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Back to School in Devon

September will be here before you know it, so early planning for the return to school will be a big help…

 

When’s the best time to shop for school uniform?

It’s not uncommon for clothing retailers and supermarkets to fill their aisles with back to school uniform before the schools have broken up for the summer holiday. This may be a good time to buy to profit from the best offers, unfrenzied shopping environment and greatest selection, as many shops run out of bespoke school stock just before the start of term. However, it can be a gamble, especially if your child has a growth spurt over the six-week holiday – it can happen!

Once bought, remember to clearly label all clothing items with iron-on, sew-on or self-adhesive labels. Not only is a lost jumper at school an inconvenience; the cost of replacing items mounts up, too.

 

Make an Eye Appointment for Your Child

The summer holiday is a good time to arrange an eye appointment for your child. All children under 16 years are entitled to regular free eye examinations by a qualified practitioner paid for by the NHS. Following an eye examination, a voucher will be given to help towards the cost of any glasses or contact lenses prescribed.

 

Make Sure the Shoe Fits!

It makes sense to shop for shoes in the late afternoon as feet swell in size throughout the course of a day.

Choose a store that employs experienced shoe fitters who have been trained to measure children’s feet properly.

Children’s feet should be measured for length and width before buying new footwear. There should be at least a half-inch of space for growth between the tip of the big toe and the top of the shoe.

For more on foot health for children visit the website of the College of Podiatry - https://cop.org.uk/foot-health - guide-to-childrens-foot-heath

 

 

Summer Study

If your child struggled with some of their schoolwork last term, it may be difficult for them to start the autumn term with a positive approach.

Top-up tuition from a private tutor during the summer can help, as your child can simply catch up with the work at a pace that is suitable for them.

 

 

 

Preparing your Year 6 Child for the Next Step in September

If your 11-year-old child is moving up to secondary school in September, they may be feeling a bit anxious about the next big change in their life. In comparison to the familiar comforts of primary school, the switch to ‘big’ school may, at first, seem a little overwhelming. You can help ease the nerves and prepare them, by purchasing all the school essentials well in advance, encouraging them to meet up with school friends over the summer break and reminding them of the positive environment of the new school.

Work out the logistics of how your child will get to and from school each day. This is where secondary school is very different to primary school, as most 11-year olds will want to travel to school independently. Run through the school bus timetable with them or figure out a walking route that will take them along main roads as much as possible. You may wish to activate a location tracker on their mobile phone so you can check their whereabouts as they travel to and from school to ensure that they are safe.

 

Get ready… for the next step   

If your child is in Years 5 or 6, you may find the summer holiday an opportune time to consider all the secondary school options available to them.

The break away from the usual school routine will give you both time to do a bit of research and look at what the different schools have to offer.

Many schools have particular strengths so consider each school’s suitability for your child – it may be that your child may flourish at a school other than the one in your catchment area. Consider all your options and order a number of prospectuses to read more.

Write down the dates of the school open days in your diary 

The deadline for school admission applications is 31 October so there is plenty of time to consider all the options available to your child.

If you have any queries about the application process you can call the Devon Education helpline on 0345 155 1019 or email secondaryschooladmissions@devon.gov.uk

 

In Primary Times’ Back to School issue you will find an extensive School Open Days Directory which lists all the schools in the area, their open days and contact details. Details of applying and how to do it will also be supplied – so look out for your copy which will be distributed via your child’s school from 3 September...

 

Brixham College

Tel: 01803 858271

www.brixhamcollege.co.uk

As a parent, you will want to know that your child will be happy at secondary school, that they will make friends for life and receive the best teaching, care, tailored support and the encouragement to flourish and thrive. Your child will want to feel safe and have a great experience too.

At Brixham College, your child will enjoy all of this and more. They will build rich friendships, lasting memories and individuality alongside critical thinking skills and the drive to pursue their own dreams. With a strong house ethos and surrounded by high expectations of progress and outcomes they will believe that there are no limits to learning and no ceiling on achievement.

Represented by a student council, your child will have a voice and always be heard. Welcomed with smiles and introduced to opportunity, they will be equipped with the skills and knowledge so that they go out into the world ready for life’s challenges and a little piece of Brixham College in their hearts.

