Information for

Parents
2024-2025
Castle School Term Dates for 2024/25

From To

Term 1 2 September 2024 25 October 2024

Term 2 4 November 2024 20 December 2024

Term 3 6 January 2024 14 February 2025

Term 4 24 February 2025 4 April 2025

Term 5 22 April 2025 23 May 2025

Term 6 2 June 2025 22 July 2025

Please note that 2nd and 3rd of September 2024 are INSET days, 4th September- is Year 12 enrolment
Day (Year 7 will start on Thursday 5 September) Additional INSET days are listed below:

Monday 4 November 2024

Monday 6 January 2025

Monday 24 February 2025

Tuesday 22 April 2025

Friday 20 June 2025

The School Day

For Year 7 the school day is as follows:

8.40 – 9.00 Registration

9.00 – 10.00 Period 1
10.00 – 11.00 Period 2
11.00 – 11.30 Break
11.30 – 12.30 Period 3
12.30 – 1.30 Period 4
1.30 – 2.00 Break
2.00 – 3.00 Period 5

Who do I contact if I have a query?

You may need to ask a question to a member of staff if you or your child is unsure. Their tutor is often the
first port of call. Tutors will be able to help you with questions around:
● Uniform and equipment
● Classcharts log-in
● Red-card/ RTL detentions
● Any general queries or concerns.

If your question relates to a “faculty clinic” detention, this is for not completing homework tasks, and the
class teacher should be contacted directly.
If you need to inform the school about significant changes to your child’s circumstances, for which they may
need some extra support, please contact:
Student support worker Tracey England: [email protected]
Head of Year: Sophie Gammon: [email protected]

Tutors for Year 7

7A Mrs L Williams [email protected] 7F Mr G Hartle [email protected]

7B Mr Y Leick [email protected] 7G To be confirmed To be confirmed

7C Mr T Machin [email protected] 7H Ms E Burrows [email protected]

7D Mr N Llewellyn [email protected] 7J Mrs S Jones [email protected]

7E Mr T Davis [email protected]
School Uniform
Compulsory:
Tie.* The Castle School KS3 or KS4 Tie.
Blazer.* The Castle School badge embroidered onto pocket.
Trousers. Dark grey school trousers, preferably styled with a crease. They should be tailored and
of a suitable material. They must not be jeans, or look like jeans. Skinny trousers,
leggings or other fashion styles are not permitted.
Skirt.* Blue tartan skirt can be worn instead of trousers.
Shirt. White, long or short sleeve, buttoning to the neck to be worn with a tie.
Tights. Black, grey or neutral.
Socks. White, black, dark blue or grey.
Optional:
Jumper.* Navy Blue V-neck, with mustard piping at the neck and embroidered with The Castle
School Badge. *Optional item when worn with blazer.
Shorts Tailored school shorts may be worn in terms 1 and 6.
Items marked * (blazer, tie, skirt and optional jumper) are available from Monkhouse in Hambrook, and
from Linela in Olveston. Other items can be bought from the uniform section of a
clothing retailer such as Tesco, Asda, M&S or John Lewis. School ties are also available
within school.
Please make sure that all your child’s uniform is labelled with their name.
● Earrings are permitted. They should be small studs or sleepers. All other jewellery, accessories
(such as bracelets) and visible facial piercings are forbidden.
● 1 ring is permitted
● Hair must be of natural looking colour with no ‘extreme’ or ‘offensive’ styles
● Discreet makeup may be worn by all students
● No false eyelashes or false nails maybe worn in school
All items of a student's personal belongings including shoes should be labelled with their name.
Sportswear at The Castle School

Compulsory: Girls Compulsory: Boys

Girls’ PE polo shirt OR Unisex PE polo shirt (with Castle Unisex PE polo shirt OR boys’ PE polo shirt (with
School logo) Castle School logo)
Navy PE skort OR navy PE shorts (with Castle School Navy/amber rugby shirt (with Castle School logo)
logo)
Navy/amber OR amber rugby socks Navy/PE shorts OR navy PE skort (with Castle School
logo)
Sports trainers Rugby/football boots (with studs)
Gum shield Sports trainers
Shin pads Gum shield
Shin pads
Optional: Girls Optional: Boys
Navy hooded sweatshirt (with Castle School logo) Navy hooded sweatshirt (with Castle School logo)
Navy/amber rugby shirt (with Castle School logo) Navy long sleeve base layer
Navy long sleeve base layer
Navy sports leggings (Black are not allowed)
Rugby/Football boots

Kit for Arts and DT Faculty: Cotton Apron

Kit for Dance: Black T shirt, black shorts, leggings or tracksuit bottoms, grippy socks to avoid injury.
Shoes
Shoes must be plain black, polishable and can have laces, be slip-on, or have a Velcro strap. A brief
sample of acceptable shoe styles is shown here. Trainers, sport shoes, plimsolls or pumps are not
acceptable, neither are boots or shoes with high heels. No sports branded footwear (Adidas/Nike/Puma
etc)

Examples of acceptable styles:

Unacceptable Styles

The above trainers/pumps/plimsolls are not acceptable footwear for school.

