Student Guide 2024

Welcome

I am delighted that you have chosen The Kimberley School as your new school from September. My name is Mr. Park and I am the Headteacher. I have worked at The Kimberley School for twenty years and I know you have chosen well. If you want to have exciting experiences and lessons that inspire you and make you want to do your very best, then you are coming to the right school. I am really looking forward to meeting you in September as you begin your secondary school journey. The other teachers and staff at school are equally keen to welcome you into our school community.

We work hard to make sure you get to know everybody quickly and are able to find your way around the school. At this school we look to help each other and we follow The Kimberley Way to make this a school where everyone can do their best; we respect each other, we take pride in our work and environment and we celebrate our success and the success of others.
Our first opportunity to meet you will be the Induction days in July. You will find out a lot more about the school, meet your new classmates and have some fun at the same time.
I really hope you are looking forward to next year as much as I am.

Head Teacher

Andy Park

Year 7 Testimonials

I didn’t really know what to expect when I was told I am going to the Kimberley School because all I knew was that it was a very big school. However, it isn’t that bad though, as you make friends quickly and you have your own diner to get settled. The lessons are very good and canteen food is mouth-watering.

Finley Star

My first week at the Kimberley School was tough because it was a new place and it was hard to find what classes you had to be in, but eventually, I got used to it and made lots of new friends in all my classes really quickly. The students and teachers are very welcoming at the school and you will have your tutor there to guide you around.

Lacey Martin

I was very nervous about joining Y7 at the Kimberley School. I was scared that I would get lost or that I would be late to my lessons. Luckily, I settled in pretty quickly and made lots of new friends, you will too! Remember, positivity is key!

Chyna Dewsbury

I was a bit overwhelmed because of the amount of people that are in the Kimberley School, but I soon realised it wasn’t that bad. All the teachers are really nice and you don’t need to worry about being late to lessons as the five minutes between is plenty of time. It won’t take long to get to know your way around the school and making friends is easier than you’d think. Lunch and break are long enough for you to queue and eat your food. You have lots of choice for food and your own canteen! The lessons are lots of fun and most importantly don’t stress!

Lois Bruce

WELCOME

How will the first day start?

You will need to arrive at school before 8.40am when a bell will ring, at which point you need to make your way to Hall 1; there will be plenty of staff who will help you find your way. You will sit with your tutor group and Mr Newman (Performance Leader for Year 7) and the year team with the senior leadership team will welcome you. You will spend the rest of the morning with your tutor and tutor group where you will be given your timetable. Your tutor will spend time with you explaining the school’s expectations in line with The Kimberley Way, as well as what makes a perfect Kimberley School student. You will also have time to ask questions and meet new friends.

In the afternoon, you will have lessons so please bring a pen, pencil, ruler and rubber with you. You should also bring your trainers just in case you have PE.

The rest of the first day

· A good large, strong bag for carrying belongings

· Pen, pencil, ruler and rubber

· Bus fare if you catch a bus to and from school

· Trainers just in case you have PE

· A water bottle and a packed lunch if you are bringing food from home. You may also wish to bring some food for morning break.

What will I need on the first day?

A good large strong bag for carrying your equipment Bus fare if you need it Books and equipment that you will need for your lessons - check your timetable every night to see what equipment you need for the following day.

What to bring after the first day

The Journey to School

If you walk or cycle to school, give yourself plenty of time to travel safely, take care when crossing roads and always use zebra or pelican crossings where you can. Don’t travel home at night or in quiet empty areas on your own and never speak to someone you don’t know.

If you cycle, make sure your bike is roadworthy and that you wear a helmet and brightly coloured clothing. You will not be allowed to ride a bike to school if you do not wear a helmet. You will also need a lock to secure your bike at school.

Many students travel by bus. You do not have an automatic right to travel by bus and the bus company can ban you from travelling with them if your behaviour is not acceptable so you should demonstrate The Kimberley Way at all times.