Attend Brixham College’s Year 6 open day events on Thursday 12th September 2019, 6pm - 8pm and Monday 16th September 2019, 9.00am – 12.00pm and experience a school which plays to your child’s strengths and raises the type of adult that you want your child to become.

 

Exeter Cathedral School

Tel: 01392 255298

www.exetercathedralschool.co.uk

Three Exeter Cathedral School pupils have been picked to play for the West Panthers Hockey Club: an established club that selects talented hockey players from across the South West.

Emily J (Year 7), centre forward, and Isabella P-J (Year 8), defender, have been selected to represent the Panthers in the Cup Tournament while Felicity B (Year 7), an accomplished goal keeper, will be playing in the Trophy Tournament.

The players train six times a season at Exeter University’s Hockey Field and, later this term, the Girls’ team will be travelling to Nottingham to take part in the nationally recognised UK Festival of Hockey, where they will be facing teams from across the UK.

Pupils are serious about sport at ECS. Across the year groups, pupils regularly engage in physical exercise – developing healthy, active lifestyles. The ECS PE Department is delighted with the girls and their recent selection for the West Panthers team. Acting Director of Sport, Mr Andrew Pennington, commented, ‘These girls are exceptional hockey players and are well-known for putting in a lot of hard work, training and effort. They should all be very proud of themselves.’

Congratulations must go to Emily, Isabella and Felicity on their achievement; the Cathedral School wishes them the best in their future matches.

Exeter Cathedral School was founded in 1179 as a boys’ choir school. Non-chorister pupils were admitted in the 1960s and it has been fully co-educational since 1994. To this day, ECS is a flourishing day and boarding school with over 250 pupils aged 3 to 13.

ECS will be holding an Open Morning on Thursday 19th September from 9.30am until 12.30pm. If you would like to book a place on one of our tours, please contact admissions@exetercs.org

 

South Dartmoor Community College

Tel: 01364 652230

www.southdartmoor.devon.sch.uk

With a broad and rich curriculum, each journey at South Dartmoor Community College starts with an extensive transition programme to support students in successfully taking the next step in their education. Its care and focus upon each individual is evident in its high-quality teaching and pastoral care. This is further enhanced by its close relationships with primary schools, prospective pupils and their parents. Alongside its core subjects, it has a specialist focus on sport, with a diverse extra-curricular programme and sport academy offer. The college is particularly proud of its girl’s cricket and boy’s hockey teams, both of whom have represented the school and won national championships. Performing Arts are also central to College life, with students embracing the opportunities to take part in the many ensembles and performances showcased throughout the year. It benefits from dedicated specialist facilities and offers a wide range of opportunities including an annual production, Contemporary Dance performances and much more.

It is these opportunities that enable students to become curious, creative and courageous learners, driven by personal responsibility. As a result, it is the highest performing non-selective state sixth form in the county, delivering high-quality provision for ages 11-18, with many students securing top places at Russell Group and Oxbridge universities.

 

Rackenford C of E Primary School

Tel: 01884 881 354

https://rackenford-primary.devon.sch.uk

Rackenford C of E Primary School in Devon is offering parents more choice over their child’s education. The school offers parents the option of Flexi Schooling, allowing parents and children to work flexibly between home schooling and attendance at school.

Sarah Maude, Head of School at Rackenford Primary, is a strong advocate of flexi schooling. She said: “Each child’s learning journey is different, and we’ve found that full-time attendance sometimes doesn’t fit with the child’s needs or a family’s philosophy of education. “Offering flexi schooling can give parents and children the option to choose how they wish to learn, while still receiving the full support of the school. We are already working with five ‘flexi families’ and it’s incredibly encouraging to see how well it has suited the children and their ways of learning.”

Students facing challenges around learning and emotional development will soon be given support through a working ‘school dog’. Bramble is in training to improve wellbeing and reduce anxiety or stress, as well as listening to children read.

You can visit the school at the Open Mornings on Tuesday 8th October 2019 and

Tuesday 11th February 2020 - meet the Head of School and see how its progressive, friendly and nurturing environment could work for your child. To book please contact the school on 01884 881 354.

 

Exmouth Community College

Tel: 01395 264761

www.exmouthcollege.devon.sch.uk

Andrew Davis, Principal at Exmouth Community College said:

“My primary concern has always been to support the needs of the individual. My motivation lies in the belief that by providing an outstanding educational experience we are able to make a difference to the lives of the young people who attend our college.