THE HEADTEACHER WILL DETERMINE UNIFORM AND SHOE STYLES THAT ARE ACCEPTABLE. IF
YOU ARE IN DOUBT, PLEASE CONTACT THE SCHOOL BEFORE PURCHASING AN ITEM.

The Castle School, Park Road, Thornbury, Bristol, BS35 1HT

Call 01454 862100

Email [email protected]
Web www.thecastleschool.org.uk
Physical Education Faculty
The PE Faculty is a happy, successful and busy one. We are confident that your child(ren) will be able to
find success and satisfaction during their time with us. It will take them time to settle down in September,
and we would appreciate your help in the following ways:

1. Please ensure your child(ren) has all the appropriate PE kit highlighted on the kit list. Students must
have a change of footwear and socks for every lesson. This is important for safety, hygiene and
performance related reasons. We will use Class Charts to inform you of what kit students need for
their PE lessons.

2. Please, please label items of kit and clothing including footwear. Lost items with names are
routinely returned to students. Unnamed articles merely add to our mountain of lost property. Lots of
Year 7 students leave kit in the changing rooms but it will be returned to them if it is labelled.

3. Students are expected to bring their PE kit to every PE lesson. If for any reason your child is unable
to participate, please send us a note explaining what the problem is. We would however, still expect
them to get changed into PE kit in order to play as active a role as possible in the lesson.

4. Please encourage a positive approach towards physical activity. An active body is always a happier
and healthier one

5. Look out for, read and return our letter and permission slip relating to Extra-curricular activities that
will be issued in September. We run a wide range of extracurricular activities and it would be good
to get your child(ren) involved in at least one

6. Students are not allowed to wear their coat during PE lessons. PE hoodies are available to
purchase if your child wishes an extra layer to wear when cold. It may also be advisable that your
son/daughter has a long sleeve baselayer to wear underneath their polo shirt or rugby shirt.

7. Year 11 students are not required to wear full PE kit; they can wear their own kit or school kit as
required depending on their activity.
Equipment List
Every child will need the following equipment:

● A bag with two rucksack style straps that is large enough to carry A4 files

● A well-sealed water bottle

● An A4 plastic folder to protect A4 exercise books and loose sheets

● A pen and a spare (black or blue ink)

● A pencil and a spare (preferably HB, or 2H)

● A pencil sharpener

● A set of coloured pencils (not felt tips)

● Highlighter pens

● A rubber

● A ruler 15cm/30cm

● A protractor

● A pair of compasses (Maped, Staedtler, Helix - all reasonable quality)

● A calculator - Casio FX-83/85 (recommended)

Cashless Catering
At The Castle School we have a Cashless Catering System for the purchase of all food at lunchtime. It
operates through a facial recognition system. The scheme is run jointly by the school and Caterlink as part
of an improving catering provision.

Every student will have an account. These accounts can be credited by parents via Scopay (our online
payment system). Details of this and the facial recognition system will be sent at a later date. Free school
meals are included in this.

Parents will also have the facility, via Scopay, to check what food is being purchased and whether dietary
requirements are being met. Please contact [email protected] if your child has a special
dietary requirement.

If you have any further questions at this stage please contact us at school.

We encourage all of our students to eat healthily whether they have a school meal or bring food from home.
Please note that high energy/high caffeine drinks (e.g. Monster) are NOT allowed in school; neither are
bottles of fizzy drink which are 1 litre or more. These will be confiscated and not returned.
Free school meals
Applying for free school meals

If you are eligible for free school meals you need to apply for each child when they start school.

If your child is starting school then please submit your application in August, the month before your child is
due to start. If your child is moving from primary to secondary school, their free school meal entitlement will
automatically transfer with them. So you do not need to reapply.

If you have moved to the area and were receiving free school meals, then you need to provide evidence to
South Gloucestershire Council Contact Centre of the award letter or email you received from the previous
authority.

