Sixth Form New Parent Information Booklet June 2023

SIXTH FORM
NEW PARENT
INFORMATION
BOOKLET
Useful information for new parents
joining St Albans School

CONTENTS
Letter from the Headmaster 3
Learning Support & exam access arrangements 14
Letter from Gary Walker, Head of Sixth Form 4
Learning Support screening 15
Information for parents 5
Medical matters 16
Sixth Form information 10
PE, Games and Sport 18
Wellbeing12
Catering27
Counselling13
Term dates 28

Dear Parents,
I hope this finds you and your family well. I am very pleased that we
shall be welcoming your son or daughter to the School this coming
September.
In this booklet you will find important information for parents
regarding life at the School.
I look forward to seeing your son or daughter at the Induction Day on
Monday 4 September and to welcome you all into the St Albans School
community.
With best wishes for the summer,
Jonathan W J Gillespie MA (Cantab) FRSA
Headmaster
3

Dear Parents,
As has already been communicated and included in the published
term dates on the School website, all Lower Sixth Form students are
expected to attend an Induction Day when a number of important
administrative tasks are undertaken, including confirming A Level
subject choices and selecting Games preferences for the Autumn
Term.
Induction will begin at 8.30am on Monday 4 September. Students
will not be expected to wear School uniform and the day will
conclude by no later than 4.00pm. During the afternoon, there will
be an orientation session on the School’s digital learning platforms.
As notified in earlier correspondence, all Sixth Form students must
provide their own laptop or device, and all students will need
to bring their own laptop with them on Induction Day for the
purpose of this orientation session.
Students who selected Partnership or Community Link for their
Friday afternoon activity will need to bring their completed DBS
application form, which they will receive after results day, together
with the required forms of ID, for processing on Induction Day.
It is School policy to undertake a literacy and processing screener
with all new pupils on entry to St Albans School. This will take
place during the Autumn Term. The Head of Learning Support, Mr
Bateman, will contact your son/daughter by e-mail with further
information.
Finally, further to Dr Hacksley’s letter sent earlier this term, could
I take this opportunity to remind you that Lower Sixth students
are strongly encouraged to undertake at least one week’s work
experience before the start of the Upper Sixth. Please complete
and submit the online Student Work Experience form: Work_
Experience_Placement_2023/24 once you have secured a placement.
With best wishes for the summer,
Yours sincerely
Gary Walker
Head of Sixth Form
4

PARENT INFORMATION
Absence
We ask parents to make every effort to keep pupils’ absences to a minimum. In cases of
illness or unforeseen events, please telephone the Reception Office (01727 855521) on
the morning of the first day and subsequent days of absence, preferably before 8.30am.
You should also email your son/daughter’s Tutor to inform them of the absence.
On returning to School your son/daughter must produce a note to his/her Tutor,
confirming his/her dates of absence and the reason for it. This can be sent by email.
For planned absences (e.g. for a special family event or a driving test) a request must be
sent together with an explanation of the reason for it to the Headmaster by an email to
LOA@st-albans.herts.sch.uk. Requests should be submitted as far in advance as possible
and our agreement should be sought before any commitments are made – for example,
the date of a family wedding is likely to be known several months beforehand, so we
would expect a LoA (Leave of Absence) request to be received well in advance. Please
remember that all pupils are expected to be available to fulfil School commitments
as required on Saturdays during term time and to give these priority over other
commitments: except in exceptional and unforeseen circumstances, a LoA request
for a Saturday should be submitted by the Friday of the preceding week, i.e. 8 days in
advance, at the very latest.
For obvious reasons we ask that, where possible, medical and dental appointments
be arranged so as not to conflict with the School day, but we realise that this can
be difficult: our agreement to absences for such reasons is therefore usually readily
forthcoming. As above, a Leave of Absence request should be submitted by email to
LOA@st-albans.herts.sch.uk at the earliest opportunity.
Sixth Form students do not need to seek permission from the Headmaster to attend
university open days or interviews; instead, they should inform the Head of Sixth Form,
in writing, via email.
If your son/daughter is staying with friends or relations owing to parents being away
during term time, it is very important that the School is informed and a contact name
and telephone number is given.
Email Communications with School
If you need to get in touch with the School about your child, their Tutor should be
your first point of contact. It is the School’s policy that emails will, in usual term-time
circumstances, be responded to within 24 hours of receipt. In some situations, the
initial response will be to acknowledge receipt of the communication with a more
detailed reply to follow once necessary conferring has taken place.
Parents are asked to remember that the majority of the School day for teaching staff is
taken up by teaching and pastoral duties and, except in emergencies, communication
with parents is a lower priority than teaching and support of pupils. We do not expect
colleagues to read or respond to emails outside of normal working hours, although some
colleagues may choose to do so. We ask parents to be considerate in their expectations so
that teachers are not distracted from their core tasks during timetabled lessons.
Enquiries made during the weekend or School holidays may take longer as staff will not
necessarily be checking their emails on a daily basis. If you need to contact the School
about an urgent matter where an immediate response is needed, then it would be best
to telephone Reception (01727 855521).
5

