Welcome to Harrogate Grammar School

Year 7 Transition Information for Students2021-2022

Welcome to Harrogate Grammar School

We are delighted to be able to welcome you to Harrogate Grammar School (HGS) and hope that you are looking forward to joining us in September.

Over the next term, you will be visited by staff from our school who will explain everything you need to know about HGS. They will try to find out as much as they can about you so that we can help you make the best possible start.

To help you get to know more about HGS there is some really important information in this booklet that we would like you to read before July. This includes:

• Information and Transition Days• What our current Year 7 think about HGS• Our Core Purpose and REACH Values• iPads for Learning• Encore! Information about our musical instrument and vocal tuition• An invitation to the Year 6 Sports Day and BBQ• Getting to know you! Complete this and bring it with you in July so we can

find out even more about you• A HGS website quiz – have a look around our website to see if you can find

the answers to the questions

Your parents have received some important information and forms to complete so please make sure you take these home.

Whilst you might be nervous at the thought of starting secondary school, we would like to invite you to spend time with us on Tuesday 13, Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 July. This is a really good opportunity to get to know much more about HGS, ask those all important questions and meet staff and students.

Welcome to our school; we look forward to meeting you.

Mr RentonHeadteacher

Dear Student

I am delighted that you will be coming to our school next term and I hope you are looking forward to being part of our community. I expect you may feel a little nervous, but you will find our school a friendly place, with lots of people to help you find your way and answer your questions.

To give you a taste of life here, our transition days on Tuesday 13, Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 July will allow you to get to know me and some of your teachers, as well as the people in your new form.

You should arrive on each day by 8.50am at the latest and go through the Main Entrance and into the Hall. Please tell your parents/carers to leave you at the entrance, but ask them to collect you at 3.00pm or have their permission for you to make your own way home at that time each day. You should not wear school uniform, but you will need to bring a pencil and notebook (small enough to go in your pocket), as you may want to write down items of information. For lunch in our Dining Room, you will need to bring each day £3.00 in cash for a special set meal. You are welcome to bring a packed lunch if you have special dietary requirements.

I look forward to meeting you in July.

Yours sincerely

Miss MooreYear 7 Manager

Your Transition Days

Date Events Times

Tuesday 13 July Transition Day 1 8:50am to 3:00pm

Wednesday 14 July Transition Day 2 8:50am to 3:00pm

Thursday 15 July Transition Day 3 8:50am to 3:00pm

Remember to bring £3 for a set lunch in the school dining room*, ‘Getting to Know You’ answers, pencil and notebook (small enough to fit in your pocket)

Saturday 17 July Mini Sports Day 10:20am to 1:15pm

Meet in the Sports Hall

*You are welcome to bring a packed lunch if you have special dietary requirements.You should not wear school uniform for the transition days and mini sports day.

Welcome From Some Year 7 Students

We would like to welcome you to HGS. We can still remember what it is like getting ready to come to secondary school and so we would like to share some of the things we think are really great about our school as well as give you some tips for the transition days.

The best thing about Harrogate Grammar School is…

“You find out who is in your

form, and where your form

room is” - Amelie

“You meet so many new people!” - James

“It gives you a chance to talk

to

the teachers and your new friends,

and explore the school. This hel

ps

lots for September” - Eve

“The best thing is the food like

popcorn chicken and bangers

and mash” - Joe

“The clubs are amazing, you get

to go to different competitions

and you’ll definitely find on

e

thing you like!” - Imogen

“The quad is like a bubble just

for Year 7 to socialise in and

make friends” - Tom

Transition day is great because...

“The rewards trip and Stayawake” - Izzy

“You will make loads of new friends” - Jack

“The teachers are so nice and helpful, I love it when they makes lessons fun!” - Carley

“Year 7 get to have an early

lunch on Friday” - Martha

Mini-Sports Day

On Saturday 17 July the PE & Sport Faculty has arranged a Mini Sports Day for students starting in Year 7. This event will be held out on the school fields and astro pitch from 10.20am until 1.15pm. You are asked to meet inside the Sports Hall promptly at 10:20am to be assigned your activity groups.

We ask that your parents remain on site throughout the whole sports day to watch you take part and in the event of an early finish due to bad weather. This will also give your parents the opportunity to meet other parents. A barbecue and refreshments for both children and parents will be available to purchase between activities.

Please check the HGS website the day before the event to see if it has had to be cancelled due to poor weather. We will also email your parents if we have to cancel.

Schedule for the event:10.20am Welcome and activity assignment in the Sports Hall10.40am -11:30am Activity 111:30am -12:10pm Barbeque12.10pm Bell for movement to Activity 212.15pm -1.05pm Activity 21.05pm Pack away1.15pm Leave

The Mini Sports Day is lots of fun and a good opportunity to meet other new students. We very much look forward to seeing you there.

