Ousedale SchoolNewport Pagnell Campus

Transition 2021

Dear Parents and Carers,

Over the past few weeks we have been meeting staff and visiting students in their primary schools to make sure that they have a positive start to their time at Ousedale School. The students have been a credit to you and we have given them lots of information regarding their transition up to Ousedale for this term.

We have put together this power point so that we can still share with you all of the information we would normally go through in our transition parents’ evening in school. I am delighted to tell you that although we will not all be seeing you face to face there will be a meet the tutor evening on 24th June from 3.30-7.15 pm which will happen on zoom. You will be allocated a 5 minute time slot so that you can have a chat with the tutor and introduce yourselves.

Hopefully this power point will also answer any questions you may have. If you get to the end and still have things you would like to find out, please email Julie Collins (julie.collins@ousedale.org.uk).

The students will come to Ousedale for one day the week beginning 5th July to experience lessons and meet some of their teachers. They should wear their current school uniform and will need to bring in a packed lunch and an equipped pencil case please. The day will run from 8.45am – 2.35pm and we will expect them to come straight here and go home from here. There is provision to store bicycles if they wish to cycle in but we ask that they bring a lock.

We look forward to working with them during that week and preparing them for their next 5 years at Ousedale.

Miss Collins (Senior Pastoral and Academic Leader for Year 7) and Mrs Penny (Assistant Headteacher)

Medication

• We have already received information about any medical issues your child may have but if they need to be issued with medication during the school day during the week of transition please bring it to the school reception between 8.30 -8.50 am and hand it to one of our healthcare coordinators, Shona Bateson or Jess Gunn. Many thanks.

• If there are any issues with the above please email healthcoordinatorsnp@ousedale.org.uk

Key Staff

Mrs PennyAssistant Headteacher

Mr BurtonHead Teacher

Mr GloverSenior Deputy Headteacher

Miss Collins Senior Pastoral and Academic

Leader for Year 7

Mrs Freer Year 7 Learning Mentor

Year 7 Form Tutors

Mr Badham Miss Camden Mr Williams Mr Allen

Mrs Molnar-Smith Mrs Das Miss Hucker Miss Campbell

Role of the Form TutorYour son / daughter’s form tutor will be your main point of contact during their time at Ousedale School. Students see their Form Tutor every morning for a 10 minute registration and also on a Wednesday afternoon for PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education). If anything is ever worrying your son or daughter, please encourage them to speak to their form tutor straight away so that we can help resolve any problems.

Form groups have been put together based on the information that your son / daughter’s current school has given us. We know that finding out tutor groups can be an anxious time for students, but please reassure them that they are only with their tutor groups for a very small part of the school day.

We think it’s important that this is a fresh start for everyone. Students will know some people in their tutor groups from their current school. However, it will also be a great chance to meet new friends too.

You will have an opportunity to meet your son / daughter’s Form Tutor again to discuss how they have settled in at our Meet The Tutor evening which will take place week beginning 6th September.

The School Day - MondayOn a Monday, our school day is slightly different. This is because we have form time and assembly for the first 30 minutes each Monday. This means that every lesson on a

Monday morning is 5 minutes shorter.

Assembly / tutor time: 8.45 – 9.15Lesson 1: 9.15 – 10.10Lesson 2: 10.10 – 11.05Break: 11.05 – 11.30Lesson 3: 11.30 – 12.25Lesson 4: 12.25 – 13.20Lunch: 13.20 – 13.5514.05Lesson 5: 13.55 - 14.55

The School Day: Tuesday to FridayRegistration: 8.45 – 8.55Lesson 1: 8.55 - 9.55Lesson 2: 9.55 - 10.55Break: 10.55 - 11.20Lesson 3: 11.20 - 12.20Lesson 4: 12.20 - 13.20Lunch: 13.20 - 13.55Lesson 5: 13.55 - 14.55

Punctuality

It is really important that students are on time for school every day. They need to be at their form room, ready to start the day by 8.45am. If they are late to school, they will be given a 20 minute detention that lunch time.

Breaks and lunch times

• The canteen is open before school, break and lunch time for students to go to.

• In the first week, year 7 lunch starts 5 minutes earlier than other students so that they have priority going in to the canteen.

• There are outside areas that we would encourage students to use to sit and meet up with their friends.

• The SEND area also runs a lunch club every day.