Exemption from Abbey Attendance
All pupils are required to attend an assembly in the Abbey on Monday and Friday
mornings. An alternative assembly is held at these times for pupils whose faith
background would make their attendance in Abbey on a twice-weekly basis
uncomfortable. It normally takes the form of a talk and does not include an act of
worship. It is known as ‘BLR Assembly’ after the BLR (Big Lecture Room) in which it
is held.
If you wish your son/daughter to attend BLR Assemblies, you should write a letter to
the Headmaster requesting permission to do so and stating the reason for your request.
This letter should reach us before the end of the first half term at the School. Please also
state whether or not you wish him/her to attend the BLR Assembly held at the time of
the Carol Service. Attendance at one or other is compulsory.
There are two annual services in the Abbey at which it is expected that all pupils will
be present, irrespective of whether they normally attend the BLR Assemblies, as we
consider it important that these occasions bring together, without exception, the whole
School community in a common purpose. These are the Remembrance Service in
November and the Commemoration of Benefactors on Founders’ Day, which celebrates
the School and those who have contributed to its long history.
Driving and Parking
Parents are not permitted to drive onto the School site to drop off or collect their
children. I am sure you will understand that for the safety and welfare of all pupils we
cannot afford the volume of traffic this would involve during the School day.
Unfortunately, there is no parking available for parents on the School site unless
arranged in advance when attending a meeting with staff. In these circumstances please
only use the visitor bays at Aquis Court and sign in at Reception on arrival. Cars should
not be parked on double yellow lines in the vicinity of the School and should always
be parked in such a way as to allow other vehicles to pass easily, thus ensuring a free
flow of traffic. As a School we have a responsibility to the local community and it is
important for us to show consideration in this regard.
School Policies
St Albans School welcomes suggestions and comments from parents and takes seriously
complaints and concerns that may raise. A Complaints Procedure for parents is
available on request. The School Child Protection (Safeguarding) Policy is available on
the School website under ‘Policies’. The other policies listed in this area of the School
website, including the Anti-Bullying Strategy, are available on request. These documents
are reviewed and updated regularly. St Albans School gives the utmost priority to
investigating allegations of bullying and has a zero tolerance approach. If a parent has
concerns, then it is best to raise such concerns with their child’s Tutor or Head of Year
as quickly as possible.
Timetable
Pupils are required to be at School for registration at 8.35am. School finishes at 4.00pm
but on Games afternoons, pupils may be collected from The Woollam Playing Fields at
the end of Games if the Games staff are notified in writing. Those who are not collected
are returned to School in time for the buses or for you to collect them. Please note that
the Library is supervised each evening until 6.00pm at which point the late bus service
operates.
6

Homework
Homework Planning
Some homework may be done at School in the Form room during breaks. Usually, there
will be a minimum of two days (including weekend days) between work being set and the
deadline for its completion. The amount set should occupy the average pupils as follows:
– First Form and Second Form: 20 minutes per subject per School night
(1 hour in total)
– Third Form: 25 minutes per subject per School night (1 hour and 15 minutes in total)
– Fourth Form and Fifth Form: 30 minutes per subject per School night
(1 hour and 30 minutes in total)
– Sixth Form: The nature of A Level study requires an ability and willingness to work
independently and much of the work students will be required to undertake will be
done during study periods and in their own time after School. Typically, Sixth Form
students are expected to do around three hours per subject, per week, beyond the
normal School day. In view of the complexity of option combinations and the nature of
the work set, there will no longer be a weekly homework timetable and students must
take careful note of work set and plan ahead to ensure that they meet their deadlines.
Please note that ALL pupils at all levels of the School are always required to
acknowledge sources they have used in their work. Failure to do this will be regarded as
plagiarism and pupils will be sanctioned appropriately.
Homework for all year groups is set electronically on Microsoft Teams. Detailed
communication is sent out at the start of the School year and pupils will receive
training.
If parents are concerned about any aspect of homework they should, in the first
instance, contact the Tutor in the normal way.
Information on the co-curricular
programme – SOCS
We are very proud of the rich and varied range of opportunities our co-curricular
programme offers all pupils. Whether it is Sport, Music, Drama, Duke of Edinburgh,
CCF or one of the many other clubs on offer, all pupils are expected to get involved and
commit to at least one activity per term. The school uses the online platform SOCS to
communicate all co-curricular activities and associated details to parents and pupils.
Pupils can sign-up for clubs and activities and parents are able to log-in to keep up to
date with their child’s co-curricular involvement. Further details regarding the use of
SOCS will be sent out at the start of the academic year.
7

