Parents' Information Booklet 2020-2021

Parents’ Information
Booklet

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Welcome

Welcome to the Reading Blue Coat community!
I am delighted that your son is starting with
us in September and know that, amidst all the
excitement and anticipation, there will be many
questions too. This booklet has information
that I hope will be a useful guide as the journey
begins, but be assured that very quickly
routines and navigation around the site become
much easier! Nevertheless, if you would like
to chat through any questions or concerns,
our Admissions Office works throughout the
summer and staff will be only too happy to help.
We all want your son to thrive during his time with us and know that a close
and active partnership between the School and parents is key in this. Reading
Blue Coat is a happy, purposeful place and there are many sporting fixtures,
plays, concerts or other occasions throughout the year when we would love to
welcome you to the School too!
I hope that your son will make a super start to his time with us, but also that
you will quickly feel part of the community too. I very much look forward to
meeting you soon and getting to know you in the terms and years ahead.
Yours,

Mr Pete Thomas

Headmaster

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Contents 5

6. Our Aims and Ethos
7. Looking After Your Son
8. Who’s Who?
10. Communication
13. Getting to School
14. Getting Ready
16. Starting
17. Up and Running
22. Learning
23. Learning Support
25. Sport
26. Music, Music Tuition and LAMDA
28. Clubs and Activities
30. Medical Department Information
32. Chaplaincy
33. A Letter from the Director
of Lower School
36. Development and Alumni
37. The Aldworth Partnership
38. Appendix 1 – Term and Holiday
Dates 2020-21
39. Appendix 2 – Schedule of Fees
and Charges for 2020-21
41. Appendix 3 – Uniform List
43. Appendix 4 – School Coach and
Public Bus Information

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Our Aims and Ethos

AIMS ETHOS

• To foster a stimulating, friendly and supportive • This School is founded on mutual respect,
atmosphere that enables personal growth and social tolerance and courtesy. We expect all members
development, and to provide a nurturing environment of our community to show consideration for
in which all our pupils feel valued and cared for; others at all times;

• To encourage in every pupil the development of • We relish our opportunities to develop our
self discipline, responsibility, spiritual awareness intellectual, sporting and cultural abilities and
and a personal moral code within a Christian make the most of our time both in and out of
framework, leading to the highest possible standards the classroom;
of behaviour, consideration for others and a pride in
him or herself and the School; • There is no place for apathy and cynicism in our
community. We will make the most of our abilities
• To encourage the growth of intellectual curiosity, at all times and encourage others to do the same;
creativity and the habits of learning, in order to help
each and every pupil achieve his or her potential; • We are an open and friendly community.
We welcome guests and display politeness and
• To provide a well-qualified staff of varied talents and consideration in all our dealings with them;
strong commitment, who will enable our pupils to
thrive and enjoy their education; • We are proud of our fellow pupils and the School
as a whole and consequently take pride in our
• To pursue active and open collaboration with parents; collective achievements;

• To promote an awareness of the world outside • We recognise our place in the local and wider
school and a sense of service to the local and community to do our best to develop our links
wider community; with them;

• To prepare pupils for life after school, in particular • We show care, consideration and courtesy in all
promoting an awareness of higher education and that we do.
career possibilities;

• To offer a wide range of co-curricular activities
through which pupils can develop their social,
sporting, cultural and intellectual abilities.

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Looking After Your Son

HOUSES, TUTORS AND As we are unable to host our normal induction
PASTORAL CARE programmes, plans are underway to conduct these
remotely. Details will be sent to all families as soon
Pastoral care is hugely important to us at as these plans are confirmed.
Reading Blue Coat. On joining the School, your son
will become a member of one of our four Houses: The whole School gathers twice a week for assembly in
the Sports Hall and Thursday is always a themed spiritual
ALDWORTH HALL assembly. As well as this, there is a House Assembly once
a week and two mornings of tutor time, one of which
MALTHUS RICH alternates with a Year Group Assembly.

Your son’s school tie will include the appropriate The Head of Year 7 is Mrs Rebecca Crossland; the
colour stripe. Head of Year 9 is Mr James Leigh. They are responsible
for transition arrangements from your son’s present
Houses are an important focus for boys in the School and school and for seeing that your son settles happily into
provide the framework for many sporting and cultural his tutor group and into school life as a whole.
competitions and lots of other important activities.
Please remember that your son’s tutor is your first
Your son will also join a tutor group within the House. port of call for all matters relating to him personally;
His tutor is responsible for his pastoral care and for his tutor can be contacted via email.
supervising his progress in academic work, sport and
activities throughout his time in the School. As we
operate a vertical tutor group system at Reading Blue
Coat, your son will remain in the same tutor group
for Year 7 and Year 8. For those joining us in Year 9,
your son will join a Middle School tutor group and will
remain with that tutor group until the beginning of
Sixth Form. Students in the Sixth Form retain the same
tutor for two years.

Tutors see their tutees twice a day, once in the morning
and once after lunch for afternoon registration before
lessons get underway. Your son’s tutor will write to him
during the Summer Term to introduce him or herself.

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Who’s Who?

When your son first arrives at Reading Blue Coat, these are some of the MRS CLAIRE DANCE
people he will come across quite regularly and who he will get to know. Director of the
Lower School (Years 7 and 8)
MR PETER THOMAS Mrs Dance teaches Mathematics
Headmaster and PE and is Head of Girls’ Games.
This is Mr Thomas’ first year [email protected]
in post, he teaches Geology,
Geography and PSHE, and MR SCOTT YATES
coaches rugby and cricket. Director of Middle School
[email protected] (Years 9, 10 and 11)

MR ED TRELINSKI Mr Yates teaches ICT and
Second Master Computing and coaches basketball.
Mr Trelinski teaches History, [email protected]
Politics and the Extended Project
Qualification. MRS REBECCA
[email protected] CROSSLAND
Head of Year 7
DR GUY WILLIAMS Mrs Crossland teaches Geology and
Deputy Head (Pastoral) runs the Year 7 ukulele activity.
Dr Williams teaches Philosophy [email protected]
and Ethics and is the Designated
Child Protection Officer. MISS SOPHIE
[email protected] BEAVERIDGE
Head of Year 8
MR ROBERT TIDBURY Miss Beaveridge teaches
Deputy Head (Academic) English and Drama.
Mr Tidbury teaches Mathematics [email protected]
and coaches netball.
[email protected]