You can check if you are eligible for free school meals by using South Gloucestershire Council’s online
application form, through their Citizen Portal on the following link:

the South Gloucestershire Council Citizen Portal

If you are unable to access the online application or require additional help please telephone South
Gloucestershire Council’s Contact Centre on 01454 868008.

Free school meals can only be awarded if you or your partner are claiming either:

● Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as
assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods, and your monthly
average income over three assessment periods should be no more than £616.67)
● Income Support
● Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
● Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
● Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
● The Guaranteed element of Pension Credit
● Child Tax Credit (provided you are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross
income of no more than £16,190)
● Working Tax Credit run on – paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit

What is Pupil Premium?

Pupil Premium is extra money paid directly to schools by the government for each child who is eligible for
free school meals or has been eligible in the previous 6 years. It is used by the school to support your
child’s education.

If your child is eligible for free school meals, we would strongly recommend that you apply for them. That
way, The Castle School will get additional funding to support your son or daughter. In order to apply, you
need to meet one of the criteria listed at the top of this page.

How do I apply for free school meals?

You can complete the online form from the link that can be found at the bottom of this page. Once the
council receives this form they will check your eligibility and let you know whether you qualify.

Apply for free school meals:

School meals | South Gloucestershire
Attendance

Good attendance is critical to your child’s success at school.

The target for all students at The Castle School is to achieve at least 97% attendance in the academic year
– this equates to no more than 5 days authorised absence.

Evidence has shown that attendance less than 98% has a significant impact on a student achieving their
best academic success. 13 days missed in a year can reduce overall performance by one grade per
subject. With this in mind, no holidays within school terms will be authorised.

We ask parents that, if at all possible, appointments for the dentist or doctor are made outside the school
day. If students must have an appointment in school time, it is better to make it later in the school day.

We ask that you send your child to school unless you are certain they are too ill to attend. Our First Aider
will contact you if illness is confirmed during the day. (Most children make a remarkable recovery when they
arrive at school!)

If your child contacts you directly to tell you they feel ill please send them to The Student Centre in
the first instance, so that we can assess the situation and contact you to discuss what action needs
to be taken.

If your child is too ill to come to school, we ask that you email the school on
[email protected] or call the school’s absence line in the morning on 01454 862518

We celebrate and reward good attendance at The Castle School through a variety of incentives that will be
led by our Heads of Year and students.

We hope that you can support us by sending your child to school every day and informing us immediately if
they cannot attend.

Lunchtimes

All students in Years 7-11 at The Castle School are expected to remain on site at all times. Lunch passes
will not be issued without exceptional cause. Any student found off-site without a good reason will be
subject to Disciplinary procedures.
Ready to Learn – A Guide for Parents and Carers
Work hard, be kind, be respectful
Ready to Learn (RTL) is a whole school behaviour and learning system which covers all aspects of school
life. Its aims are to eliminate disruptive behaviour; provide clarity to staff and students about acceptable
behaviour; encourage students to take responsibility for their actions and enable staff to deliver engaging,
creative and experimental lessons.
Rules During Lessons
All students at The Castle School have the right to learn without disruption. We expect students to follow
these rules:
● Arrive on time.
● Sit where you are told.
● Follow instructions first time.
● Listen respectfully when others are talking.
● Keep off-task conversations for social times.
● Use appropriate language.
● Allow others to learn.

At The Castle School, we expect everyone to behave with respect at all times. That means walking around
the school calmly and quietly, respecting each other’s space and looking out for each other.
Students Who Break The Rules
If a student breaks a learning rule, they will be given a clear warning by a member of staff and their name
will be written on the board. If any further rule is broken, the student will be asked to make their way to the
Ready to Learn Isolation Room. Students will then work in isolation and attend a 1 hour compulsory after
school detention. Parents and carers will be contacted by the Student Centre Team to confirm that the
student will be required to stay for an after-school detention.
Students who refuse to go to the Ready to Learn Isolation Room or who continue to cause disruption in
isolation, will be suspended from school. Parents and carers will be required to attend a post-suspension
meeting.
Rules Around School
Students who fail to behave in a sociable and respectful manner around the school and during social times
will be referred for a 20 minute ‘Red card’ detention after school. Any student failing to attend this detention
will be issued with a 1 hour after school detention. Failure to attend this will result in the student attending a
2 hour after school detention. An escalation system is used which could result in a suspension from school
if detentions are not attended.
Students with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities
The RTL system applies to all students at The Castle School. However, we recognise that students with
diagnosed additional learning needs may need a ‘reasonable adjustment’ to the RTL system.
The Student Centre
The Student Centre Team lead on all aspects of student care, guidance, behaviour, attendance, child
protection and student wellbeing and are highly skilled in supporting students experiencing any difficulties
that affect their learning and progress.
The Student Centre also provides first aid and help with lost property.
For more information
The School’s behaviour policy, including more details about Ready to Learn, is available on the school
website at: www.thecastleschool.org.uk.
Current Transport Arrangements to The Castle School
Many students live within walking or cycling distance from The Castle School and we encourage where
possible, if it’s safe to do so, to walk, cycle, or scoot to and from school. We have dedicated cycle and
scooter parks for student use.

