Welcome to Bishop Thomas Grant School, September 2024
Welcome
Dear Parents and Children
Welcome to Bishop Thomas Grant School, we are delighted that you have chosen our school and will be joining us in September to take your next step as you grow and develop into happy, confident, well rounded individuals. You are now part of our Bishop Thomas Grant School family. This is an outstanding school with traditional values and high aspirations. At Bishop Thomas Grant School we expect and encourage you to fulfil your potential, but at the very centre of our school ethos is our mission to enable you to continue to grow in your faith and mature into fine young people in this ever-changing world.
We inculcate in our students the importance of hard work, good manners, smart appearance, courtesy, co-operation and service to others at all times. We ensure a curriculum fit for the 21st Century that is personalised to meet the challenges and the needs of individual students. We are a community and we value your role and contribution. We very much look forward to working with you, in partnership with your parishes continuing to help your children to grow in the knowledge of their faith and studies.
PROVERBS 22:6
Teach children how they should live, and they will remember it all their life.
Yours sincerely
Bernadette Boyle
Headteacher
Welcome to Bishop Thomas Grant School
A brief tour of BTG
Welcome Pack
2. ICT Form
5. Music Letter
6. Free School Meal Eligibility Registration Form
7. BTG Charitable Foundation letter
7a. BTG Charitable Foundation Agreement to Contribute Form
7b. BTG Charitable Foundation Gift Aid Form
7c. BTG Charitable Foundation Standing Order Form
8. Friends of BTG letter for new parents
All Correspondence
- Year 7 Welcome Letter
- Welcome Letter to Parents/Carers
- Welcome Letter to Students
- Assessment and Induction Day
Key Dates
A Time Line of What to Expect
| May 2024 |
Welcome to BTG! You have accepted your place at BTG and we look forward to you joining us in September. This month our team will send out a welcome letter to you and your parents, welcoming you to the BTG family. This will also be an opportunity for you to send in any questions.
Our website will continually be updated, so look out for a tour of the school and helpful hints to ease you with the transition.
|
| June 2024 |
Members of our Transition Team will be visiting Primary Schools to say hello to our new students, so keep an eye out for them.
Check out the website! Any answers to your children’s questions will be available on our website.
This month our team will send out a Welcome Pack and a getting to know you profile, to ensure we get to know you as much as possible before September. |
| July 2024 |
Almost there! This month, we will meet you for the first time! See below for some important dates for your diary:
5 July - Induction and assessment day - 9.15am until 12.15pm
8 July - Parents meeting in the School Hall
9 July - Hewitt's of Croydon Uniform shop in school from 3.30pm |
| August 2024 | Completion of our fun Summer Parish Project, which will be sent to you at the beginning of the summer holidays. |
| September 2024 | Welcome to BTG! Your first day in school is dedicated to Year 7. This is an opportunity to meet key members of staff and your Form Tutor. Throughout the rest of the week, you will have an induction into life at BTG, a picnic, wellbeing afternoon, tour of the school and other exciting activities. |
Uniform and Equipment
Uniform & PE Kit
The Bishop Thomas Grant School uniform is distinct. We insist on all students wearing full uniform at all times particularly on their journeys to and from school. Parents/Carers are required to support the school in this matter.
To view the Bishop Thomas Grant School Uniform and Appearance Code, please click here.
Students who come to school in incorrect uniform or appearance will be asked to go home and change.
Your school uniform can be purchased at Hewitts of Croydon
You can shop Bishop Thomas Grant School uniform online by visiting the Hewitts website.
Hewitts Contact Information
Address: 45 - 51 Church Street, Croydon, CR9 1QQ
Telephone: 0208 680 4555 / 0208 688 1830
Email: customercare@hewittsofcroydon.com
Website: www.hewittsofcroydon.com
Opening Times: Monday - Saturday 09.30am - 18.00pm
Items marked (H) must be purchased from Hewitts. All uniform must be clearly labelled with the owner’s full name.
Equipment
Equipment to be purchased before the first day of school:
- Black, Blue and Green Pens. No gel pens can be used in a public examination
- Pencils
- Colouring Pencils
- White Board Markers - Non Permanent
- Erasers
- Sharpeners
- Ruler - 30cm
- Protractor
- Calculator – Casio fx-83GT-CW, Casio fx-85GT-CW (solar), Casio fx-991-CW
- Glue Stick
- Plastic Compass
- Clear Pencil Case
Transition Resources
General Resources
General tips on how to help prepare your child for the transition from primary to secondary school
Talk to your child and listen to any concerns they might have. Be positive and enthusiastic about the transition to secondary school. Your child is more likely to look forward to their first day without too much anxiety if you stay positive. This is especially important now as transition has been more challenging for them.