DR KEVIN MAGILL MR JAMES LEIGH
Deputy Head (Staff) Head of Year 9

Dr Magill teaches Religious Studies. Mr Leigh teaches History.
[email protected]

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MRS NICOLA OTHER USEFUL CONTACTS
W AT M O U G H - S TA R K I E
Head of Year 10 MAIN RECEPTION
Mrs Watmough-Starkie is the Holme Park
Assistant Director of Music and Sonning on Thames
runs the Junior Choir. Berkshire, RG4 6SU
[email protected] 0118 944 1005
[email protected]
MRS SARAH BERRY
Head of Learning Support MRS KATIE ABBOTT
[email protected] Headmaster’s Secretary
[email protected]
R E V. K AT E T O O G O O D
Associate Chaplain MRS MARIE EDMEADES
Rev. Toogood teaches School Secretary and
Mathematics. Office Manager
[email protected] [email protected]

Further staff profiles can MRS LOUISE SUTTON
be found on our website: Staff Secretary
www.rbcs.org.uk [email protected]

MRS DEBBIE WEGER
Academic Secretary
[email protected]

THE BURSARY
[email protected]

MISS CLAIRE KNIGHT
Librarian
[email protected]

MEDICAL STAFF
[email protected]

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Communication

As mentioned before, your son’s tutor is your first My children: You will be able to view specific details
point of reference when you need to contact the about your child on one simple dashboard and will be
School. Tutors work closely with the Head of Year and able to report an absence and make a specific leave
subject teachers and may well suggest getting in touch request. You will also find:
directly with one of them.
• Timetable (NB This will not be available until
MY SCHOOL PORTAL™ the first day of term)

The portal provides you with a convenient way to • School reports
communicate with the School, and is your single port
of call. It can be used on any device, including mobiles • Contact information for your son’s teachers
– there is no app to install, just a website link to put on
the desktop of your mobile/tablet/pc. My details: From here you can advise the School of
changes to your contact details of your child’s medical/
You are able to view: dietary details.

Calendar: All event information is detailed on a Event booking: Event, trips and activities letters are
view-at-a-glance calendar. Sports fixtures and results stored in one area and secure booking is available for
show a personalised view for each child. The calendar certain events.
is automatically updated with up-to-date information
from schoolssports.com. The calendar can be filtered Parent Directory: The optional Parent Directory
by your child’s year group and also synced to your allows you to connect with other parents who have
personal calendar. opted into the Directory in your child’s tutor or year
group. If you have any further queries, please check
Email integration: Our BluesPost communication out the Frequently Asked Questions on the portal,
tool integrates with the portal. All email dialogue is where you can find help and links to video tutorials.
stored within the Reading Blue Coat portal. This means
no more searching for that elusive email or waiting for To get started, please go to the link below and
the School to open at 08:00. You may reply to emails choose ‘forgot your password’. You will need to use
from within the portal. the email address held by the School as your username.
Alternatively, if the email address held for you is a
Sport: Information about fixtures and teams can be Google or Microsoft one, you may choose to sign in
found here too. with Google or Microsoft.

rbcs.myschoolportal.co.uk/login

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LITTLE WHITE BOOK MOBILE DEVICES
At the beginning of each term, your son or daughter will
be issued with a copy of a pocket-sized White Book, Pupils are permitted to bring mobile phones and iPods (or
which contains an abundance of school information; the equivalent) into school. They are not permitted to make
including a full termly calendar, a staff and pupil directory recordings (picture, film, sound) of pupils or staff without
and more. the direct instruction of a member of staff. Our Mobile
Device Policy states that pupils are only permitted to use
LINE-UP their phones in Common Rooms at break and lunchtimes or
on the direct instruction of a member of staff.
At the beginning of each term, your son will be also issued
with a copy of a pocket-sized calendar booklet called the In the Lower School, pupils are encouraged to spend time
‘Line-up’. Please note that the Little White Book and the outside, rather than indoors on mobile devices. It is for this
Line-Up will not be published for the 2020 Autumn Term. reason that pupils in Years 7 and 8 are only allowed to use
mobile devices between 13:45-14:00 during lunchtime in the
EMAIL Lower School Common room.

Email is one of the most effective ways for you to PARENTS’ EVENING AND REPORTING
communicate with tutors and staff. Although teachers
are encouraged to respond promptly, the nature of their At Reading Blue Coat, each pupil will receive Commitment
responsibilities and duties may make an instantaneous to Learning Grades every Half Term. There will be a separate
response unlikely. Please also note that during holiday grade for work inside and outside the classroom. In the
periods we cannot guarantee that teaching staff will access second half of every term, there will also be an attainment
their school email. grade for every subject, alongside a progress indicator
showing whether or not a pupil is on track to achieve
A full list of staff email addresses is available on their potential. The subject teacher will provide a written
the portal. comment accompanying the attainment grade to provide a
focus for the pupil to work on in the coming term.
You may also send messages via Reception. Please
remember to indicate in the subject space for whom We believe that feedback can be best delivered face to face
the message is intended, e.g. Attn: Mr Meehan re music as part of a dialogue with the parents and as such we have
rehearsals. two Parents’ Meetings a year for all year groups except Year
11 and Year 13 who have one.
MESSAGES HOME
Once a year we provide a pastoral report which will include
A weekly email is sent to all parents each Friday to a self-reflective statement by the pupil and a summary, by
keep you up to date with events and other important the tutor, of the pupil’s character development and co-
information such as examinations, sports fixtures, curricular contributions that academic year.
rehearsals and upcoming trips.