Canteen

Sample breakfast, snack and lunch menus

PE and Sports, Music and Drama

Students will get the opportunity to try a range of sports at Ousedale School. They will also have the opportunity to take part in lunch time and after school clubs and also try out for our sports teams.

There are also lots of music and drama clubs both at lunch times and after school for them to get involved in, along with our regular school productions.

Clubs and extra-curricular activities

• There are a number of extra opportunities for students and we would encourage students to take up these opportunities.

• Leadership roles – we will encourage as many students as possible to take part in Leadership roles.

•We will encourage students to take part in school, national and international competitions.

What will students need to bring with them?

•Students will need a good sized bag. At the Newport Pagnell Campus, we do not have lockers so students need to carry their books with them for that day. This means they need to be very organised the night before and make sure they pack the right equipment for the next day.

•Please ensure any equipment students have (PE kit, lunch boxes, pencil cases etc) are named in case they get lost.

•Students will need to have their own pencil case, calculator and other key equipment. (A full list is on the next slide)

Basic Equipment • Pen x2

• Pencil x2

• Pencil sharpener

• Rubber/eraser

• 1 calculator

• 1 geometry set (set square, protractor, compass etc)

• 1 x 30cm ruler

• 1 x glue stick

You will be sent details of how to order our recommended calculator and geometry set when you are set up on Parentpay in the summer holidays. You will be able to purchase these through the school for £10.75.

It is essential that students have the right equipment for their lessons. This is the basic equipment that students should have with them in September.

What lessons will your son / daughter be doing?

Students will be taught some lessons as a form group, but not all of them.

• For Maths, English and Science classes will be allocated from the start basedon teacher assessment levels from their current school. These will be reviewedby October half term and regularly throughout the school year.

• For all other classes, students will be taught in mixed ability groups.

• Students will also have lessons in a number of other subjects: History, Geography, Modern Foreign Languages (they will chose Spanish or French after the first half term), RE, Music, IT, Design Technology, Art, PE and Wellbeing. Some of these are taught as a tutor group and some are mixed with students from different tutor groups.

• Students will be taking part in the Accelerated Reader programme as part of their English lessons to promote reading and literacy skills.

The Ousedale Learner

In lessons, we ask students to try their best to meet the Ousedale Standard for Students. This means trying to be:- Respectful- Collaborative- Determined- Engaged- Organised

We use the definitions in the grid to the right to break these down for students so that our expectations are clear and achievable.

Homework

In the first half term, only core subjects (Maths, English and Science) will set homework once a week, to support transition to secondary school.

After October half term students will receive the following homework:

• Once a week: Maths, English, Science, MFL, History, Geography.

• Once a fortnight: PER, Music, IT, Art, Technology.

As a guide, students can expect that each homework task or activity may take up to 30 minutes.

All homework will be recorded on Google Classrooms.

Uniform

We want the students of OusedaleSchool to wear their uniform with pride. This means:

• Ties worn properly – up to their top button

• Shirt tucked in• Blazer on (unless told otherwise

by their teacher)• Black tights to be worn at all

times under a school skirt• Shoes must be plain black all

over (no coloured logos etc)• School trousers must not be

tight fitting. They must be loose at the ankles.

Mobile Phones

Whilst students can bring their mobile phone in to school, this is completely at their own risk. The school is not responsible for mobile phones if they get lost, damaged or stolen.

If students do bring their phone to school with them, it must be off for the vast majority of the day.

The only times students are allowed their phone on are during break and lunch times and this is only if they are outside. Students are not allowed to be on their phone in any school buildings. This includes the Canteens or Library.

SEND

If you have any SEND concerns that you would like to discuss prior to September, please contact the following member of staff:

Sian Waterhouse (SENDCO): sian.waterhouse@ousedale.org.uk

FAQs

What does North and South school mean?

For timetabling purposes, we divide the 8 tutor groups in to 2 groups of 4 (North and South). This means that when students are not taught as a tutor group, they will be with other students from their half of the year group. This does not mean that they cannot mix with other students at break and lunch times.

How can I apply for support with transport?

Please click on the link below if you require additional information regarding school transport:

https://www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/schools-and-lifelong-learning/information-for-parents/home-to-school-transport

How do students pay for their food in the canteen?

Parents / carers can upload money on to their account through parentpay. We advise parents to set a maximum daily spend on their account.