School Fees and Withdrawal
Fees are payable on the first day of each term and no refund can be made in cases of
illness or absence. A reduction of 5% is made where an entrant already has a brother or
sister in the School and is applied to the older child’s account. Tuition fees are subject to
annual review, but in exceptional circumstances, more frequent consideration may be
necessary.
The Headmaster may require a pupil to leave if, in the opinion of the Headmaster, his
or her progress no longer justifies attendance at the School or his or her influence is
damaging to the School’s standards or reputation.
A term’s notice of withdrawal must reach the Headmaster in writing on or before the
first day of term of the term after which the pupil will be leaving. In reasonable cases
of uncertainty, the Headmaster will accept provisional notice. In default of such notice,
parents are liable for the payment of a term’s fees in lieu.
The full terms and conditions document, which forms the contract between parents and
the School, was provided to you with the Acceptance Form and can be found on the
School’s website.
Insurance
While the School provides facilities, such as lockers, to assist pupils in taking care of
their personal possessions, it is impossible for the School to accept responsibility for
them. Parents are therefore urged to include any items of value on their own insurance
policies, and so far as possible to avoid the bringing of such items to School by their
child. Where they do need to be brought in, parents should ensure that their insurance
policies cover this. There are separate communications regarding the care of and
provision for the safe storage of personal devices for year groups where it is required
that they be brought into School. All possessions should be, and all items of clothing
must be, named.
Damage to School Property
Pupils pay for any damage which goes beyond the limits of fair wear and tear, such as
windows broken by misbehaviour. Where this cannot be attributed to individuals, the
group is responsible.
Additional Expenditure
The cost of all normal educational equipment, including textbooks, lab coats and
exercise books, is included in the School fee. However, there will be additional
expenses throughout the year that are either mandatory or optional. School lunches
are compulsory for all pupils in First to Fourth Form. This is paid on a termly basis and
will be added to the fee invoice. Lunch arrangements for Fifth and Sixth Form pupils
will be communicated separately; both can opt into lunches in the Refectory but have a
number of other options. There will also be a number of School trips, both residential
and day trips, that will be chargeable; however, you will be informed of this in advance.
The external costs of public examination fees are also charged to parents’ accounts. In
the case of lost/unreturned items including lockers keys and library books, a charge will
also be made to your bill to cover the replacement of the item.
8

Please click the links below to read these important documents. These are the most recent versions at
the time of publication. However, as updates can occur at any time please contact the School for the most
up-to-date versions.
SCHOOL
REGULATIONS
PROMOTING GOOD
BEHAVIOUR AND
SANCTIONS POLICY
ANTI-BULLYING
STRATEGY, IT USE
POLICY AND USE OF
MOBILE DEVICES
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SIXTH FORM INFORMATION
University Open Days, Higher Education
and careers events
Students are permitted up to five days off school in order to attend university open days.
Additional absences, beyond this allocation, will not normally be permitted. The only
exception is for pre-offer applicant days, where a university has invited a student to
attend an open day or event after their UCAS application has been submitted, but
before an offer has been made. Where a university makes an offer for a different course
from that originally applied for, or where an offer is for study or residence based at a
different university college or campus additional absences will be permitted to enable
students to reach an informed decision about whether to accept a revised offer or not.
There is no restriction on the number of interviews or auditions a student may attend.
Wherever possible, students are encouraged to attend university open days at weekends
or during holidays in order to minimise the impact on their studies. Where students
have a regular Saturday commitment (e.g. to a team) they can be granted one absence
per term in addition to their other permitted absences.
Students do not need to seek permission from the Headmaster to attend university
open days or interviews; instead, they should inform the Head of Sixth Form, in
writing, via email. An online exeat form will need to be completed for each absence
and students must also email teachers whose lessons they will miss as a result of their
absence; at least 24 hours before the scheduled absence. Students will receive the
exeat form via email after they have contacted the Head of Sixth Form regarding their
planned absence.
Students are also permitted up to five days off school for attendance at courses
designed to prepare them for undergraduate study. These may include, but are not
exclusive to, courses run by Villiers Park, university taster courses, or Headstart STEM
courses. Leave of Absence for such courses should be sought by parents contacting the
Headmaster’s PA on hm@st-albans.herts.sch.uk.
10

Driving
Study Periods
Pupils are not permitted to drive on to, or park on, the School premises at any time
unless permission has been given by the Second Master. We are aware that a number
of our Sixth Form pupils may wish to drive, or car share, to and from School; driving
to School and carrying passengers may only happen with the express permission of
the parents of both the driver and the passenger(s). Under no circumstances should
pupils drive other pupils as passengers unless they have that consent and they do so at
their own risk. Sixth Form pupils are not permitted to drive their car during the School
day and transport will be provided for journeys between the main School site and The
Woollam Playing Fields. Where pupils wish to drive to and park at Woollams for school
commitments at weekends and during holidays (e.g. pre-season training) a form will be
sent to parents at the start of the Autumn Term and should be completed and submitted
to the Second Master.
Students should use study periods appropriately, working either in the Library or in the
Private Study area as instructed.
Prefects may exercise their right to go off-site.
Sixth Form lessons are not covered in the event of staff absence. If your teacher is
absent, it is your responsibility to do the work set, either unsupervised in the Library or
Private Study area as instructed.
The School cannot accept any responsibility for the vehicle, driver, passengers or any
property in the car and parents will be responsible for all insurance in connection with
the information above.
11