12 PHOTOGRAPHY

STUDENT PLANNER It is customary for us to include photographs or images
Your son will be given a student planner on his first in the School’s promotional materials such as the
day of term. He will record all homework in here website. We would not disclose the home address
and you are asked to check and sign this each week. of any pupil without the parent’s consent. If you do
You may also write messages in here for the tutor, who not want your son’s photograph or image to be used,
will also check your son’s planner each week. Rules and please ensure your son is aware of this and send formal
regulations are also set out in the planner – your son notification to the Headmaster.
should familiarise himself with these.
We are always grateful to parents whose photographs
STSUTUDDEE22NN00T12T90PP//2L2LA01ANNNNERER have helped liven up our publications and social media. If
you are a good photographer and have a fantastic shot to
share, please send it to Mr Tom Strudwick, our Marketing
and Communications Officer, at [email protected].

MESSAGES

Please do not try to telephone or text your son
between 08:45-13.00 and 14:10-16:10. If something
is really urgent, please call main Reception on
0118 944 1005 and we will get a message to him
as soon and as appropriately possible.

NAME:
TUTOR GROUP:

SOCIAL MEDIA
For more updates on events in School, you can follow
us on:
Twitter: @ReadingBlues and @TeamRBCS,
Facebook: Search ‘Reading Blue Coat’
Instagram readingbluecoatschool
YouTube: officialRBCS
We are always happy to share our pupils’ achievements
and news on Social Media, so do email any good news
stories to our Marketing and Communications Officer,
Tom Strudwick - [email protected]

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Getting to School

BUSES given by our Traffic Attendants. Vehicles should not
wait in any yellow cross-hatched areas. At the end
All of our school bus services are operated by external of the school day, traffic on the site is often busy so
operators and as such you should contact them to if you are able to stagger your pick up time, this can
arrange a seat on the relevant route for your son. help ease congestion. Please be patient and particularly
Please see Appendix 4 for areas covered and who careful when manoeuvring as pupils in particular are
to contact. The buses drop off and pick up from the not always very good at observing moving vehicles!
Berkshire Sports and Social Club car park opposite the Please do not use the car park opposite the School as
main school gates. Buses leave promptly at 16:20 each this can hamper the coach arrivals/departures and is
day. Some services offer a later pickup at 18:00. not permitted under the terms of our lease. Please also
Please check bus operator websites for travel details. do not drop off children in the morning, pick them up
at 16:10 or park in the delivery area outside Reception.
DROPPING OFF OR PICKING Please do not use your mobile phone while driving on
UP BY CAR the School site.

Pupils may be dropped off or picked up at the BICYCLES
dedicated drop-off/pick-up lane. Please do not
drop off pupils in the main car park or outside Pupils may leave their bicycles in the storage racks
the Sports Hall. Please enter the site carefully and opposite the main reception. Pupils will need their own
be aware that the pupil crossing is close to our front bike padlock and must also wear a helmet when cycling
entrance gate. Please adhere to the speed limit on site to and from school.
and observe the one way system and any direction

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Getting Ready

Please complete all of the induction forms via the apply them will be included with the tabs).
parent portal, and return them by Monday 22
June, but please do return them at your earliest Please note that the School Policy is to use legal
convenience. forename, second name (if there is one) and surname.
Double-barrelled surnames will use the first initial.
If you have any questions about the forms, or need Please remember to recycle these labels when
advice, please contact the Admissions Team on replacing kit that is outgrown as new tabs will not
0118 933 5806 who will be very happy to help. automatically be sent to you every year.

SCHOOL UNIFORM HAIR

Our school uniform is supplied by Stevensons, Hair must be appropriately cut and tidily worn. It must
based at 11-12 Market Place, Reading RG1 2EG. be of a uniform, natural colour, without excessive
Contact telephone number: 0118 9596462 differences between light and dark. Hair cut shorter
Email: [email protected] than Grade 2 is not permitted. Excessive differences
in long and short hair length, especially with a marked
Parents can order uniform online via www.stevensons. change or step, are not permitted either.
co.uk.

A full uniform list is available in Appendix 3.

GUIDELINES

Your son’s school clothes must be clean, tidy and clearly
named. We are amazed and disheartened by the sheer
volume of items we collect in Lost Property but cannot
reunite with their owners because they are un-named.

Your son will be expected to wear his school uniform,
including proper shoes, correctly to and from school,
and when taking part in any event or activity connected
with the School, unless he has been given permission
to wear other clothing.

Additional items that are not part of the school uniform
(such as hoodies, coloured t-shirts under a white shirt,
earrings, studs, jewellery and badges) must not be worn.

A supply of initial tabs in your son’s House colour will
be sent to you later in the Summer Term. These tabs
are to be sewn on sports kit (full details of where to

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SHOPPING
In addition to his uniform your son will also require the following items:

• A dark coloured school bag which is large enough • It is easier for all boys to have the same model of
to carry a lever arch file and other school books and calculator so all boys in Year 7 will be issued with a
equipment. Either a back pack or cross-over strap calculator when they start in September and the cost
style will suffice. Apart from the ones required for of this item will be added to your school bill. Boys
the current lesson, books should be kept in lockers joining in Year 9 may use their existing calculators.
to keep the weight of their bags to a minimum
during the school day. • A mouth guard. This is mandatory when playing
rugby (played in the Autumn Term).
• A separate bag for sports kit to be brought in to
school on the days that it is required only. • While Remote Learning is necessary, pupils will need
a Laptop, microphone and a webcam.
• A pencil case including pens, pencils, coloured
pencils, pencil sharpener, protractor, eraser
and a 30cm ruler.

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Starting

Friday 4 September 2020
Students joining Reading Blue Coat for the first time should be in School for 13:00, when
they will have lunch with their tutors. School prefects will be on duty in the car park and
will direct students to the Dining Hall. Students should wear full school uniform but will not
require sports kit. Students will finish at 16:00.
Monday 7 September 2020
This will be the first full day for the whole School. Students should arrive in time for an
08:35 start.