Do you know any parents or neighbours who already have children attending the school? It can be an excellent idea to introduce your child to older children so they will have a friend to look out for during the first few days at the new school. During the Summer holidays have a trial run of the route to school. If they miss the bus, talk to your child about what they should do. Likewise, if you are unable to get away from work and can't pick them up on time what should they do.
Involve your child and get prepared in plenty of time. This might involve taking your child ‘school shopping' and getting their stationery items, uniform, train or bus passes etc. No doubt, during the summer holidays, bedtime will be a lot later than usual and getting up in the mornings will also be a late lazy affair! To avoid giving a shock to the system, during the last week of the summer holidays wake up early as if it was a school day. Help your child become more responsible. Get them into the habit of checking their school timetable and getting everything ready for the next day. For example, on Thursdays they may need their PE kit. Having a homework board and activity schedule on the wall can help with this. Make sure they pick up the right habits from the start.
Consider any changes you may need to make at home to ensure there is space and peace and quiet for homework to be completed without distractions. You may want to set homework times- before dinner for example. A dedicated desk for your child's room can be a game-changer.
Look at the school's website and encourage your child to do the same. This is a good way to become familiar with policies and school activities. Encourage your child to join lunchtime clubs or participate in after-school activities. This is a fabulous way for them to make new friends with the same interests.
Safe Travel
Walking to school is an excellent way of starting the school day, if your child’s secondary school is close enough. Children, some studies show, are more alert and ready to learn after they have had a short burst of physical exercise, such as walking, before they enter the classroom. It is also very good for the environment and free! It can also be a social activity. Many parents are concerned about their child setting off on the journey to school on their own. Things which you might like to consider with him or her:
- What do you both think is the safest route from home to school?
- Do they know to walk away from the kerb, at the back of the footpath?
- Where are the safer places to cross, and do they know how to use formal crossings properly? (It might be a good idea to do a practice walk jointly in the summer holidays)
- Are there any hazards on the way, and how can they deal with these hazards?
- Can they arrange to walk with other children?
- Do they have any other worries about the journey to school?
Travel
The move to secondary school quite often involves travelling further distances, so it is not always possible to choose an active form of travel, such as cycling or walking. It is the natural time to consider the possibility of more independent travel by public transport, particularly as many pupils will receive bus or train passes for travel to and from school. If your child applies for a Pass, he or she can also use this on registered bus services at evenings and weekends. If your child has not previously used public transport on his or her own, these are points you might like to discuss:
- Where is the bus stop or the train station?
- What is the number of the bus they need to catch?
- Which platform does their train leave from?
- How do they buy a ticket, if they need to?
- What time does the train/ bus leave in the morning and in the afternoon?
- Where should they cross the road after getting off a bus?
- What should they do if the bus or train is late or cancelled?
- Can they read a bus or train timetable?
- Who can they ask for information?
- How they should behave on the bus or the train.
- Which is the safer route to walk to and from the bus stop or the station?
- Do they have any concerns about travelling by public transport? (Your child might appreciate a practice journey with you by public transport before the start of their first term.)
General preparation for safe journeys
Plan a journey - Transport for London (tfl.gov.uk)
11-15 Zip Oyster photocards - Transport for London (tfl.gov.uk)
When children start to become more independent while travelling to school, parents naturally have concerns regarding their personal safety. They worry about where their child is going and what time they will be home, and are troubled by “stranger danger”, although the actual risk of abduction is low. The points below might be useful for you to consider with your child, so that both of you can minimise risks:
Does your child know what to do in an emergency… know that the school has a ban on Phones and listening to music through headphones in on their journey to school.…
have the right equipment or high visibility clothing for their journey? ...
have places along the way (shops or friends houses) where they can stop if feeling unsafe? …
know where to go if they forget their door key? Do you …
know who your child is with? …
know where he or she is going and how he or she is getting there? …
know how / when you expect him or her to get home? …
have an updated list of the phone numbers of your child’s friends (including surnames, not just first names or nicknames)
Information Relating to Cashless System in School ParentPay
At Bishop Thomas Grant School, we do not handle cash as a method of payment for school lunches, trips, books, sports equipment etc. Instead, the school uses an online (or cashless) payment system called ParentPay.
FOR THE PURCHASE OF FOOD IN THE DINING HALL
How does the ‘cashless’ system work as payment for school lunches and food at break time?
At the heart of the ‘cashless’ system is a software programme which recognises each individual student, holds individual cash balances and records expenditure and cash received. It also records where and when money is spent and on what food.