WELLBEING
The School has an established framework for pastoral care, guidance and support for
pupils, offering help for those experiencing emotional distress.
The School aims to provide a safe and welcoming environment underpinned by
excellent pastoral care, supporting each pupil to be happy, feel valued as an individual
and, with appropriate guidance and responsibilities, develop the self-confidence
to become the adult they wish to be, learning the importance of tolerance and
consideration towards others.
We believe it is important for pupils to be able to express concerns and feelings about
problems that just don’t go away. They may have talked the issues through with a
friend or family member, but the problem persists. Some of these issues may include
peer pressure, family and school concerns, sexuality, substance abuse and self-harm,
bereavement and loss.
We recognise the need for easily accessible people who enable our pupils to express
their thoughts and feelings, gain insight and explore strategies to help them manage
themselves and their relationships more effectively.
A pupil’s physical and mental health is of utmost concern for all staff at the School and
if any pupil is worried or anxious about something they can contact any teacher for
help. If they want to speak to someone in particular, then the list below should help:
Pastoral
School Counsellor
Mental Health First Aiders
Safeguarding
Nurses
School Chaplain
Learning Support
Tutor, Head or Deputy Head of Section
See Page 12 for further details
Further details are available on Form notice boards
(over 80 members of staff have been trained)
Mrs Robertson: safeguarding@st-albans.herts.sch.uk
Ms Valeny, Mrs Blackman and Mrs Green:
nurses@st-albans.herts.sch.uk
Dr Pines: CDPines@st-albans.herts.sch.uk
Mr Bateman: learningsupport@st-albans.herts.sch.uk
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COUNSELLING
St Albans School offers the services of a Registered BACP Counsellor, Mrs Jane
Mitchell. Jane is available for pupils on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and visits the School
at other times.
She is viewed as an additional resource in our pastoral care team when pupils have a
problem and need someone other than a member of staff with whom they can share
their thoughts and feelings. The School Counsellor is not there to pass judgement or to
represent the School, parents or any other authority. Her role is to try to help pupils to
resolve their own problems in the most appropriate way.
The School Counsellor will maintain confidentiality unless she is concerned for a
pupil’s safety or the safety of others. She will discuss this matter with anyone who
meets with her.
Appointments
Appointments are on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and are held in the Counsellor’s room
on the top floor of School House. Each session lasts 30 minutes. Sometimes, one session
will be enough; but some issues may need more discussion over a longer period of time.
Pupils can reserve a time by putting their initials on the list on the wall of the back
corridor leading to the Second Master’s office on the ground floor of School House.
They do not have to put their own initials as long as they remember the time they
selected.
A pupil may already have discussed the problem with their Form Tutor or someone else
they feel they can trust, in which case they can ask him/her to make the appointment
for them.
They can also text 07340 507687 to request an appointment time and Jane will
endeavour to reply to such requests within 24 hours. The text number can only be used
for appointment requests.
If at any time on a Tuesday or Wednesday a pupil sees that the Counsellor’s door is
open, they are welcome to drop in.
13

LEARNING SUPPORT & EXAM
ACCESS ARRANGEMENTS
The Learning Support Department aims to help pupils with a medical, physical or
specific learning difference achieve the best they can. The increased demands of
Secondary school can reveal difficulties that were not previously apparent in successful
pupils. Pupils may find some aspects of School life harder, but a positive and tenacious
mindset combined with home and school support will enable progress to be made.
The Learning Support Department provides teachers with key differentiation strategies
to help with Quality First Teaching (QFT) in the classroom. We undertake literacy,
where necessary, to help with processing screenings for all new pupils. We also
maintain Individual Learning Profiles (ILPs) as required and offer each pupil with an
ILP up to three 50-minute 1:1 support sessions per year, plus an annual review. These
sessions focus on the pupils’ priority needs, whilst encouraging metacognition and
greater independence.
Access arrangements allow pupils with identified medical, physical or learning
differences, level access to public examinations without changing the demands of the
assessment.
The entire exam access arrangements process is managed in-house using our
comprehensive referral process, standardised assessments and teacher evidence.
Priority is given to GCSE and A Level candidates. In terms of word processing, only
pupils who have been assessed by the Learning Support Department and recognised as
needing a laptop are permitted to use one in tests and exams.
If a pupil has a medical need, written confirmation by a medical consultant should
be shared with the Head of Learning Support and the Nurses as soon as possible. The
medical consultant must only state the diagnosis and not specify particular exam access
arrangements, as these are determined by the School in conjunction with the teacher
and standardised assessment evidence.
Please contact learningsupport@st-albans.herts.sch.uk to provide details of any existing
learning differences or additional needs that your son or daughter has, whether
diagnosed or not. If you have any new or ongoing concerns about possible learning
differences or additional needs, then please use the above email address and copy in
your son/daughter’s Form Tutor.
The Learning Support, Access Arrangements and Word Processing in Exams policies
all adhere to the regulations as laid out by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ)
and Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE). The Learning Support
Department does not accept unapproved external assessment reports. A private assessor
must not be contacted or booked as this will not comply with the regulations.
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LEARNING SUPPORT SCREENING
Dear Parents,
St Albans School acknowledges that a range of learning differences or neurodiversity can occur among pupils who have been selected
on academic criteria. It is School policy to screen all new pupils for possible difficulties with literacy, handwriting and information
processing. Those with existing differences or additional needs will also undertake the screenings.
Experience has shown that pupils need time to settle into a new School. Therefore, your child will undertake a one-hour computerbased
and standardised screening at a pre-arranged time after-school. Further details will be emailed to your son or daughter by
the Learning Support Department. In due course, the non-diagnostic screening results will be analysed by the Learning Support
Department. These are only shared if deemed necessary.
Please contact learningsupport@st-albans.herts.sch.uk to provide details of any existing learning differences or additional needs that
your son or daughter has, whether diagnosed or not. If you have any new or ongoing concerns about possible learning differences or
additional needs, then please use the above email address and copy to your child’s Form Tutor.
Yours sincerely,
Mr A J Bateman
Head of Learning Support
15