THE SCHOOL DAY

07:30 Earliest time of arrival for boys 12:25-13:00 Period 6
07:30-08:30 13:00-14:00
08:00 Breakfast available in the Dining Hall 14:00-14:10 Lunch. Activities and Library open
08:35 14:10-14:20
08:45-09:05 Reception, Switchboard and 14:20-14:55 Tutor time
09:05-09:40 Library open 14:55-15:00
09:40-10:15 15:00-15:35 Registration
Bell 15:35-16:10
10:15-10:35 16:10 Period 7
Registration, assembly or tutor time
10:35-11:10 16:20 Changeover time
11:10-11:45 Period 1
11:45-11:50 16:10-18:00 Period 8
11:50-12:25 Period 2
18:00 Period 9
Long break – tuck available from
The Wharf (Years 7 and 8), Middle End of school
School Common Room (Years 9-11),
Sixth Form Centre (Years 12 and 13) School buses depart from Berkshire
or Dining Hall (All year groups) Sports and Social Club car park

Period 3 Activities and Library open

Period 4 Activities finish. Reception,
Switchboard and Library close.
Changeover time Late buses depart from school site

Period 5

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Up and Running

STUDENT PLANNER In the afternoon, pupils must be in their form room for
registration at 14:10 or on some afternoons by 14:00
Your son will be given a Student Planner at the beginning for additional tutor time.
of each year. This planner contains details about school
rules and procedures and we would encourage you to If a pupil misses registration, they must go straight
go through this with your son when he first brings it to the Deputy Heads’ Office in the Messer Building
home. The planner is where your son will record the and complete a late slip before going to lessons.
homework he has been set and we ask parents to sign Arriving at school after 08:45 is considered late.
this each week throughout the school year. Persistent offenders will be required to sign in at
Reception by 08:30 for one week. Parents will be
LOCKERS notified of this sanction by the Head of Year.

Your son will be allocated a locker and key on his first Arriving after 09:30 is classified as an absence and, as
day. The locker should be used to store books, which such, an email or letter by way of an explanation will
can be swapped over at break times, and personal be required from parents.
possessions such as mobile phones, iPods, wallets etc.
These items must not be left in the changing rooms as No pupil may leave the school grounds during school
these are not secure areas and the School cannot be hours (08:45-16:10) unless special permission has been
held responsible for the loss of such items. given. In cases where permission has been granted, e.g.
medical appointments, the student must sign out/sign
R E G I S T R AT I O N in at the Deputy Heads’ Office in the Messer Building.

Pupils are expected in school by 08:35. They must All boys will be given a map of the School on their
leave their Common Room no later than 08:40 in first day.
time for a prompt start to tutor period or assembly at
08:45. Please do encourage your son to arrive early
enough to sort out his books before Registration.

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ABSENCE BIOMETRIC SYSTEM

Parents should advise School by 08:00 of their child’s The School operates a biometric system for purchases
absence. Please report absence via the School Portal in the Dining Hall and the School Shop (The Wharf),
or, if you cannot access the portal, please email although pupils may still use cash in The Wharf.
[email protected], copying your son’s tutor,
explaining the reason for absence. Please email ongoing Each pupil has a photocopying allowance with which
absences on a daily basis to keep the School updated. to complete their educational activities. Each pupil is
issued with a PIN code to authorise photocopying.
Appointments during the day, such as dental, doctors
etc.,need to be requested via the School Portal and Parents have the option to add credit to their son’s
will receive an automated acknowledgement email. account using ParentPay™. This credit can then be used
If your son arrives or leaves during the school day for to purchase tuck, stationery, breakfast or ad-hoc lunches.
any reason, he must sign in and sign out at the Deputy Breakfast is available from 07:30 in the Dining Hall.
Head’s Office.
If your son is entitled to lunch, no credit will be added
Permission for any other absence must be obtained to his account so he cannot purchase other items on it
from the Headmaster. Please note that the until cash is credited to it. Any credit left on the pupil’s
Headmaster will not authorise any holidays during term account at the end of his final term will be refunded on
time (and promises not to take a holiday of his own their final bill.
in term time). Your attention should be drawn to our
term dates on Page 38 in this booklet. PARENTPAY™

OFF GAMES/ILLNESS The School uses the online payment system,
ParentPay™, as its preferred means for parents to pay
Parents must inform the Medical Department of ‘off for ad-hoc lunches and shop purchases. ParentPay™ is
games’ requests via the Parent Portal (in the same way a convenient and highly secure web payment system
as absence notification). for payments to be made 24-7 using a Debit or Credit

19

card. Payments made in the morning will be available Lunches are charged on a termly basis, depending
for the pupil to spend over lunchtime through an on the number of school days in a term, at £4.14 per
automatic link to the School’s till system. day (£4.50 when purchased if a pupil has forgotten
their packed lunch). Please complete the application
An email will be sent during the summer holiday which form via the Parent Portal if your son wishes to have a
will provide login details. school lunch. Our caterers, Sodexo, provide students
with a broad choice of nutritious food. There is always
Making a payment is straightforward and ParentPay™ a selection of hot meat, fish and vegetarian main dishes
holds a payment history for you to view at a later available along with a variety of tempting salads, jacket
date; no card details are stored in any part of the potatoes, pasta bar and a selection of delicious hot and
system. Once you’ve activated your account, you can cold desserts or fresh fruit to complete the meal.
make online payments straight away. The pupil top-up
account appears as an item that you put in your basket WHOLE SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES
and purchase at the checkout in the normal way.
Whole School Assemblies are held twice a week on
There is helpful information on the ParentPay™ Mondays and Thursdays at 08:45 and are led by the
website www.parentpay.com. Headmaster and Chaplain respectively.

FOOD

The Dining Hall is open for breakfast from 07:30 to
08:30 and for lunch between 12:30 and 14:00. Pupils
can purchase breakfast using the biometric scanning
facility or by cash.

The Wharf is also open each day between 16:10
and 16.30.

20 The Library catalogue is available through the school
intranet and our page has access to other resources such
TEXTBOOKS AND STATIONERY as Britannica School, as well as hints and tips for study.

