. Pupils are divided, according to year group, into Pre-Prep (Reception, Years 1 and 2), Middle (Years 3, 4 and 5) and Senior (Years 6, 7 and 8) sections. Settling in Our main priority is to get your child settled into life at school as quickly as possible. Your child's form teacher is your first point of contact for any questions you may have and they will help your child to settle quickly into their new routine. All new pupils are allocated a class buddy to help them settle in during their first few weeks with us. School houses When your child starts school, they will be placed into one of our four houses: Dragon, Griffin, Phoenix and Unicorn and they will remain in this house for the duration of their time at Abingdon Prep. The house system enables children to mix across age groups from the very start. Each house has a Head of House and there are house cups for sports, performing arts and for cultural and academic activities, providing plenty of opportunity for healthy inter-house competition.
Plenty of useful information can be found on our website including our school calendar, sports fixture information, details of JPA (our parents’ association) and our lunch menu, not to mention plenty of news stories about what our pupils have been up to. The Weekly Mailing Each Thursday during term time, parents are emailed our Weekly Mailing which contains vital information about forthcoming events at school. As such, it is important you let us know if you do not receive this. Abingdon Prep News Our termly school magazine provides a snapshot of the wide range of activities our children have enjoyed throughout the course of the previous term. Photographs and social media As already mentioned, news stories are published on the school website and shared via social media channels including X, Facebook and Instagram and this is an engaging way for parents to keep up to date with all their children are doing. Parents will be asked to complete a consent form when they join. Telephoning home If children need to speak to their parents during the course of the school day, they may ask permission of the school secretaries to use the telephone, but these requests should only be in exceptional circumstances. Mobile phones are not permitted in school and should only be brought into school with the express permission of the Head or Deputy Head. They would then be handed in at the school office upon arrival. www.abingdon.org.uk/prep Communication Central to the success of your child’s time at Abingdon Prep is a strong relationship between home and school. Your child's form teacher is your first point of contact and can be contacted via email with any questions you may have. The vast majority of general information is sent out by email or in our Weekly Mailing on a Thursday; or is available on our website. Page 03
Arrival at school Pupils should arrive from 8.15am in time for registration at 8.30am. Children can be dropped off at our Early Birds Club from 8am, at no additional cost. End of the day Children in Years 3 to 8 finish school at 4.10pm and have the option of going straight home, doing Other Half activities or having supervised prep study from 4.15pm to 5pm. At 5pm, they may go home or go to After School Club (at an additional cost) until 6pm. Saturday school Parents are strongly encouraged to check the school calendar which can be found on the website as there are occasional Saturday fixtures which children will be expected to attend. Arriving late or going early from school If a child arrives late or needs to leave school early for any reason, it is very important that they sign in and out of the school office so that we know the whereabouts of all children at all times. Bus service Our bus service is available for children from Year 1 and above. We offer a number of routes which help families to safely transport their children to and from the School. For information on available routes and fares, or to book, please visit the website. The School day Page 04
Illness Children who are unwell should stay at home and not come into school. If a child is unwell, parents should email their child’s form teacher and the school secretary ([email protected]) by 8.30am for each day they are absent (or telephone the school office on 01865 391570). If a pupil is absent without notification, the school secretary will telephone parents to establish a reason for absence. We request that children who have sickness or diarrhoea remain off school for 48 hours after their last symptom. If your child has a highly infectious disease e.g. chickenpox or scarlet fever, please keep them off school and email the medical team ([email protected]) and your child’s form teacher at the earliest opportunity. Healthcare There is a school nurse at Abingdon Prep who is always on duty throughout the school day. Based in our small, friendly medical room, care is offered as a result of an accident, injury, minor illness or for a quick chat for reassurance. As part of the joiner pack, parents are asked to complete a form detailing their child’s medical history - please supply us with as much detail as possible. If there are any significant changes to your child’s overall medical condition at any stage during their time at Abingdon Prep, please inform our school nurse via email on [email protected] so our records are up to date. Listening service Pastoral staff run a listening service which is available to all pupils who wish to talk about anything which may be worrying them. Medication The nurse can administer medications, including those prescribed from home, such as antibiotics, once parents have completed the medicines form. The nurse keeps named emergency medication including inhalers and adrenaline autoinjectors and provides continued support to children with longer term health needs such as diabetes and asthma. Medical information Page 05
Holidays before, after and during term time Holiday dates are published well in advance and parents are asked to book holidays during these times. However, we do understand there may be occasions when a child may need to leave school before the end of term or arrive back after term has started. In such instances, consent must be granted by the Head - please email him directly, [email protected] and copy in your child’s form teacher. School calendar, timetable and diary The school calendar is available on our website. It provides details of all activities for the following term including sports fixtures, trips and events. It is subject to change so we recommend parents check this regularly. In the first week of term, your child will bring home their timetable which should make it clear what lessons they will be doing each day. They will also be given a Prep Diary - this is used as a two way communication tool between home and school for everyday matters. Your child will write down information about music lessons, prep etc. and staff may also include messages to parents within it. Parents are asked to check the diary regularly, signing it at the weekend to ensure prep is completed on time. It will be checked on a regular basis by their form teacher. Calendar and holidays Page 06
