Vyners School Year 6 into 7 Transition

Booklet

Community - Aspiration

Respect - Endeavour

Welcome to Vyners School

It is always wonderful to welcome each Year 7 cohort to the school at the start of the academic year. It goes without saying that the extraordinary events of the past three months may have made it difficult for Year 6 students to complete their time at primary school in the way that they would have wished to. We also recognise that transitioning into secondary school is usually a more practical experience than students would have experienced this year.

However, Vyners is now your school and you are now part of the group of thousands of people who will have attended the school since it first opened in 1959. We will continue to do our very best to ensure that each child feels safe, supported and part of our vibrant community from the first moment that they walk through our doors. We are confident that you will have a wonderful experience and will have the opportunity to contribute to the rich culture and community that has been present at the school over the past 60 years.

I very much look forward to welcoming every child and family to the school in person on the 3rd of September.

Gary Mullings Headteacher

Vyners School • There are over 1,400 students at Vyners School.

• There are over 150 members of staff at Vyners. These individuals

will help educate, support, encourage, feed and monitor your

development through secondary school.

• Term time will be the same as in your Primary Schools. There are 3

terms within the year, each split into 2 half terms.

• We are committed to ensuring that every child receives the best

life chances that a first class education provides.

Timings of the School Day

Registration 8:30 – 8:50

Lesson 1 8:50 – 9:50

Lesson 2 9:55 – 10:55

Break 10:55 – 11:20

Lesson 3 11:20 – 12:20

Lesson 4 12:25 – 1:25

Lunch 1:25 – 2:00

Lesson 5 2:00 – 3:00

Enrichment 3:10 – 4:15

The Year 7 Tutor Team

Year 7 Leader - Mr Brooks

Deputy Year 7 Leader - Mr Sorrell

What strange times we find ourselves in! I know that we will not have met you all in person before you start school but we are thinking about you all already and making preparations for you here at Vyners. Take some time to make yourself as familiar as you can with your new school by reading the information that Mr Brooks shares with you and by getting involved with any activities that we send you. Remember that there is an area on the school website here to prepare you for school. It will not be long before you start called Year 7 Induction and there will be all sorts of information on your new school and we are all looking forward to meeting you.

Link Senior Leader - Mr Cahill

Congratulations on gaining a place with us at Vyners School. I am looking forward to your arrival and welcoming you to our community. I am sure many of you are slightly apprehensive at the thought of secondary school. Don’t worry, it is normal to be nervous. I remember the nerves I felt on my first day at secondary school. I was the only person going from my primary school and I was worried I would have no friends. I need not have worried, as the first person I spoke to in the playground is still one of my best friends nearly forty years later. You are embarking on an exciting journey, but you are bound to be worried that you might go to the wrong room or you might bring the wrong books or you might get lost. Do not worry that these things might happen. I would be very surprised if they did not happen, but do not worry. We learn by making mistakes. Mr Sorrell and I will be there to support you every step of the way. We will be there to pick you up when you fall and we will be there to celebrate with you when you succeed.

It’s going to be a great journey. I can’t wait to begin!

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you all to the Vyners community. I am extremely excited to meet you all and am looking forward to working closely with you, when you start your journey with us. You are so lucky to have the opportunity to work with and learn from some amazing teachers and people. I hope that you all have an enjoyable and restful summer break and join us with enthusiasm in September, ready to embrace all of the wonderful opportunities available to you at Vyners.

Year 7 Tutors

7 Cheshire Miss Brown

English

7 Fry Miss Powick

P.E.

7 Gell Miss Rose

Art

7 Huxley Miss Maxwell

Art

7 Jaggar Miss Forde

Science

7 Miles Mr Babra

D&T

7 Parks Dr Abbas Science

7 Windsor Miss Ward

Maths

Important Places at School

The numbers on the map represent some of the main areas of

the school in which you will need to know. Each number is

explained on the following pages with pictures.

5

6

4

7

3 2

8

1

1. The Main School Office

This is the main entrance to the school. All visitors have to sign in at the office.

2. Student Services

This area has many uses which you will learn about. It is also the medical room.

3. Small Canteen

Here you can buy hot and cold snacks as well as drinks.

4. Sports Hall

The Sports Hall is where a lot of your PE lessons will take place. In the Sports Hall you will play many different sports such as; badminton, basketball, indoor football, athletics, netball, tennis, cricket and dodgeball.

5. The Quad

The Quad is where most students choose to go during break and lunch time.

6. Main School Hall

The main hall is where you will have assemblies on a Monday morning. Also many school events take place in the main hall

7. Large Canteen

Here you can buy the same hot and cold snacks as well as drinks that you can buy in the small canteen. This is also where you can buy a main hot meal.