How are the students recognised by the system?
Biometric (fingerprint) information is converted and stored as a unique number. Parents and students can rest assured that the fingerprint information held cannot be re-converted back into an image of the fingerprint, nor can it be used by any other source for identification purposes.
How is this account used to obtain a school meal?
A biometric scanner will be used at each till point in the dining halls, whereby a student will place their finger on the scanner to activate the individual account. A display will show the student’s name, tutor group and current balance held within the system.
How is the money entered into the system to pay for food?
The school uses ParentPay and PayPoint. ParentPay is the online payment service that allows parents to pay online securely by credit & debit card. Activation details will be sent to new students and can be obtained by contacting the Business Management team. If Parents/Carers do not have access to the internet, payment can be made in cash at PayPoint outlets. PayPoint cards can be ordered in writing from the Finance Officer.
If we pay for a set number of school meals, can it be spent in one day?
No, a daily limit of £5.00 can be set for all students and no food above that limit can be bought.
What if a student does not hold a sufficient cash balance to pay for a school meal?
- Parents are responsible for ensuring that enough funds are available in advance for their child’s daily meal.
- The school does not operate an ‘overdraft’ facility.
- Students are unable to pay at the till points with cash as catering staff are not allowed to handle cash.
What if a student is entitled to a ‘free school meal’?
The system works exactly the same for all students whether they pay themselves or have a free school meal. All students gain access to their accounts via the biometric scanners. The amount allocated for the free school meal will be entered into the system by the software daily and will only be accessible at lunchtime (not breaktime) for the meal of the day.
FOR PAYMENT OF OTHER ITEMS
If a request is made for students to go on a trip or to purchase a resource, parents/carers will receive written notification in advance of the activity/resource confirming the total payment and deadline payment date. The school will then add the activity to relevant students’ ParentPay accounts so that parents/carers can then make the appropriate payment online.
What if I have another ParentPay account?
When you are given your username and password for your child at Bishop Thomas Grant School, you will have to merge this new account with your existing ParentPay account by following the instructions on the ParentPay website.
Please contact one of the Business Management team on mdesira@btg-secondary.lambeth.sch.uk should you have any queries.
The Friends of BTG
SEND
Wellbeing
At BTG, we foster a welcoming environment where everyone can feel supported and safe through access to meaningful activities. For instance, our wellbeing club is open to all students and regularly attended by all year groups. This club helps students feel a sense of belonging in a safe space where they can express themselves openly and build confidence. Additionally, our mentoring program pairs sixth form students with Year 7 students to support those struggling with the transition to secondary school.
To further reduce student anxiety, we have partnered with organizations such as KOOTH and the Lambeth Mental Health Support Team (LMHST) to provide programs that help students manage stress and anxiety. We also address well-being issues through assemblies and curriculum opportunities, discussing topics like healthy eating, the importance of sleep, exercise, and positive relationships.
Here are some: Top Tips for parents to help children to cope with change please, click below:
Please click here for the Safeguarding page for more information on Wellbeing.
House System
Our House System
Each student and member of staff are allocated a house. These are named after the four Gospels: Matthew (white), Mark (blue), Luke (yellow) and John (red). Your school tie and sports shirts bear these colours to represent the houses. Our students where them with pride.
Our House system prides itself on fundraising for our House charities which help support the vulnerable and less fortunate in our community and world. Throughout the year, there are a series of charity events organised by students and staff to raise money for the House charities, such as coin challenges, fair events and inter house competitions to get everyone up and get excited and raise money for our four leading charities. We have many more events in store for students to get involved with throughout the year.
Each house plays an important role in our BTG community. There will even be opportunities on a weekly basis where students can gain house points and further contribute to making your House the best House in the school! I look forward to all students getting involved and hearing any fantastic ideas as the year progresses!
During the year you will be able to gain points that go towards your house by obtaining achievement points for academic work, effort, extra-curricular activities, good behaviour, good attendance and punctuality, charity fundraising, community spirit. As well as taking part in fundraising events, inter house sport competition, school competitions, debating club.
The House with the highest number of Achievement Points each term earns a special reward for all the students in the winning house and of course ….. the final countdown at the end of the year to decide who is the House of the Year, the House Cup winners.
Each House Charities
Matthew House support The Salesian Sisters.
The Salesian Sisters is run by a network of convents and Nuns who carry out youth work in South London and volunteer work is some of the world’s poorest countries. They help provide safe space for them, help refugees, provide youth centre for young people and educational and vocational skills programmes for them. As well as helping teach young people and support them pastorally they help them develop their faith. Supporting our young people and children to better their lives with their work.