Basic School Equipment

· Pens (blue/black ink)

· Pencils/coloured pencils

· Ruler

· Pencil sharpener

· Scientific calculator

YOUR FIRST DAY

Mr Newman

Performance Leader (Year 7)

Welcome to The Kimberley School and the future of your school journey. As a Year Performance Leader, my role is to work with Tutors and Teachers to ensure you feel welcomed as part of the Kimberley School community; to have the opportunity to be successful in school and to prepare you for the future as well rounded individuals. As part of the Year 7 Pastoral team we have a responsibility to offer support and guidance to ensure that you will have a positive experience at the Kimberley School and make the most of your education. I am looking forward to meeting you all over the transition days and in September.

Mrs Wilkinson

Student Support Advisor for Year 7

Welcome to The Kimberley School. I am the Deputy Leader of the Student Support Team and also work alongside Mr. Newman as the Pastoral Assistant for Year 7. Student Services is a space within school where we can offer support and guidance and ensure your transition, and time in school, is a positive experience. Secondary School is a big change, but rest assured the staff at the Kimberley School will do their best to support you and enable you to be successful at school. I look forward to meeting you all over the transition days and in September.

Mr Farnsworth

Student Support Receptionist

I am the Student Support Receptionist here at The Kimberley School; I run a reception dedicated to supporting our students. You will come to see me in Student Support if you feel ill, need to leave for an appointment, or require support within school. Student Support Reception is in the same building as the Year 7 Oﬃce, so you will also speak to me if you need to see Miss Raymond or Miss Dunstan.

Tutor Groups

When you join us in September, you will be placed into a tutor group. We try to make sure that you are in a tutor group with someone that you already know and you will stay in this tutor group throughout your five years at The Kimberley School. You tutor be will your first port of call if you are having any problems or need any support and they will work closely with Miss Raymond and Ms Dunstan to make sure you are achieving the best that you can. You will see your tutor every morning for fifteen minutes at the start of every day, when they will carry out uniform and equipment checks to ensure that you are prepared for your day and follow the tutor time program which involves discussions tasks, reading, target setting as well as assemblies. Your tutor will also be responsible for delivering your Personal Development lessons, which are period 3 on Tuesdays where you will learn about: Rights, Responsibilities and British Values; Celebrating Diversity and Equality; Relationships and
Sex Education; Staying Safe Online and Offline; Health and Well-Being; and Life Beyond School.

PEOPLE TO KNOW

School Gates Close

Registration

Period 1

Period 2

Morning Break

Period 3

Lunch

Period 4

Period 5

End of School

8.40am

8:45am - 9:00am

9:05am - 10:05am

10:10am - 11:10am

11:10am - 11:25am

11:30am - 12:30pm

12:30pm - 1:10pm

1:10pm - 2:10pm

2:15pm - 3:15pm

3:15pm

Timetable

Lateness

We expect you to be in school before 8.40am and in your tutor room ready for registration at 8:45am every morning. We also provide 5 minutes of change over time between lessons to ensure that you are always punctual.
We shut the school gate at 8:40am every morning; which is signalled by a bell. If you are late 3 times in a week you will be issued a detention.

Break / Lunchtimes

All students must stay on the school premises at lunchtime and have a school lunch or bring sandwiches from home.

The school canteen serves a range of hot and cold food at breakfast, break and lunchtimes. This includes:

We have a panini bar with at least 3 different fillings each day (e.g. beans and cheese, BBQ chilli beef and chicken tikka).
We have a cold bar where we offer pasta salads, sandwiches, salad pots and wraps.
These can be upgraded to a ‘meal deal’ with a drink, bag of crisps or fruit.
We have a ‘Love Joes’ counter where we offer a different chicken dish each day (e.g. curry, wrap, burger, flatbread, burrito etc.) in over 20 different flavours.
We have a pizza bar where we serve margarita and pepperoni slices.
If you want a healthy option, we also have a jacket potato bar where we offer a range of hot and cold fillings, served with freshly prepared salad.
We are able to cater for dietary requirements such as gluten‐free, vegan, dairy free if you ask in advance.
If you want to bring in sandwiches from home, there is a room where you and your friends can eat them indoors at lunch time.

The School Day

The Kimberley Way

At the Kimberley School we model our values and ethos around having respect, taking pride and understanding how to succeed.