MEDICAL MATTERS
The St Albans School Nursing Service is in place to promote the health, wellbeing
and protection of pupils at school. Between the hours of 8.00am and 5.30pm one of
the Registered Nurses; Ms Valeny, Mrs Blackman or Mrs Green will be available in
the Medical Room and first aid cover is provided until 6.00pm every day. The Nurses
are always pleased to discuss any medical matters and can be contacted by email on
nurses@st-albans.herts.sch.uk or by phone on 01727 515271. Please do make contact if
you have any concerns about your child’s health or if there has been a medical review or
event outside of school hours.
Medical Conditions
Medication
The Nurses hold a stock of medicines which would normally be kept in a household
for the relief of pain, temperature and minor ailments. Parents will be encouraged to
seek pharmacy/medical advice if further clinical assessment is needed. Students are not
permitted to bring in any other over-the-counter medication into school unless it is
handed to the School Nurse. If your son or daughter needs to bring their own over-thecounter
or prescribed medication into school a Medication Form must be completed
and handed to the School Nurse along with the medication.
You will be sent a New Pupil Medical Information/Consent Form prior to your child
joining the School. Parents are asked to confidentially share their child’s medical history
and any medication they take with the School Nurses. The Nurses will follow up with
any parents who identify that their child has significant medical conditions or concerns.
Throughout the school year, if your child has a newly diagnosed condition or injury
the School Nurses will need to be informed so that they can provide appropriate care.
Individual Health Care Plans are in place for all children with long-term conditions
such as allergy, anaphylaxis, asthma, diabetes and epilepsy. The School Nurses welcome
parents to make appointments to discuss healthcare plans.
Click on the button below to download the
parental request for the school nurse to
administer prescribed medicine form.
Prescribed medication will only be administered to the student for whom it has been
prescribed and must be clearly labelled and in its original packaging. If your child
is prescribed Adrenaline Auto Injectors (such as EpiPens) or an inhaler, they are
16

equired to carry these with them at all times. Please note that students with Adrenaline
Autoinjectors must carry two Injectors. It is the responsibility of parents to ensure that
any medicines stored in school are in date.
The school’s policy for the management of medication on trips is that, with the
exception of controlled drugs, students will self-manage their medication. If students
are not able to self-medicate, parents will be asked to contact the Nurses at least four
weeks in advance of the trip.
Sporting Injuries
There may be times when students sustain and are treated for sports injuries at school.
When an injury may have caused a concussion, all students are referred for medical
assessment. The School treats the care, management and support of concussions very
seriously and follows the England Rugby Graduated Return to Play Protocol. This
starts with 48 hours of rest from sports and screens following injury for all. Your role as
parents in supporting this is crucial. A concussion booklet is shared with families and
the School Nurses will telephone parents to coordinate this.
Spread of Infection
If you are unsure whether your child can come to school when they are unwell, please
check our summary Managing Specific Infectious Diseases or telephone the School
Nurses. Understandably, the School has strict exclusion rules for managing specific
infectious diseases. For example, if your son or daughter has suffered from sickness
and/or diarrhoea, we ask that you do not send them to school for 48 hours from the
last bout of sickness. These rules not only go some way to contain the possibility of
infection spreading within the school community but allows your son/daughter to
recover in greater comfort.
In respect of COVID-19 parents are asked to strictly follow government guidelines for
self-isolation NHS advice Covid-19. Please let the School Nurses know if your son/
daughter has tested positive to COVID-19 so that we can advise accordingly.
We ask that you please inform the School immediately of any infectious diseases. If you
are reporting your son/daughter’s absence due to ill health please also copy the School
Nurses into all emails using nurses@st-albans.herts.sch.uk
Vaccination
Throughout the School year, the NHS Immunisation Team come into School to deliver
the National School Aged Programme of Immunisations. We are pleased that we can
offer the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) in the Second Form and the Diphtheria,
Tetanus & Polio booster (Td/IPV) and Meningitis ACWY booster injections in the
Third Form. The Td/IPV is a booster and every child should have already received 4
doses of this vaccine. When the Immunisation Team is due to attend, the School Nurses
will write to parents one month before to request consent. If your son/daughter does
not attend this session, catch-up clinics should be arranged by parents and accessed in
the community.
Please note that the School Nurses do not hold any student vaccination status records
so if you have any questions in this regard, please contact your GP practice.
17