We issue all textbooks and exercise books in Years 7-11 Both Year 7s and Year 8s have a weekly lesson with the
without charge, unless your son loses or deliberately Librarians. During these lessons we work on various
damages a textbook and needs a replacement. projects to build reading and research skills, explore
Most textbooks are collected at the end of the school literature and try different books. We encourage all
year for re-issue in the Autumn Term and we have to pupils to take part in different reading challenges and
place orders for any replacements shortly after the end expand their knowledge.
of the Summer Term. There is a charge for any books
that are not returned by the last day of the Summer We produce a list of recommended reads each term,
Term. Please be aware that the average cost of a year’s host author visits each year and run a dedicated Lower
set of books is currently well in excess of £200. School Book Club, too. We also run a Whole School
Summer Reading Challenge each year.
LIBRARY
Pupils in the Lower School are encouraged to use the
The Library is located on the first floor of School House Library for study throughout their time with us.
and is open each day from 8:00 to 18:00 during term
time. The Library is in constant use throughout the day, ICT
and is also available before school, break, lunchtime
and after school for independent study or reading. The School has a comprehensive intranet system,
which allows pupils to log in to services – such as
The Main Room consists of print non-fiction, Senior their school email address, home folders and teaching
fiction and study space. The Reading Room is a more resources – from home. Pupils are encouraged to
relaxed area with beanbags and a couple of sofas, and create their homework digitally so they can submit it
is home to our Junior fiction collection. The Resources electronically to their teachers. All Year 7 pupils have
Room is a dedicated computer room. IT lessons, and are taught how to access and use the
School’s IT systems in their first few lessons.

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PRINTING Minus points: These are given by staff to pupils whose
work or behaviour is below an acceptable standard.
The School runs a printing credit system and jobs are As with plus points, these are monitored and may lead
charged according to whether they are black and white to sanctions being given:
or colour. Pupils are encouraged to think green when
they print. Each pupil is issued with a PIN code to • Lunchtime detention – issued by a teacher.
authorise both printing and photocopying. The School
provides a free allocation at the start of each year, • After school detention – normally Friday 16:15-
based on the amount of printing and photocopying that 17:15. Issued by a teacher and endorsed by the
each year group is expected to do, to complete their Head of Year. Parents are given at least 24 hours’
educational activities. This is quite a generous allocation written notice.
and it is rare for pupils to require more credit. However,
if this occurs, the IT Department will top-up. • Saturday morning detention – 09:30-11:30.
Issued by a member of the Senior Leadership Team
REWARDS AND SANCTIONS for serious infringements of School Rules. Parents
are given at least two days’ written notice.
Plus points: These are awarded for work of
excellence, accumulation of high quality work or OPEN DAYS
exemplary conduct. Form tutors keep a record of plus
points given and Bronze, Silver and Gold Certificates There is an expectation that when required pupils
are awarded as the number of plus points received attend school on Open Mornings to assist in
increases. Bronze, Silver and Gold Certificates are departments and act as tour guides for prospective
awarded by the Headmaster and Gold Certificates families. Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 boys are asked to act
in a School Assembly. as tour guides. The scheduled Open Mornings
for 2019/20 are: Saturday 3 October 2020 and
Report cards: These are for pupils where there Saturday 8 May 2021. Please reserve these dates
are concerns about academic performance. This in your son’s diary. Please note that these dates are
is not a punishment. Report cards are signed and a subject to change.
comment made by the teacher at the end of each
lesson to indicate whether the pupil’s work has been
completed to an acceptable level. Behaviour can also
be monitored in this way.

22

Learning

PROGRAMME OF STUDY 3 2History, 1
Geography, RS, PHSE, Reading,
Modern Foreign Activities, PE, ICT, Art, Drama
Language carousel Music, DT, Classics

5English, Games
Mathematics,
4Science

NUMBER OF LESSONS
ALLOCATED PER WEEK

PSHEE CURRICULUM bespoke homework timetable, a copy of which should
be made available for parental use. Pupils in Years 7
The PSHEE curriculum covers a broad range of issues and 8 should have two pieces of homework per week
ranging from internet safety to resilience. As well as this, for English, Mathematics, Science and Modern Foreign
there is a diverse programme of speakers talking to the Languages and one for all other subjects, except PE
students on topics such as drugs, disability and alcohol. and Games. Homework is expected to take between
20 and 30 minutes to complete. A similar pattern exists
HOMEWORK in Year 9, except here each of the separate Science
subjects sets one piece of homework. Each piece of
In September each year, pupils are given a homework homework in Year 9 is expected to take 30 minutes
timetable for their year group, which runs from to complete. Further information on the School’s
Monday to Friday. Within the timetable, different Homework Policy is available via the School Portal.
classes and option groups will be set different
homework on each night and so, under the guidance
of tutors, pupils are expected to produce their own

23

Learning Support

The Learning Support Department is led by Mrs Sarah Berry and assisted by Mrs Celia Rule, both
specialist teachers in Specific Learning Difficulty. Early identification of additional needs is key to
supporting your sons towards their academic potential and should not be viewed with trepidation.
The department encourages early communication from parents of a learning related difficulty if it
has not already been disclosed, as well as details of additional help with reading, handwriting, speech
and language processing or behaviour during previous schooling. The department values a working
relationship with parents, and encourages an early conversation with Mrs Berry over any concerns.

ON JOINING THE SCHOOL
In the initial weeks, Year 7 boys are assessed by the department for underlying skills in reading and
writing via a dyslexia screening programme. This screening is updated in Year 8 and will also include
any boys joining the school in Year 9. Students joining Reading Blue Coat with an existing mild
Specific Learning Difficulty will meet initially with the department. The department also supports
students with any initial difficulties with organisation and managing workload. Boys needing support
are withdrawn from the weekly Reading Period. Please do not be alarmed if your son mentions he
has met with us; we will be in touch if we have any concerns.