Labels All items of clothing should be clearly labelled with name tapes or equivalent. Where to source School uniform and sports kit may be purchased through our uniform supplier, Stevensons. Second hand uniform sales are arranged throughout the year and are advertised in the school calendar. Dress code Clothes must be smart, clean and well cared for. Hair should look smart. Bleaches or dyes that are in contrast to a child’s natural colour are not permitted. No earrings, bracelets, studs, chains, necklaces or rings are permitted. Shirts should be tucked in at the waist, with top buttons done up and ties worn correctly. Hats or caps should either be with the School's logo or plain navy/black. Uniform Page 07
Curriculum Details of each stage of the curriculum are available on our website and can be found here. Books and equipment Text books and stationery are issued generally without any separate charge. Books remain the property of Abingdon Prep School and a charge may be made for any which are lost or damaged. The following is a list of the equipment which is required throughout the school and which parents are asked to provide: Pencils Pencil sharpener Pencil case Eraser Ruler Glue (Pritt-stick or glue pen) Set of coloured pencils (not felt tips) Geometry set (including protractor, compasses only in Year 5 and above) Simple scientific calculator (from Year 7 and above) In Years 3 and 4, children write in pencil and in Year 5, they begin to write in ink. From Year 6, their writing will be done solely using ink pen (unless advised otherwise by members of staff). Learning support There may come a point in any child’s time at school where they might need a bit of extra support on either the pastoral or academic front. While this can often be addressed through a differentiated curriculum in the classroom, some children do need more focused attention (in either a one to one or small group setting) whether physically, emotionally, socially or for a specific learning difficulty. If it is thought that a pupil may need additional support, academic and pastoral staff will work closely with parents to assess, plan and review so that appropriate action can be taken to support each individual child. A small team of well-qualified and experienced learning support teachers are committed to building self-confidence in pupils, communicating with their parents, co-ordinating with teaching staff and, where appropriate, outside professional agencies (e.g. educational psychologists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists). Academic Page 08
Homework Homework is given throughout the school to help support and consolidate pupil learning. The content and amount of homework is appropriate to the age group and curriculum being followed. Pupils should write their homework in their prep diaries - this allows parents to know what their child has to do each night. As a guide, children in Years 3, 4 and 5 should spend no more than 30 minutes on homework each evening; and in Years 6, 7 and 8, no more than an hour. If your child has spent what you consider to be a reasonable amount of time on homework and has not been able to complete it, please let us know so the teacher does not assume it has been completed in a ‘normal’ amount of time. Reporting Teachers provide parents and pupils with regular summaries of progress to help identify strengths and areas for further development. This is achieved through parents’ evenings, written reports and informal communications with parents as appropriate. An overview of reporting can be found here. Effort and achievement grades are used to provide guidance to pupils and parents of individual progress and assist staff in monitoring and tracking pupil progress within individual subject areas. The effort and achievement grades can be found here. In Years 3 to 5, grades will appear in written subject reports twice a year and may also be issued ahead of parents’ evenings in the form of an interim report. In Years 7 to 8, grades may also be used when marking regular classwork and homework when there is not an exercise specific marking criteria such as might be used with practice exam papers. Homework and reporting Page 09
Our extra curricular programme, known as the ‘Other Half’ is an integral part of an Abingdon Prep education. Activities take place during lunch time and after school. Our Admissions team will send an email with a link for parents to make choices with their children in the term preceding their start date. Whilst children are not expected to undertake all of the vast array of activities on offer, everyone is encouraged to try as many as possible during their time at school. Where activities are supplied by an outside coach, the full cost will be applied to a pupil’s account each term in arrears, regardless of the number of sessions attended. Other Half Page 10
Sport is carefully tailored to each age group and focuses on enjoyment, well-being and healthy competition and all children are expected to participate (unless medically exempt). It is important that everyone feels part of a team and has the experience of competing for their school. All children from Years 3 to 8 are expected to be available for all fixtures including on a Saturday if selected to play for a school team and we ask for parents’ support in this matter. Other internal competitions, known as ‘House’ competitions, occur throughout the year in a number of different sports. Years 3 and 4: Pupils have the opportunity to play rugby, football, hockey and cricket fixtures, as well as swimming and cross-country competitions. Years 5 and 6: Pupils have the opportunity to play rugby, football, hockey, cricket and tennis fixtures, as well as swimming and cross-country competitions. In addition to the traditional sports, there are opportunities to try fencing, karate, badminton, street dance, table tennis, water polo, golf and archery. Year 7 and 8: Pupils have a number of opportunities and we encourage them to represent our school in matches in rugby, football, hockey, cricket, cross-country, tennis, athletics and swimming. Our extensive Other Half programme offers additional activities during lunchtimes and after school across all year groups. Tennis rackets and hockey sticks: Are available to borrow. Shinpads: Compulsory for football and hockey. Mouthguards: These are recommended for Year 3 for rugby, even though at this age it is non-contact. They are also needed for their hockey skills. As a child’s mouth changes frequently, a self-moulded mouthguard is fine and these are available from good sports shops. However, if you would prefer to have a mouthguard fitted by your own dentist, then that is also acceptable. Non-participation: If your child is unable to participate in sport, due to injury or illness, please email the Director of Sport [email protected] copying in your child’s form teacher. Sport and PE Page 11