PE, GAMES & SPORT
Discover and develop the sporting potential within every student
We aim to develop the sporting potential in every pupil through:
High quality teaching
and learning
Developing physical
literacy
Providing broad and
varied opportunities
for all our pupils
Developing a positive
performance culture of
trying hard and always
doing your best
Striving for and
supporting excellence
The goals of the PE and Games
Department are outlined in the
mission statement, and we work
towards achieving these with
each student as part of their pupil
journey through PE and Sport at St
Albans School.
We look to develop and support
them physically, socially,
cognitively, and mentally to succeed
and prepare them to the best of
their ability for the challenges they
will face through adolescence and
into adult life.
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Physical Literacy (First and Second
Form) & Athletic development (Third,
Fourth and Fifth Form)
For PE lessons in First and Second Form we aim to provide individualised support
to identify and develop the core functional movement areas to help pupils develop
their physical competencies. From the Third Form onwards we integrate physical
competency assessment and functional movements into the lessons to challenge and
develop these components of performance. In the Fourth and Fifth Form we provide
an opportunity to specialise and focus on individual athletic development as part of a
strength & conditioning group.
Mental Skills (Third, Fourth and
Fifth Form)
Mental skills are honed through practice which is the core focus of our programme. We
help the students address the challenging issues of identity, authenticity, fear of failure,
walking towards pressure, the importance of process over outcome and courage.
Social (All forms)
PE and Games lessons provide great opportunities to challenge the social skills of our
students and help them establish the behaviours and values that will help them in their
interactions in school and beyond. Focussing on the School’s values and the behaviours
required to display these values is at the heart of our approach.
Cognitive (All forms)
PE and Games lessons also provide opportunities to challenge and develop the creative
and thinking skills of the students in a variety of contexts and scenarios. We aim to
provide a range of opportunities to challenge and develop these skills through varied
activities and scenarios.
New parent briefing
Parental support and engagement are highly valued by us and a key part of helping us
achieve our goal of helping every student fulfil their sporting potential. We will invite
parents of new First and Third Form students to attend an introduction to Sport at St
Albans School on the first term time Saturday in September (09.30-10.30). Here we
will outline our approach and aims and hopefully answer many questions about how
Sport works at the School. For parents of new Lower Sixth pupils we meet your son/
daughter at their Induction Day to explain the sporting options available to them but if
any parents have any specific questions, please feel free to contact the PE Department.
We also will look to engage and support parents through seminars to help them develop
skills to support their child through their sporting journey. Details about these events
will be shared in communications to parents.
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School Sports Communication
The main options:
Term First Form Second Form Third Form
SOCS is used to communicate all sporting fixtures and associated details to parents
and pupils. In addition to SOCS, the School has a dedicated Sports website (www.
stalbanssports.org). The website and Mobile Web App will provide you with useful
information about all School sport, including the full Sports calendar, venue details,
team fixtures and results, team selections, transport arrangements, past results,
upcoming fixtures, and a downloadable fixture list that synchs to your personal
calendar on your mobile and updates when a match is cancelled or postponed.
In addition, sports information can be found via the School’s Sports Twitter account
@SASHertsSport which you are encouraged to follow for updates on fixtures and
results. Further details will be sent out in the SOCS communication at the start of the
academic year.
Games preferences
The wide extent of opportunities and range of sports increase as the student progresses
through the School. However, we do expect students who have ability and the potential
to contribute to School Teams to prioritise the main Sport in each term and to commit
to training and matches in those Teams. We operate a preference system at St Albans
School for Games activities. The students are asked to make their Games preference at
the start of each term or in advance of the term once an academic year is underway.
This involves them logging in to their school account and accessing SOCS to make their
Games choices and to sign-up for the co-curricular sports activities they would like to
participate in.
Autumn Rugby Rugby
Hockey
Cross Country
Spring Hockey Hockey
Cross Country
Football
Summer Cricket Cricket
Athletics
Tennis
Rugby
Hockey
Cross Country
Swimming
Indoor Games
Hockey
Cross Country
Football
Swimming
Indoor Games
Cricket
Tennis
Athletics
Swimming
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Term Fourth Form Fifth Form
Term
Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth Form
Autumn
Rugby
Hockey
Cross Country
Swimming
Fitness
Indoor Games
Rugby
Hockey
Cross Country
Fitness
Indoor Games
Autumn
Rugby
Hockey
Football
Netball
Cross Country
Yoga
Social Football
Outdoor Games
Climbing
Golf
Shooting
Squash
Fitness
Basketball
Swimming
Spring
Summer
Hockey
Football
Cross Country
Rugby 7’s
Social Football
Swimming
Indoor Games
Fitness
Cricket
Tennis
Athletics
Outdoor Games
Swimming
Fitness
Hockey
Football
Cross Country
Rugby 7’s
Social Football
Indoor Games
Fitness
Cricket
Tennis
Athletics
Outdoor Games
Fitness
Spring
Summer
Hockey
Football
Lacrosse
Yoga
Cricket
Tennis
Athletics
Yoga
Girls Rugby
Rugby 7’s
Social Football
Outdoor Games
Shooting
Golf
Fitness
Outdoor Games
Ultimate Frisbee
Rounders/Softball
Squash
Fitness
Climbing
Basketball
Swimming
Climbing
Shooting
Swimming
Golf
21