Kim way pptArtboard 1 copy 2_2x-100.webp

Bullying: A Charter of Student Rights

As a member of our school community you have the right:

Not to be bullied
To say ‘no’ firmly to anything you think is wrong
To talk to somebody if someone is making you unhappy
To protect yourself by ignoring others or by walking away

Remember, bullying is repeated negative behaviour that is intended to make others feel upset, uncomfortable or unsafe. It can be verbal, indirect or physical

If you feel bullied you should tell a member of staff as soon as you can. Staff you could approach are your tutor, a subject teacher or a member of the student support team; whoever you feel comfortable speaking to.

Last year we joined the Anti-Bullying Ambassadors programme, through the Diana Award, to provide another avenue of student to your young people.

SCHOOL CODE

Achievement

In Years 7 to 11, you can be awarded with IMPACT points. IMPACT points stand for: Inspirational, Motivated, Achievement, Caring and kind, and Tenacity. Every week you will have a celebration morning as part of tutor time to look at which tutor groups and students have the most points in your year group and every term, each year group has a special assembly in which the top 100 students are recognised for their achievements. Faculties will also award certificates and subject prizes to students who consistently perform well in lessons. We also have The Kimberley Way tokens where you may be awarded for demonstrating The Kimberley Way. We then have a prize draw at the end of each term and this year, the prizes have included a mountain bike, shopping vouchers, hampers and an Apple I-pad!

Behaviour

The vast majority of our students behave impeccably by demonstrating The Kimberley Way at all times. We take excellent behaviour in lessons and around school very seriously as we understand that you are here to learn and everyone should feel safe at all times. You should always follow the instructions of staff the first time you are asked. In lessons you should listen to the teacher, complete all the work to the best of your ability and make sure you avoid distractions. At lunchtimes, midday supervisors are around school. You should also treat them with respect at all times. You can help them by:

Following their instruction immediately
Keeping your table tidy at lunchtime
Putting any rubbish into the bin provided both in the canteen and outside.

If you fail to behave in line with our expectations, then you may be given a detention. If your behaviour does not improve or is more serious, then you could be given a more serious consequence like being excluded from your lesson and expected to work at the back of another classroom. Our higher level sanctions include pre-suspension when you work in isolation, external isolation where you go another school to work in isolation and suspension.

Out of school, locally or away with a school group, you should remember that the school’s reputation depends on the way you behave. We are very proud of our reputation and expect you to be too.

Homework will be set regularly by each of your subject teachers. The school uses a system called Show my Homework which allows you and your parents/carers to see all the homework you have been set and when it is due in on the internet or through the mobile phone app. We expect all your homework to be completed on time and to a very good standard. Your tutor will have your PIN for SMHW.

Homework

ACHIEVEMENT & BEHAVIOUR

Extra-Curricular Activities and Clubs

The school runs a number of lunchtime and after-school activities for you to get involved with.

Clubs change throughout the year and are advertised on notice boards around school as well a son Student Notices which your tutor will show you each morning.

Clubs on offer include: Table Tennis, Handball, Football, Basketball, Dodgeball, Badminton, Netball, Dance, Knit-flix, Pride Club and more!

Regular attendance may lead to you being invited on trips to exciting places, for example; the Snowdome, the theatre, Spring Lakes and others.

Learning Resource Centre (The LRC)

At The Kimberley School, you will find a big, impressive LRC full of exciting resources just waiting to be used and welcoming staff ready to help.

You will be able to use computers, read magazines, and newspapers in the LRC, and borrow books to take home (for 2 weeks). You may also take part in the Accelerated Reader programme, which means you take an online quiz each time you finish a book, competing with other students to see who can read the most words and take the most quizzes. During years 7-9 you will have some English lessons in the LRC.

LRC Opening Times

· Open until 4pm Monday – Thursday. Closed after school on Friday.

· Before school from 8.00am – 8.40am students can use the time to catch up, complete their homework etc. The enquiry counter is closed during this time.

· During lessons for classes and private study for 6th form.

· At lunchtime – where students can watch a film, use the computers, take part in craft activities (for certain annual celebrations) or sit with their friends. Eating is not allowed in the LRC though, to keep the area a safe space for students with food allergies.