Mark House support The Children’s Trust.
The fundraising for children trust helps provide special education for children with multiple learning difficulties and special needs. It helps support and keep running their rehabilitation centre for children with brain injuries, helping improve the quality of life for these children.
Luke House support Spires Centre for the Homeless.
A locally based Homeless centre in Streatham that works to improve the quality of life of homeless people in the area, help support insecurely houses individuals, unemployed or suffering from poverty, mental ill health and loneliness in our community. They help cloth individuals, provide shelter and warm food for them. They help with medical care, education and courses and with job hunting to improve their quality of life.
John House support Kids for Kids.
This charity helps children the world has forgotten, children in Darfur, who live very difficult lives who experience malnutrition which affects their physical and mental health. We help support the goat loan project which enables the people of Darfur to help themselves. The goat’s milk transforms a child’s health, the goats will reproduce so they can eat and which they can sell to make money. To help improve their health and quality of life.
English Reading Suggestions
transition reading list year 6.pdf
Extra-Curricular Activities
Extra-Curricular Activities
Here is an example of what extra-curricular activities are on offer at BTG for Year 7
Music
Bishop Thomas Grant School has a thriving Music Department. In preparation for the next academic year, and to ensure continuity of learning for your daughter/son as they transition from primary to secondary school, it would be helpful for us to know some details about their prior musical learning. Please click on the links below for details of instrumental/vocal tuition, extra-curricular musical activities and entries to Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music examinations.
Instrumental/vocal tuition is available at a small cost for those wanting to continue learning begun at primary school, or for those wanting to start lessons. At Bishop Thomas Grant School, there is a team of 14 visiting instrumental/singing teachers offering instrumental and vocal learning opportunities in a range of musical styles. Click here for details about instrumental/singing tuition, instrumental hire, and a link to the Instrumental/Singing Application Form, where lessons can be booked for September 2024.
Extra-curricular musical activities provide positive, fun ways to enjoy music; it is a good way to meet likeminded students as well as contributing to the life of the school. Click here for more details about extra-curricular musical activities, and to sign your child up to one, or more, of the free musical clubs on offer at BTG.
In the second half of the Autumn Term, we will be hosting Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music practical and theory exams. Click here if your child is ready to take an exam, or if they would like to take a music exam next term. Parents will be contacted during the first half Autumn Term regarding fees and arrangements for the examinations.
Art
Physical Education
At Bishop Thomas Grant, sport and physical activity are key aspects to school life with the PE department offering a range of extra-curricular clubs both before school as well as after school across a range of sports, which are all free of charge. Alongside this the PE department offers an extensive extra-curricular fixtures programme which exposes students to competitive sport against other schools both locally and regionally, with the PE department running just under 400 fixtures in 2023-24. The PE department is also proud to lead on multiple competitions across South London which provides competitive fixtures for multiple schools across Lambeth as well as leading some of the Borough squads for the London Youth Games.
The PE department has had lots of success in a range of sports over the years winning a number of competitions as well as supporting talented pupils to achieve greatness. Although there is much success, the main goal of the department is to create a love of physical activity and expose the pupils to as many sports as possible, whilst providing an opportunity to represent the school in one of the many sports on offer and share links to local clubs. This has meant that every pupil that has attended an extra-curricular club has represented the school at some point over the year.
Extra-curricular competitions involvement for both boys and girls includes:
Athletics
Badminton (Extra-curricular club)
Basketball (Jnr NBA representing the Chicago Bulls)
Cheerleading (Extra-curricular club)
Cricket (Indoor and outdoor)
Cross Country
Dodgeball
Flag Football (Girls American Football, representing the Chicago Bears)
Football (A/B/C teams)
Gymnastics (Streatham Gymnastics Club)
Handball
Indoor Rowing (NJIRC at Olympic Park)
Netball (A/B teams)
Rugby
Skiing (Indoor Skiing Competition at Hemel Hempstead Snow Centre)
Swimming
Table Tennis
Tennis
Trampolining
Volleyball
Wallball
The PE department also offers National School Sports Week every year where the extra-curricular timetable gets altered and a number of different activities are offered in school free of charge as well as trips to local venues to expose the pupils to other forms of sports and physical activity. This includes Track Cycling at Herne Hill Velodrome, Beach Volleyball in Crystal Palace, Boxing in Battersea, Padel Tennis at Crystal Palace, Rock Climbing in Croydon, Ice Skating in Streatham alongside Croquet, Archery and Lawn Bowls.
Your Questions Answered
Summer Parish Project