Co-curricular Sport activities
School week
The sign-up for these is through SOCS each term and students are asked to register
their interest through the platform. In the School we have one night each week that we
prioritise our Woollams training session in the major sport of that term for each age
group.
Woollams team sport priority for the Autumn and Spring Term
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Third Form Fourth Form First and
Second Form
Fifth Form &
Seniors (L6
and U6)
Seniors (L6
and U6)
Students have three timetabled opportunities a week to engage in physical activity:
1. A single-period PE lesson (First to Fifth Form)
2. A double period of Games a set afternoon per for each week. (75 minutes
of activity)
3. Co-curricular Sports options – five nights a week (4.15- 17.45) sign up
through SOCS
4. Saturday Sport – fixtures & training (timings vary – information on SOCS)
Saturday Sport
These details may help your planning to identify any clashes and avoid making external
commitments during these sessions if your child is keen to be involved in the major
team sports. This is not an exclusive list of the sport options for each age group and a
schedule of what is available is shared through an activities booklet you will receive and
through SOCS. A student could easily be involved three evenings a week after school or
more if they chose.
This is an important part of the school week and an opportunity to develop our students
beyond the classroom. It is considered a school day and students are expected to be
available for a School sport fixture if selected. Absence from a Saturday commitment
requires a leave of absence approval from the Headmaster and should be done as early
as possible and at least a week in advance of the fixture/event. If a student is not selected
for a team on a Saturday, they are not expected to attend School unless they are part of a
training group that has a practice arranged on that day.
22

Transport
Safety
For Games lessons and after-school co-curricular sport we arrange transport for
students to and from School to Woollams by coach or minibus. Students are made
aware of the transport details through the termly Games and co-curricular sport
routines that are shared with them at the start of term by email.
Parents are welcome to collect students from Woollams (or other off-site facilities we
use) but must email mjlangston@st-albans.herts.sch.uk confirming the following details
and being aware that they need to be present to collect their child before the school
transport departs (3.40pm or 5.40pm).
1. Pupil’s Name
2. Pupil’s Form
3. Date(s) of request(s) for collection
4. Collection by whom
5. The parent/guardian should then write the following:
“I hereby take responsibility to collect…………….and absolve the School of their
Duty of Care from the end of the Sports session named above.
Signed…………………………………………..
Print name please………………………………”
This can be done once for the term or per session but please specify this in the request.
If for some reason you cannot collect there will be space for your child on the School
transport back to the School site.
Safety in sport is an important aspect and there are certain sports where specific safety
items must be in use for a pupil to participate in that sport.
Shin Pads in Sport
Shin guards are compulsory for the team Games of hockey and football. These should
be clearly named.
Mouthguards in Sport
In accordance with recent guidelines, when your child takes part in rugby, hockey and
lacrosse at St Albans School, a mouthguard is obligatory.
It is highly desirable that the mouthguard is made to a specific standard by a dental
surgeon. The “self-moldable” type of mouthguard meets the minimum standard
recommended but do not hold the “CE” mark of approval. Substandard mouthguards
not only fail to provide the protection needed by your child but are potentially
dangerous as they can easily be dislodged and inhaled. Any damage to teeth is for
life and although such injuries are quite rare, wearing a suitable oral protector can
significantly reduce or even prevent any lifelong damage.
All parents are urged to arrange for their child to purchase a “CE” approved
mouthguard either through the specialist companies (e.g. OPRO or Titan) or through
their own dentist. If you wish to take advantage of Titan’s service, please use the
following link: https://titanmouthguards.com/st-albans-school-landing-page/
23

Safety in Cricket
Tours
As a result of the English & Wales Cricket Board directives on safety in cricket, we have
decided to adopt the following policy at St Albans School:
• All boys at St Albans School will be required to wear safety helmets as directed by
the ECB (i.e., when batting, keeping wicket within five yards of the stumps, fielding
close in front of the bat or in throw-down net practices with a hard ball) during
matches, practices and knock-ups that involve a hard ball.
• The School will not accept responsibility for boys failing to follow this policy and
will not accept letters from parents exempting their sons from wearing helmets. All
school kit bags will be furnished with helmets for use by boys, so there will be no
need for parents to buy helmets for their sons if they do not wish to.
• All boys require their own abdominal guard (clearly named).
Safety in Rugby
We highly value the sport of rugby as part of our offering not only for the skills that can
be developed but more so for the values and life skills that are gained by being involved
in the game. As such we ensure that every pupil has access to the game at a level that
is appropriate to them. We have various measures in place to help mitigate the risk
including having variations of the game that reduce or manage contact levels to ensure
the enjoyment of the game and that players are prepared technically and physically
to play the full 15 a-side version of the sport if appropriate. We also have mandatory
wearing of mouthguards for all as well as robust protocols in place to deal with injuries
and returning to play. Away from the rugby field, we support pupil development with
appropriate physical conditioning to ensure they are in the best physical condition they
can be to play the game.
The School has a long history of offering opportunities to broaden the student’s skills,
knowledge and understanding by undertaking sports tours. These are offered in a range
of sports on a rotation, and we hope to offer each student who is committed to playing
and developing their skills and interest in a major School Sport, the chance to be part
of a sports tour in the UK or overseas. We see this as providing valuable benefit to their
development both as sports people and young adults.
Off Games
Our approach to injury and excusal is a ‘can do’ approach and, where possible, we
would encourage students to remain active within the constraints of their injury,
even if that is simply walking on a treadmill or some TheraBand work as part of a
rehabilitation program. For this reason, we expect students to bring a sports kit even
when off Games officially. We would ask parents for a request in writing, or by email, to
explain the medical reason for the excusal request. This helps inform us of what activity
might be possible (or not) and confirms the need for complete excusal or activity
management. Please send this request to pedepartment@st-albans.herts.sch.uk as well
as the pupil’s Form Tutor, as early as possible and at the latest, at morning registration
on the day concerned. If pupils are off Games, arrangements are made for them in
School; they may not go home.
24