We also have a significant proportion of students who are reliant on either coaches or taxis to get to and
from school. Students under the age of 16 who require transport and live within the school’s designated
catchment area are provided with free transport by South Gloucestershire Council. Other students are able
to pay to use commercial service routes that run from Bradley Stoke, Stoke Gifford and Severn Beach.
There are also public transport bus routes from Filton and Patchway and the surrounding areas but these
do not stop at the school and will only stop at designated bus stops in Thornbury Town Centre, Gloucester
Road or Park Road depending on each particular route.

Free Transport Provided by South Gloucestershire Council

Students up to the age of 16 living in the villages surrounding Thornbury who are eligible for transport are
issued with passes that entitle them to free transport on these services during the school terms.

To apply for means-tested assistance with travel to schools costs you will need to read the information
entitled “School Travel Assistance” on the South Gloucestershire Council website:

School travel assistance for children under 16 | South Gloucestershire.

Information on concessionary transport is also available in this document.

If there are any problems with coach passes (e.g. a replacement pass is needed or you wish to know if your
child is entitled to free transport) the office to contact is:

Admissions and Transport Team

PO BOX 1955
Bristol
BS37 0DE
Tel: 01454 864110/863314

In addition, a small number of students are brought to and from school in taxis organised by South
Gloucestershire Council. These tend to be for students who live in areas within the catchment area where
there is no coach service available for students with special educational needs.
Data Protection Policy and Privacy Notice

Please view our Data Protection Policy at:

https://www.cset.co.uk/docs/policies/Data_Protection_Policy_4-24.pdf

Please view our Privacy Notice and How we use Pupil information at:
https://www.cset.co.uk/docs/policies/Privacy_Notice__Pupils_7-21.pdf

Transition from primary to secondary support & advice

1- From NHS
Transition from primary to secondary school can be both exciting and challenging for parents and students.
The NHS have created some resources and short videos that may be helpful to both you and your child as
you navigate this new phase of their education.

For parents of children moving up to a new school Moving up

2- From Young Minds

Helping your child manage the move from primary to secondary school/
Extra-Curricular Activities

These are a sample of our Extra Curricular Activities for Year 7 students that were held last year.

An updated information sheet will be available in September.

Book Club
Maths Homework Support Club
Learning Support Homework Club
Year 7 singers
Dance Club
Drama Club
Boys Dance and Dance Workshops
Chess Club
Athletics Club
Fitness Club
Running Club
Badminton Club
Hockey Club
Football training
Girls Football
Girls Rounders
Girls Football Training
Netball Training
Cricket – boys and girls
Various Music Clubs (see next page).
Music Department
The Castle School Music Department welcomes all our Year 6 Musicians.

Instrumental and Singing Lessons

We are visited weekly by a team of 12 peripatetic music teachers. Lessons can be arranged one to one or
in small groups. Students can be entered for graded exams (eg ABRSM or Trinity, Rock School etc).
Lessons normally take place during the school day including break and lunch times.

Music Clubs and Activities 2024-25

We are delighted to be able to offer the following clubs:

● Year 7 Singers
● Concert band
● Woodwind Ensemble
● Brass Group
● String Group
● Senior Choir
● Chamber Choir (auditioned)

We offer lessons in the following (and more):

● Violin
● Viola
● Cello/Double Bass
● Electric guitar (lead)
● Bass guitar
● Classical guitar
● Rock and Pop style acoustic guitar
● Trumpet
● French Horn
● Trombone
● Other Brass
● Flute
● Drum kit
● Saxophone
● Clarinet
● Piano
● Keyboard
● Boys vocal coaching
● Girls vocal coaching

For enquiries about Instrumental or Singing Lessons please use our google form link:
https://forms.gle/TxSnNg3qR1R2gwu56 or email Head of Music [email protected].