Three core principles underpin our work at the college.

1 Consistently excellent teaching everyday which challenges, inspires and engages students in deep learning underpinned by an imaginative and differentiated curriculum. A co-curricular programme which allows all students the opportunity to develop wider skills increasing their future employability, as well as expanding their horizons and expectations.

2 Outstanding pastoral care which recognises every student as an individual and is able to provide effective support as and when it is needed; treating all students with respect and humanity.

3 Ensuring our college is at the heart of our community, whether that is through events the school can support, providing facilities for the local community or listening to the needs of the business community.

Students who pass through the college have the skills, empathy and understanding to maximise their potential for learning in later life and making a positive contribution to society”.

 

King Edward VI Community College, Totnes

Tel: 01803 869200

www.kingedwardvi.devon.sch.uk

King Edward VI Community College, or KEVICC as it is popularly known, is a very special place to learn with a richly diverse community. Its students are a fantastic mix of personalities and the school values each and every one of them. Staff are committed to making a real difference to pupils’ lives.

KEVICC is extremely proud of its Ofsted ‘Good’ judgement, awarded in June this year, where the following strengths were recognised:

‘Teachers have high expectations of behaviour, to which pupils respond confidently’.

‘Pupils enjoy school. The majority are proud to attend’.

‘Pupils are ambitious and have high aspirations for themselves’.

‘Pupils receive a comprehensive programme on personal, social, health and economic education’.

KEVICC enjoys strong academic progress, with extensive cultural enrichment. It is one of the few schools locally to have achieved a positive Progress 8 three years running, since the DfE brought in their new performance measures.

The college aspires to be consistently excellent in all that it does. It wants to harness the potential of the community to develop a truly unique school, infused with co-operative values that prepare children to be happy and successful adults.

 

The Spires College

Tel: 01803 400660

www.thespirescollege.com

The transition from primary school to secondary school can feel like a big step for some children. At The Spires College in Torquay, staff work hard to ensure that transition is as smooth and straightforward as possible. The college Principal, Alex Newton, understands the importance of open events and encourages parents and their sons and daughters to attend as many as possible.

“Open events are essential because you cannot get a feel for a school without visiting it and meeting the people who work and study there,” says Ms Newton.

“It’s a bit like buying a house: sometimes you know you’ve found the right place just from the feeling you get when you walk around.

“You need to attend the open events for all the schools that you may be considering – you will be amazed how different schools are from each other and you need to feel confident that you have chosen the right one for you and your child.

“For us, open events are so important because our ‘good’ Ofsted report gives only an introduction to what we offer. Parents and children need to come and find out what it’s like to study here now, in 2019,” said Ms Newton.

She added, “Leaving primary school, where children probably know every pupil and every teacher, can feel a bit scary for some, so exploring the College with the security of being with parents and carers is a great way of starting to feel excited about starting secondary school.”

As well as being able to look around, visitors are encouraged to talk with students and teachers. There will also be lots of opportunities to get involved in each subject area with challenges, tasks, competitions and experiments.

 

Queen Elizabeth’s School

Tel: 01363 773401

www.qe.devon.sch.uk

Queen Elizabeth’s School, or QE as it is affectionately known, has a proud history serving its local community for over 470 years. The school is located just 8 miles from Exeter in the rural market town of Crediton.

Based across two separate campuses, the school can offer all the opportunities of a large school but with the close-knit feel of a small community.

The Barnfield Campus, with its beautiful grounds and views across to Dartmoor, is dedicated to Years 7 and 8. This allows the younger students to build their confidence and make new friends in a nurturing environment tailored to their needs.

Years 9, 10 & 11 study at the Western Road Campus along with the exceptional Sixth Form, which is based in the charming Grade 11 Listed College House.

The school has a strong belief that education empowers young people. It gives them the tools to thrive in a challenging world. Its size allows it to offer students a broad choice of subjects and an impressive range of artistic and sporting activities, including superb theatre productions and a fantastic outdoor education provision. The curriculum is designed on the fundamental principle that it needs to support its young people to develop an understanding of the world and, importantly, their role in shaping it. That is what it means by Educating to Empower.