Games Cancellation Information
We notify students through the SOCS app email function when a sports fixture is
cancelled or postponed. Parents can also check this on SOCS in their calendar (if
synced) as it will show if an event is cancelled. In addition, we update information on
fixtures on the St Albans School Twitter account @SASHertsSport which parents are
encouraged to follow.
Support – Dedicated Athlete Scheme/
Seminars
As pupils progress through the School, we offer support in a variety of ways to ensure
each individual has the best experience within the PE and Games Programme. For
those who participate because they enjoy being active and do so for the benefits of their
physical, mental, and social wellbeing we have a vast programme of sports and activities
they can get involved in both within and beyond the curriculum. For those pupils
whose Sport is central to their daily life, we run the Dedicated Athlete Scheme which
offers support to pupils to help enhance their sporting performance. This support takes
a variety of forms including strength & conditioning, mental skills, 1-1 technical and
tactical skill development, mentoring as well as a range of seminars on topics such as
Sports Psychology, rest and recovery and nutrition.
We hope this information helps you prepare for your child’s transition and provides
some detail to help you navigate your way through this new experience. We have
outlined some commonly asked questions below to address some questions you may
have. If there is something pressing that you need to ask in advance of the start of the
term, please liaise with the Director of Sport via email at mjlangston@st-albans.herts.
sch.uk.
FAQ’s
How will my child know what activities are on after school?
In each form room a programme of sports and activities will be published each
term which will give details of what is taking place, where it will happen and details
regarding any transport information if the session is at Woollams. The School Diary
also contains this information.
When will teams be picked for Saturday fixtures?
The teacher in charge of the team will endeavour to publish team selection at least 48
hours in advance of the game (there may be occasions where this is not possible).
Where can I find out information about what fixtures are coming up, including
details about the venue, start and finish times etc?
SOCS is the place to go to find out all the information regarding fixtures, this can be
accessed through the school website by clicking on the sports pages. You can also sync
your son’s age group teams with your mobile device calendar.
25

Where do we meet for Saturday fixtures?
For home Games at Woollams parents are asked to drop students at the playing fields
(there is no transport to Woollams from School on Saturdays).
For away Games, we meet at School and provide transport to and from the fixture.
Parents are welcome to take their child directly to the away venue. Students must notify
the team coach of this in advance of the fixture by email.
What should I do if there is a clash for my child for activities after school between
Sport, Drama, Music etc?
With so much on offer at St Albans School clashes are sometimes unavoidable. The best
course of action is for your son or daughter to speak to the teachers in charge of each
activity and explain the clash. Departments are very cooperative with each other, and
arrangements will be made to ensure pupils are able to do some of each activity over the
course of the term.
How can I follow St Albans School Sport on social media?
@SASHertsSport
@sashertssport
26

CATERING
Our catering is provided by Accent Catering. All food is freshly
prepared, including a wide range of main meals with vegetarian and/
or vegan options, freshly prepared salads and desserts and a plentiful
supply of fresh fruit. We cater for all dietary requirements and take
food safety very seriously. If you have any catering queries, please
contact catering@St-Albans.herts.sch.uk. You can also find out more
about Accent Catering here: www.accentcatering.co.uk
27

TERM DATES
Autumn Term 2023
Staff INSET (no pupil attendance)
Friday 1 September
Induction (all First Form, Third Form and Lower Sixth pupils) Monday 4 September
Term begins
Tuesday 5 September
Prizegiving
Monday 18 September
Half Term
Sunday 15 October – Sunday 29 October
Evening Carol Service
Wednesday 13 December
Term ends
Thursday 14 December (at 12 noon)
Spring Term 2024
Staff INSET (no pupil attendance)
Monday 8 January
11+ assessment day (no pupil attendance) Tuesday 9 January
Term begins
Wednesday 10 January
Half Term
Saturday 17 February – Sunday 25 February
Term ends
Wednesday 27 March
Summer Term 2024
Autumn Term 2024
Staff INSET (no pupil attendance)
Monday 2 September
Induction (all First Form, Third Form and Lower Sixth pupils) Tuesday 3 September
Term begins
Wednesday 4 September
*Prizegiving
Monday 16 September
Half Term
Sunday 20 October – Sunday 3 November
*Evening Carol Service
Wednesday 11 December
*Term ends
Thursday 12 December (at 12 noon)
Spring Term 2025
Staff INSET (no pupil attendance)
Monday 6 January
11+ assessment day (no pupil attendance) Tuesday 7 January
Term begins
Wednesday 8 January
Half Term
Saturday 15 February – Sunday 23 February
Term ends
Thursday 3 April
Summer Term 2025
Term begins
Monday 15 April
Term begins
Tuesday 22 April
Staff INSET (no pupil attendance)
Friday 24 May
Staff INSET (no pupil attendance)
Friday 23 May
Half Term
Saturday 25 May – Sunday 2 June
Half Term
Saturday 24 May – Sunday 1 June
Founders’ Day
Saturday 29 June
*Leavers’ Graduation
Thursday 3 July
Leavers’ Graduation
Thursday 4 July
Founders’ Day
Saturday 5 July
Term ends
Wednesday 10 July
Term ends
Wednesday 9 July
28
* Provisional dates only

Updated June 2023