24

SPRING TERM THE GRADUATED RESPONSE

Teaching colleagues may refer students to the The department supports a graduated response to
department throughout the year when they will be additional needs, working with subject staff who meet
reviewed. In the Spring Term, boys who have been the majority of mild needs through their classroom
identified by the department are reviewed prior to strategies to support learning. Some additional one-
their summer exams. Identification of an exam access to-one teaching is provided by the department as
arrangement, such as extra time or word processing, a short series of lessons for students tackling public
will ensure all students are working on a level playing examinations for whom a more tailored program of
field in the end of year examinations in June. support may be required due to their established
Specific Learning Difficulty.
SUMMER TERM
The department provides internal access arrangements
The Summer Term sees the annual revision exhibition, and necessary applications for students sitting external
held in the Stable Block, for Lower School boys, where examinations. In addition, it provides arrangements
the experience of hands-on techniques introduces and needed in the case of an injury during examinations,
explores the concept of revision for end of year exams. such as a scribe, or during the academic year via
This is part of a school-wide programme of study skills speech-to-text software. Mrs Berry plays an integral
provided by the department which draws on external part in the pastoral and academic teams liaising with
provision for senior exam years. tutors, Directors of Section and Heads of Year to
support and guide individuals in their learning needs.
In the Sixth Form, new students are assessed by the
department for signs of dyslexia. In addition, new
joiners with an existing Specific Learning Difficulty
meet with the department to review their needs,
including exam access arrangements.

25

Sport

Boys have separate sessions for Physical Education morning, with fixture details, and team sheets available
and Games. on the School Portal, as well as being published in the
weekly Blues Post.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Sports kit details can be found at the back of the
During PE lessons they will participate in a range booklet. If in any doubt, your son should bring PE kit
of different activities throughout the year, including and swimming shorts to his first PE and Games lesson.
swimming, health-related fitness, hockey, gymnastics,
badminton and athletics, amongst others. If you have any questions please contact Mr Gerwyn
Wilson, Director of Sport, on [email protected], and
GAMES please follow us at @teamRBCS.

The main Autumn Term sport is rugby, Spring is PRE-SEASON RUGBY TRAINING
football and Summer is cricket and athletics. In Year
9 boys can choose rowing as an option and in Year • Please note that while COVID-19 restrictions are
11 they have a wider choice including sports such in place, all sports fixtures and training sessions
as tennis, swimming and hockey. Parents are always are cancelled. Parents will be contacted closer to
welcome to attend fixtures, both home and away. the start of the 2020 Summer Term regarding Pre-
Season Rugby training.
SCHOOL TEAMS

The main focus of the Sport and Games programme
at Reading Blue Coat is to give all pupils the
opportunity to represent team RBCS (Respect, Belief,
Commitment & Sportsmanship), no matter at what
level. Competition is crucial in developing character,
resilience and patience. Learning new skills, playing in
a team and showing commitment to their peers will
teach pupils important values which they will take with
them beyond Reading Blue Coat.

Selection for teams is based on ability and
commitment. If selected for a school team the
expectation is that your son makes himself available.
The majority of our fixtures take place on Saturday

26

Music, Music Tuition and LAMDA

Reading Blue Coat runs a hugely energetic and busy School to invite boys into the Choir, but we welcome
Music Department led by Director of Music, Richard participation by any student and all are free to join any
Meehan. We hope that your son will take part fully appropriate ensemble at any point.
in our musical life and reap the rewards that this
participation brings. Frequent concerts and other musical events, both
formal and informal, cover the full range of abilities and
We run a full range of musical activities, including three genres. These include the Year 7 Curriculum Concert,
choirs, full and string orchestra, three jazz bands, in which the entire year are invited to take part, the
wind band, brass band and a large number of small Spring Spectacular! that features our many rock bands,
ensembles, including brass, string, guitar and vocal. and Swing Into Summertime, which ends the year
Many students run their own rock bands and coaching with a picnic in the sunshine. Every two years we hold
is available for in some of the younger years. The RBC our Biennial Music Festival, which gives musicians of
Big Band rehearses to a high standard, accommodating all levels a chance to compete with their peers and
some of our best musicians, and playing at a variety of receive feedback from a high-level professional musician.
events across the year. The Full Choir has a fine local A full‑scale musical is staged every year in the spring.
reputation and leads the School at its formal events.
Year 7 students are auditioned early in the year at the

27

INDIVIDUAL MUSIC LESSONS Please note that one full term’s written notice, to the
Director of Music, is required before the termination
Many of our pupils learn to play a musical instrument of individual music lessons.
with one of our specialist team of visiting instrumental
teachers, who give tuition on a wide range of There are a number of instruments available to
orchestral, band and keyboard instruments. hire through the School.

The charge for instrumental lessons is £24 per LAMDA
35-minute lesson, and there are approximately ten
lessons per term. Lessons are taught on a rotating The School is able to offer LAMDA classes for
timetable to ensure that boys do not miss the same individuals or pairs, on a first-come, first-served basis.
subject too often. The cost of these are £240 per term for individual
lessons and £155 per person per term for shared
The Music Department strongly recommend that lessons. Application forms are available via the portal.
pupils purchase their own ear defenders/plugs for
use in their instrumental lessons.

Tuition is available in the following: Guitar: Acoustic, Electric and Bass –
Classical, Jazz and Pop
Piano, Electric Keyboard, Organ
(the School possesses an organ;
pupils are recommended to have
passed Grade 5 on piano).

Violin, Viola, Clarinet, Flute, Trumpet, French Drums – Rock Singing Jazz
‘Cello, Double Oboe, Bassoon, Horn, Trombone, and Jazz styles improvisation
Tuba, Tenor Horn, (any instrument)
Bass Saxophone
Euphonium

If your son would like to receive individual music tuition,
please complete the application form via the portal.

28

Clubs and Activities

CROSS-COUNTRY ARCHERY
OUTDOOR EDUCA

CLIMBING CLUB CHAMBER CHOIR ALDWORTH PARTNERSHIP BOOK CLUB

The School offers an extensive co-curricular programme
and your son will be encouraged to make the most of
the many exciting and challenging opportunities that
are on offer to him. Details of each term’s activities are
included on the portal. Please remember that once your
son has agreed to take part in an activity, he must then
make practices and rehearsals a priority.