8. Astro

The Astro is where most of your PE lessons will take place. Here

you will play sports such as; football, netball, hockey, tag rugby,

cricket and handball.

Subjects Studied in Year 7 You will be given your timetable on your first day of

school. Your timetable will include 5 lessons a day over a

2-week cycle (Week A and Week B).

Please do not panic!!! You are not expected to

remember all the information. You will have a printed

copy of your timetable and the details will be in your

student planner.

These are the subjects that you will study in Year 7:

English Science

Maths PE

Music MFL

DT Art

History Geography

Ethics Computing

Drama

Timetable and Planners

Here is a photo of this year’s student

planner. Your student planner will be

very similar. The aim of the planner is

to enable you to organise yourself

effectively. You planner is very

important and there must not be

any graffiti anywhere.

Here is an example of a Year 7

student’s timetable. Your

timetable will be given to you

by your tutor on your first day.

You will have plenty of time to

look through your timetable

and copy it in to your planner

on your first day.

The House System

The Vyners House system is a way students build social skills, become involved in a

sense of community and engage with key values of our school. Each student when they are admitted to Vyners are assigned a House. Each House

given is named after a figure chosen by the school to reflect our CARE values. The Vyners School Houses are:

Fry after Elizabeth Fry Huxley after The Huxley family John Miles after the philanthropist and benefactor Windsor after our own monarchy Cheshire after Leonard Cheshire Jaggar after Trevor Jaggar, first head teacher of Vyners Parks after Rosa Parks Gell after Charlotte Gell

Each student is assigned into one of these houses and will begin their journey at

Vyners in one of the following form groups: 7F, 7H, 7M, 7W, 7C, 7J, 7P and 7G. Each form will have its own tutor or tutors and each House is led by a staff team

and House Captains from the Sixth Form. House events include Sports Days, Subject competitions such as House Music,

House Drama and the House photography competition. Each is an opportunity for

students to earn House points for their house. Individually, each time a student is awarded merits, these also contribute to House

Points. Each year, the House with most points is awarded the House Cup!!!

Going to Vyners School How do you feel?

These could be useful to think about when you are changing school.

Use two different coloured highlighters, highlight the phrases that you are looking

forward to in one colour; use a different colour for those you are worried about.

Making new friends Learning a new timetable

Dinner time Detentions

Having a different uniform Being on time

Finding way around Break times

Getting to school Learning new subjects

Meeting others my own age Joining clubs

Being with friends School rules

Homework Meeting my new tutor

Meeting my new teachers Being able to do the work

Being with older pupils Getting changed for PE

Easing Your Worries

Think about what worries you the most about moving to Vyners…

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

OK Not OK

What is the worry?

__________________________________________________________

On the scale of 0 to 10 how worried are you?

__________________________________________________________

Think of a time when you have been worried before

__________________________________________________________

What helped you move down the scale that time?

__________________________________________________________

Where would you like to feel in a month, 6 months and in a year?

__________________________________________________________

What would help you move one point nearer?

__________________________________________________________

What will have changed so you know you are less worried?

__________________________________________________________

How will you manage your worry in your transition to Vyners?

__________________________________________________________

Frequently Asked Questions

I am the only student coming to Vyners from my primary school. Is it

normal to be nervous?

Yes. Absolutely normal. You will make many new friends and be

supported by all of the teachers at Vyners.

What if I forget something during my first week?

This will probably happen at some point. Don’t worry. We will help you

find a good routine. If you forget something in your first few weeks you

will not get in trouble or receive a detention.

What if I get lost?

You can ask another student or teacher. The school has signposts

everywhere and you will receive a map to guide you. If you get lost in

your first few weeks you will not get in trouble or receive a detention.

Are we allowed to bring mobile phones to school?

Yes you can bring your mobile phone to school. Using your mobile

phone at school is limited to emergencies and when your teacher gives

you permission.

Where do I find out about extracurricular activities?

The school website and daily student notices will have all

extracurricular activity information. Daily notices will be given out by

your form tutor each morning.

When do I get my timetable?

You will receive your timetable on your first day at Vyners. You will have

plenty of time to copy your timetable in to your planner.

What will I be doing in registration each morning?

Monday = Year 7 and Year 8 assembly in the Main School Hall.

Tuesday = Silent reading from your reading book.

Wednesday = PSHE Activity with your tutor.

Thursday = Year 7 Assembly in the Sports Hall.

Friday = Year 7 Quiz.

Will Year 7 students have time to explore the school without the older

students in it?

Yes. Year 7 students will start Vyners before all of the other year

groups. Year 7 students will be able to discover the school without any

other students in it on the first day. On this day you will be allocated

time to walk around so you can familiarise yourself with the school.