Enrichment Programme

We have a wealth of extra-curricular enrichment opportunities available for you inside and outside school hours. These activities give you the opportunity to experience something new; trips abroad, extend your learning or develop new leadership skills. Whatever you choose to get involved in, there is something for everyone and we encourage all our students to take part. The full programme is on the HGS website, below are a few examples of opportunities typically on offer:

Year 7 French Trip Creative Writing Roller Skating

Production Junior Choir Rugby

Netball Mandarin Chinese Art & Design Club

iPADs for Learning

Students at HGS use iPads to improve their learning. This is what HGS students think about using the iPad;

“I have been able to research things online with more ease and being able to communicate with my teachers through email has been really helpful. Also knowing that my school work is a lot safer has really helped me become more able to concentrate fully on my work.”

“I find that my iPad has helped my learning because it is very easy to communicate with other students when working in collaboration. It is also helpful because if I am away at the weekend, I can take my iPad with me so I can do homework.”

“It’s been easy to keep up with my studies during lockdown as I used my iPad to access all timetabled lessons live, with all of my teachers. During these lessons, teachers could see and feedback on the work I was producing in real time, using software like ClassKick and whiteboard.fi. Showbie was also used to share my work for the teacher to see. I could also complete quizzes during lessons, which were automatically marked and my teacher was able to help with anything I wasn’t sure about.”

We really hope you enjoy using the iPad as much as these students. Your parents will receive some information about how to sign up to the iPad scheme. You will then receive your iPad in August.

Encore!

What is Encore!? Encore! is the instrumental, vocal and drama teaching provision at HGS. It has been designed to provide an easy transition for all students to continue with or start instrumental and/or vocal lessons.

Who is eligible for lessons? Any student at HGS can have instrumental and/or vocal lessons. You do not have to have had music lessons before. If you have always wanted to try your hand at playing something or singing, whatever level, have a go!

Which instruments can I learn? Vocals Woodwind (Flute, Clarinet, Oboe, Bassoon, Saxophone & Recorder) Brass (Cornet, Trumpet, Tenor Horn, French Horn, Trombone,

Euphonium & Tuba) Strings (Violin, Viola, ‘Cello & Double Bass) Percussion (Drum Kit & Tuned Percussion including Timpani & Glockenspiel) Guitar (Acoustic, Classical, Electric & Bass) Piano (Classical & Jazz)Drama (Lamda Drama)

HGS owns a number of instruments that are available to loan to students.

Who are the lessons with and when do the lessons take place? Talented and enthusiastic professional musicians and teachers will work with you. Lessons take place during the normal school day and, when possible, are timetabled so students do not miss part of the same school lesson more than twice during the same half-term.

What do I do next? Talk with your parents and if you want to have a go then ask them to visit www.lunchpal.co.uk to sign up and pay for lessons by Monday 5 July at the latest. HGS will contact you via email to inform you when and where your lesson will take place.

Our Core PurposeOur core purpose is to provide ‘excellence for all’ and we achieve this through the five REACH values that we live out in our daily lives in school.

Getting to know you

Your new Form Tutor and Year Manager would like to get to know as much as they can about you. We would like you to finish the sentence starts below and bring this booklet with you on your transition days in July.

The last film I watched.................................................................................................

My favourite subject at school......................................................................................

Favourite TV programme is........................................................................................

The hardest subject at school is....................................................................................

My main hobby or sport I do is...................................................................................

My favourite food is....................................................................................................

At the moment I am reading........................................................................................

My dream job would be..............................................................................................

My best ever holiday was.............................................................................................

The music I listen to most is........................................................................................

My hero is...................................................................................................................

My favourite pet or animal is.......................................................................................

The thing I am most looking forward to at HGS is.....................................................

....................................................................................................................................

The thing I am most nervous about at HGS is.............................................................

....................................................................................................................................

What else do we need to know about you?

Write anything else you think we should know about you. It could be about your

family, your special talents or what you are looking forward to.

....................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................

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Website Quiz

A good way to find out about our school before the Transition Days is to look at the school website; www.harrogategrammar.co.uk

Before you visit in July, see if you can find the answers to the following 10 questions. We will be giving out rewards to those who answer them all correctly.

1. What are the names of the 4 Houses? ................................................................

..........................................................................................................................

2. What time does registration start?.......................................................................

3. How do you pay for food at HGS?.....................................................................

4. What is our Twitter address? ................................................................. ............

5. When will you collect your iPad?.......................................................................

6. What date do you start in September?................................................................

7. When did HGS move to Arthurs Avenue?..........................................................

8. What are the 5 REACH values?..........................................................................

..........................................................................................................................

9. Who is the Assistant Headteacher/Director of Lower School?

...........................................................................................................................

10. List 3 clubs you would like to join.....................................................................

..........................................................................................................................

Harrogate Grammar School, Arthurs Avenue, Harrogate HG2 0DZ 01423 531127 mail@harrogategrammar.co.uk www.harrogategrammar.co.uk