 

Cullompton Community College

Tel: 01884 33364

www.cullompton.devon.sch.uk

Cullompton Community College is a successful and happy school where above all trust, good relationships, respect and kindness are valued. It creates a safe, caring and orderly environment in which effective learning takes place and it is proud that its outcomes and external evaluations show that it has maintained a very good education and high standards of achievement and progress over time. Its young people thrive because of its positive ethos, well planned teaching and a deep and enriching curriculum.

Ofsted 2017:

“Staff and students treat each other with respect and behaviour across the school is good. Students feel safe and are proud of their community school”.

“Teachers provide opportunities to challenge and inspire students and as a consequence engagement levels are high”

Cullompton Community College encourages every student to join in a wide range of activities to develop their confidence and leadership so they can become well rounded citizens effectively prepared for the future.

Cullompton Community College is growing in student numbers and expanding its site development with a building programme over the next 5 years. It embraces this change whilst retaining its core values.

To learn more, visit the Open Evening at 6.30 pm on Thursday 12th September 2019, join a morning tour on the 12th September or 13th September at 9.30am.

 

St Luke’s Science and Sports College

Tel: 01392 204600

www.st-lukes.devon.sch.uk

St Luke's is an 11-16 Church of England (VC) school where high aspiration, the drive for excellence and the provision of opportunities for all, underpin its ongoing success and achievement.

Its vision ‘life to the full’ and accompanying values of ‘showing respect’, ‘being inclusive’, ‘giving hope’, ‘achieving your best’ and ‘taking responsibility’ are at the heart of all that it does. It wants to enable every child to make an aspirational next step in their education, training and future employment, preparing them to live ‘life to the full’.

Its ethos, house and pastoral systems develop a sense of family, embedding the school values, ensuring that students are happy, supported, nurtured and can enjoy school life in a vibrant, friendly and purposeful atmosphere.

St Luke's is a wonderful and very special school and at its heart are the people. Its staff enthuse, engage and inspire students who, themselves, are the greatest ambassadors. As confident, respectful and caring young people, they show immense pride in their school and achievements. The relationships between staff and students build belief, develop independence and create trust that enables learning to be exciting, challenging and personalised.

 

Tiverton High School

Tel: 01884 256655

https://tiverton.devon.sch.uk

Tiverton High School is passionate about providing its students with the highest standards of learning and opportunities. With 6% of its students achieving the coveted top Grade 9 across a range of ten subjects, including English, maths, separate sciences, music and the Humanities, it has plenty to offer.

It is a secondary school for children in years 7 to 11. Its varied curriculum offers core academic areas, sports and creative arts, supported by a range of extra-curricular activities. It enables students to develop their own skills and interests and aids them in their chosen goals and aspirations.

The transition to secondary school can be daunting. Its staff work tirelessly to ensure that each student feels known, cared for and understood. It has vertical tutor groups, well-researched to help students integrate and grow as individuals. It has also introduced Bramble, a school dog, to improve wellbeing and reduce anxiety or stress.

At its Open Evening on Tuesday 1 October 2019 parents, carers and students can get to know the school through different activities and challenges. You can also meet key members of staff, tour the school’s excellent facilities and ­– of course – meet Bramble.

Parents and children are also invited to attend the Open Mornings on 2nd, 3rd and 4th October 2019. To book a tour please contact Mrs Hepworth, PA to the Headteacher, on 01884 256655 ext 225.

 

The King’s School

Tel: 01404 812982

www.thekings.devon.sch.uk

The King’s School appreciates that choosing the right school for your child is a very important decision. The right education is vital in providing them with the skills and qualifications they need for a happy and successful future.

The King’s School has a long and proud history that can be traced back to a fourteenth century choir school, which was replaced in 1545 by Henry VIII and renamed ‘The King’s School’. Today it is a school that has a very strong sense of community and an underlying ethos of ‘Achievement for All’, which permeates every element of school life and is reflected in its mixed ability approach to teaching, strong pastoral care and the inclusive nature of the school.

The school has a strong track record of academic success and has been one of the highest performing schools in the South West for many years. This success is rooted in a firm belief in high quality teaching within an environment built on the positive relationships that exist between students, parents and staff.

There are many opportunities for students to learn outside the classroom and much of what it does goes well beyond the formal taught curriculum, making The King's School a very special place to study. The academic emphasis and outstanding enrichment programme continues into a very strong Sixth Form provision.

The school’s Open Evening and Open Day are in September – alternatively contact the school on 01404 812982 to make an appointment to visit.