At the Alice Smith School, we want students and their families to settle quickly into our school community and help them to do so in many different ways.
At the beginning of each new academic year, we hold a special Orientation Morning when new students can meet their new teacher and become familiar with their new classroom and year group areas. Parents too, are provided with information about our everyday school procedures.
On their first day, all new students are assigned a buddy, who help them settle in and make friends with their new classmates. These are existing students who have volunteered to help new children settle in at school - just look out for anyone wearing a ’buddy’ badge.
The Year 6 School Prefects also play an active role in caring and looking out for our new students. They are assigned different year groups and classes, and ensure that new students know their names and that they can come and talk to them if they ever need help.
Within the first few days, the class teacher will arrange to meet new parents to help answer any queries and to discuss how their child is settling in. Each term, together with the PTA, we host a Newcomers Coffee Morning for all new families. Each class has a Parent Rep on hand to answer any questions and introduce new parents to other parents in the class.
We are pleased that the vast majority of new students - and families - at the Alice Smith School settle in very quickly. Occasionally some children find change more difficult; however, with time and the dedicated support from the Pastoral team, they are able to adjust very well to life at the Alice Smith School.
We understand that to get very best from our school, students need to be fully immersed in it; and this should start as soon as possible.
The aim of our transition programme, whether for a sudden new entrant into Year 11, or for students coming up from the Primary Campus into Year 7, is to ensure every new student feels welcome and can immediately start to take advantage of what the school has to offer.
Every new student is given a ‘buddy’ to guide them on the basics of everyday school life at the Alice Smith School. These buddies are carefully chosen with the character of the incoming student taken carefully into account. This is achieved by making contact with the family before the child starts with us, and having the family complete a personal profile sheet which guides us in arranging for a seamless commencement.
Feedback on the student’s induction is given to parents by the Pastoral Team after several full weeks of school with comments from the tutor, the Pastoral Team and the subject teachers. The tutor plays a vital role in ensuring a successful start, and being in regular contact with them provides the peace of mind and reassurance that parents need – we absolutely encourage this.
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