A selection of activities that took place in the 2019-2020
Academic Year.

COMBINED CADET FORCE

ULTIMATE FRISBEE 29
JUNIOR EXPEDITION GROUP
• Aldworth Partnership
AT I O N FOOTBALL • Amnesty International
• Archery
LEGO ROBOTICS CLUB • Art Club
TENNIS • Badminton
• Basketball (Y11+)
• Book Club
• Brass Group
• Combined Cadet Force (Y9+)

-Army
-Royal Air Force
-Royal Navy

• Chamber Choir
• Chamber Ensembles
• Charities Committee
• Chess Club
• Christian Forum
• Climbing Club
• Concert Band
• Creative Writing
• Cricket
• Cross Country
• Dixieland Jazz Band
• Drone Club
• DT Clinic
• Duke of Edinburgh Award (Y10+)
• Economics and Business Club (Y12+)
• Engineering Club
• Expedition Groups
• Fitness Club (Y12+)
• Football
• Guitar Ensemble
• History Clinic
• Hockey
• Jazz Cats
• Lacrosse
• LAMDA
• Lego Robotics Club
• Male Voice Choir
• Maths Club
• Media and Journalism Club
• Mountain Biking
• Music Theory
• Netball
• Orchestra
• Peer Mentoring
• Philosophy Society
• Primary Placement
• Psychology Society (Y12+)
• Public Speaking
• RBC Big Band
• Rowing
• Running Club
• Rugby
• Rugby Refereeing
• Saxophone Group
• STEM Club
• Swimming
• Table Tennis
• Tennis
• Treble Choir
• Ultimate Frisbee
• Yoga

30

Medical Department Information

The Medical Department is staffed by two practitioners PUPILS ON CRUTCHES
on a shift rota basis: Nurse Montgomery (RCN) and
Miss Fagg (Immediate Care Practitioner, Members of It is the responsibility of the person issuing crutches
the Sports Therapy Association). The Medical Centre (e.g. physiotherapist, GP, hospital staff, etc.) to ensure
is situated in the building to the right of Reception. The that the pupil is competent and safe in the use of
email address is [email protected]. crutches, both on flat surfaces and on stairs.
Pupils should not be sent back to school on crutches
We aim to staff the Medical Department between the unless this training has been given.
hours of 08:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday, term time
only. If for any reason the medical team is absent, a It sometimes takes a few days for pupils to master the
Duty First Aider will be on call. There is also medical technique of using crutches at home before being able
cover for home matches on Saturdays in Autumn and to cope with the school campus. In the interest of your
Spring Terms. child’s safety please do not send your child back to
school until they are able to safely navigate distances
The function of the Medical Department is to care for and at least two flights of stairs.
the pupils and staff of RBC at the onset of injury/illness
and whilst they are on the school premises. It does not Parents/guardians must inform the School’s
provide an alternative to the pupil’s GP. Therefore, in medical team if their child will be coming into
the case of illness/injuries suffered away from school or school on crutches. This can be done by emailing
continuing beyond the date of onset, parents/guardians [email protected] and the pupil’s tutor.
should seek treatment/advice from the GP/Accident
and Emergency Department in the usual way. PUPILS AND MEDICATION

REQUESTS FOR ABSENCE FROM Pupils may not carry any medication on them, apart
PE/SPORT FOR MEDICAL REASONS from emergency asthma inhalers and adrenaline
auto injectors. For both these medications an annual
Please inform the Medical Department of ‘off games’ consent form will be generated by the medical staff
requests via the Parent Portal (in the same way as and sent to parents for completion, so that staff can
absence notification). Please complete the form administer medication in an emergency.
detailing the reason for the request and the date range
applicable when required, preferably before 08:00 on The Medical Department keeps a stock of ‘over the
the day your child has Games. The medical team will counter’ medications, e.g. Paracetamol and Ibuprofen,
then issue an ‘off games’ slip, which your child should so pupils do not need to bring these into school.
collect from the Medical Centre before school (the For pupils taking specific prescribed medication for
department opens at 08:00) or at break time on the regular or occasional use (e.g. certain anti-histamine
day of the request. tablets, oral medication, eye and ear drops etc.),
parents/guardians should send in a supply of this
Pupils who are ‘off games’ for medical reasons are medication to be stored in the Medical Department for
expected to remain in school until the end of the the pupil’s use. This must be in the original dispensing
school day unless they have permission from their box, clearly labelled and accompanied by a letter
form tutor to attend a medical appointment, for which or email from parents/guardians giving consent to
they must sign out of school with the Staff Secretaries. administer and clarifying the details of their request.
Otherwise, arrangements for supervised private study
in school are in place during games sessions. Pupils requiring short-term medication (e.g. a course
of antibiotics) only need to bring in a ‘lunchtime dose’
if the prescription is for administration more than
three times per day. Prescriptions for three times daily
administration can be given at home.

31

All medicines being brought into school must be MEDICAL CONDITIONS
delivered to the Medical Department before the
start of school, i.e. between 08:00 and 08:40, and It is the responsibility of all parents/guardians to
need to be in the original dispensing box with the inform the School of any chronic/ongoing medical
dispensing instructions and expiry date clearly written conditions or problems (e.g. asthma, allergies, dietary
on the packaging. requirement) as they occur whilst the pupil is at
Reading Blue Coat. This can be done using the Parent
Pupils who have received ‘over the counter’ Portal, where you can update your child’s medical
medication from medical staff will be given a letter to record. Please also ensure that your telephone
take home outlining what medication was given and numbers and email addresses appear correctly on the
the reason for the treatment. Parent Portal so that we can contact you in the event
of an emergency.
ILLNESS
Please make the medical staff aware of any short-
Please do not send pupils who are unwell into term or acute medical conditions, by emailing them at
school. This request comes not only with your child’s [email protected] and copying your child’s tutor.
interest in mind, but also to limit the spread of infection
in the school generally. All pupils who have suffered a RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL TRIPS
raised temperature (i.e. greater than 37.6 degrees),
diarrhoea or vomiting should not return to school until These are overseen by trip leaders and therefore, in
they have had 48 hours clear of all symptoms (as per order to ensure that each trip leader is fully informed
NHS guidelines). of your child’s up to date medical information, parents
are asked to complete a consent form by the School
Pupils who become unwell during the school day Office for each residential trip.
should report to the Medical Department where
the member(s) of staff on duty will decide whether PITCH SIDE FIRST AID
or not the pupil should be sent home. We request that
pupils are collected promptly, as the sick bay facilities Saturday school rugby and football fixtures in Autumn
are limited. and Spring Terms are attended pitch side by members
of the Medical Department. Medical staff work
alongside the sports team first aiders/coaches to
provide immediate care at the onset of injury. In cases
of concussion, the School has developed a Graduated
Return To Play Policy which will be put into action.