In addition to timetabled lessons in music, children have the opportunity to have individual lessons, taught by our experienced peripatetic teachers, in the following: Piano / Keyboard Singing Percussion / Drums Ukulele Violin Cello Guitar Bass Guitar Flute Clarinet Oboe Bassoon Alto Sax Trumpet Trombone Cornet If you would like to arrange individual lessons for your child, please email our Director of Music who will be happy to arrange this. Music lessons are charged per half-hour session and parents pay the music teacher involved at the beginning of each term. A term’s notice, in writing, is required to discontinue lessons. Children can also join Jazz Band, Cello Ensemble, Guitar Group and Wind Band. There are other opportunities to perform in the Junior Choir, School Orchestra and at our Christmas and summer concerts. Music lessons Page 12
We ask for parents’ support in implementing our code of conduct with their child. Be kind, helpful and thoughtful towards others and treat them as you would like to be treated Always tell the truth Work hard and allow others to work hard too Use common sense Keep the school tidy and safe Respect your property and the property of others Look smart at all times Show good manners and respect towards others at all times and in all places Try to be the best you can be and never give up Rewards Good behaviour, manners, effort and work are rewarded with: Merit or house points Golds (for outstanding academic achievements) Discipline and consequences If a pupil’s behaviour has gone against our code of conduct, the following consequences may be considered: A warning - either verbal or entered into the prep diary. A demerit - marked in prep diary with explanation as to why it has been given. Sanction - this is a written exercise which requires a pupil to reflect on their behaviour. Parents will be asked to sign it. Parent meeting - for a contravention considered extremely serious, parents may be asked to attend a meeting with the Head, after which a pupil may be asked to complete a detention or may be excluded temporarily or permanently. Code of conduct Page 13
Lunch Menus can be found on the school website. There is a full range of hot meals including vegetarian options available, plus a salad bar. If your child has a dietary requirement, please indicate this on the medical form. Snacks Given the close proximity of break time to lunch time, school does not provide a snack. However, parents may send a small snack if they would like to. This needs to be nut free and should not consist of crisps, chocolate (in any form), sweets or fizzy drinks. Water Drinking water is encouraged throughout the day. Pupils should bring their own, named, water bottle, which can be filled up at any of the water dispensers. Birthdays Children may bring in a cake (with an ingredients list) or sweets to share with their form on their birthday. This will be overseen by the form teacher and given out at break time. Please remember school is a nut free zone. Food Page 14
Payment of fees is due in advance and no later than the first day of term. Fees are fully inclusive of lunch, stationery and other classroom, musical and sporting resources. Any extras, such as for individual music lessons, trips / visits are agreed with parents before billing. Monthly payment of fees The school cannot recommend a company that administrates a monthly credit scheme for the payment of school fees. However, there are a number of companies that offer this service and parents wishing to pay in this way can apply on their websites. Insurance schemes No reduction is made for absence but there is a School Fees Refund Scheme, which can be taken out through the school. All children are automatically covered for personal accident insurance. A medical cover scheme for pupils is also available. Further details and the policies can be downloaded from the website. If parents wish to join any of the schemes, please contact the Finance Department and arrange for the charges to be added to your termly school bill. Personal effects insurance Please note the school does not accept responsibility for, and the school’s insurance does not cover, a pupil’s personal effects such as laptop, mobile phone or musical instrument. Fees Page 15
Parents’ Association The Abingdon Prep School Parents’ Association, known as the JPA, interlinks the three key elements of the school community - pupils, parents and staff. It is run by a committee consisting of a chair, treasurer and one or two parent representatives from each class. Its main aim is to enhance the feeling of community by running social activities throughout the course of the year. However, it also has the objective of raising funds which can be invested in a range of items for the benefit of the children which the school itself cannot always justify as routine expenditure. Transfer to Abingdon School Abingdon Prep School pupils, for whom Abingdon School is an appropriate next step, receive an offer of a place for Year 9 at Abingdon School at the end of Year 5 at Abingdon Prep. The offer is based on the continuous assessment of each pupil during the years up to, and including, Year 5. Unlike the requirements for other Prep Schools, there is no separate entrance examination required. The offer is subject to a pupil maintaining their profile of achievement in Years 6 to 8 at Abingdon Prep. If a pupil joins Abingdon Prep in Year 6 or Year 7 having sat our entrance tests, then if Abingdon School is an appropriate next step, they will receive an offer of a place after half a term of being at Abingdon Prep. Other senior schools The Headmaster enjoys strong links with a number of other Senior Schools and can advise parents on the appropriate next step. Parents are encouraged to arrange a meeting with the Head at the end of Year 5, or earlier if appropriate. School policies All policies are available on our website. What have we forgotten? If there are any questions which you feel have not been answered, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to welcoming your child and you to Abingdon Prep School. Miscellaneous Page 16
abingdon.org.uk/prep Last updated: February 2024
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