32

Chaplaincy

The spiritual nurturing of any individual is important life of the School. It allows the Chaplaincy to be the
for their well-being, fulfilment and happiness. The conscience of the School, be an advocate for the pupils
Chaplaincy can support, encourage and provide vision and staff and build relationships with the community
for this. We will all have different understandings of and their families. Developing and supporting this sense
what spiritual nurturing is but I hope there are some of belonging and sense of family is vital to the role of
common themes. There is something that lies deeper the Chaplaincy at Reading Blue Coat.
in all of us than the things we spend most of our lives If you would like to get in touch, either with a query or
addressing. The Chaplaincy can raise awareness, create just to say hello, please do not hesitate to call or email.​
space and develop techniques within the School to
support the crucial characteristics and perspectives Rev’d Kate Toogood
that lead to good well-being. The Chaplaincy can [email protected]
develop the spiritual pillar of education to create an 0118 944 1005
all-round, fulfilled and happy student.
PRAYER GROUP
There are various ways to enhance this pillar of The Prayer Group is a group of parents that meet
education and sense of belonging at Reading Blue once each Half Term, for about an hour, to pray
Coat. Providing pastoral care is one such way; meeting and give thanks to God for the School. If you
up with students and staff, allowing them to express would like to join, please contact: Lindsay Lillie on
themselves and walking with them in their journey and 07973 128381 or email [email protected].
decision making. Supporting families is a key part of the
role of the Chaplaincy as well; by building and nurturing
relationships. I also teach Mathematics at Reading Blue
Coat, as well as running various groups and events,
such as weekly drop in and activity sessions. All of
these things enable me to engage with students in
different contexts. The Chaplaincy is, of course, there
to support members of the community in times of
difficulty, but it is also there for fellowship and fun,
and many members of the school community enjoy
spending time in the Chaplaincy area.

Another way that the Chaplaincy provides food for
thought and direction is in weekly Spiritual Assemblies,
year group assemblies, tutor groups and whole school
functions. There are services in the local church at
key points throughout the year. Many students enjoy
being involved in these assemblies and services, and
this also helps them grow in their presentation and
interpersonal skills.

Being a presence at Reading Blue Coat is an important
way in which the Chaplaincy supports the spiritual

33

A Letter from the Director of Lower School

STARTING YEAR 7 more independent, self-reliant and self-motivated
than in primary school. Lessons will often be more
Coming to Reading Blue Coat will be a new experience student-centred and teachers will become resources
for your son. The School is likely to be much bigger and guides, rather than instructors. Much of your son’s
than the primary or prep school he has just left and he progress will depend on initiative, work and ambition.
may feel lost and insecure at first. Instead of being a
senior in a small school, he is now a beginner in a THE TIMETABLE
big school.
To keep track of all the lessons and classrooms, your
From Day One, there will be many changes to which son will be given a timetable with his subjects, times
he will need to become accustomed, including having a and room locations listed. He will be required to
number of different teachers and different classrooms, check his timetable each night to make sure he has the
often spread across a large campus. The day is intense correct books, equipment and completed homework
and fast-paced. Set class periods on particular subjects for the next day’s classes. A checklist at home on the
may also be of a longer duration than in primary wall is advisable. Reading and understanding timetables
school. Your son will be required to carry around takes some getting used to, and moving from room
notes and books, sometimes heavy, from class to class; to room might unsettle and tire him, but every child
however, we do encourage the use of their lockers masters this obstacle very quickly. We are also a
to minimise the weight. Please be aware that, during friendly bunch and all staff and pupils are keen to help
these first few weeks, he may be very tired. a lost Year 7. Starting a new school is somewhat like
starting a new job, so it’s normal for your son to feel
NEW SUBJECTS unsettled in the beginning. Teachers at Reading Blue
Coat are always very supportive and understanding;
In Year 7, students will be introduced to subjects they and tutors, Heads of Year and Directors are always
haven’t experienced before, and other subjects may available for pupils and parents.
have a different approach and emphasis from primary
school learning. Your son will also be expected to be

34

NEW FRIENDS PEER PRESSURE

Making new friends is perhaps one of the most Making new friends and the desire to fit in sometimes
daunting tasks for Year 7 students. Separate from forces students to do things they might not normally
coping with the new senior school routine, this can do – just so they can be liked or be one of the crowd.
prove to be a sensitive issue for some children and a Making your son aware of the fact that he doesn’t
bad experience can hinder their progress and attitude have to do everything his peers do, is an important
towards school. The Lower School staff are here to way of ensuring the friendships he makes are genuine
help with any issues of this nature. and positive and not based on pressure or conformity.
Telling him that a real friend is someone who likes him
Many students will be in tutor groups where they for who he is, is a valuable message.
don’t know any other boys, or they may know children
from their old primary school only. Fitting in is often HOMEWORK
extremely important to Year 7 students – finding
people they like and who share their interests helps Homework can be a point of stress for a number of
motivate them and increases their self-esteem. pupils, simply because some are not used to having
It’s a good idea for you and your son to talk every day homework while others are not used to having the
about his new school experiences, the people he’s large amount that is set on a daily basis. We do not
met or observations he’s made – that way there is an expect pupils to be upset at home working until late
awareness of difficulties when they arise, rather than into the night.
when it’s too late. If your son is taking a while to ‘find
his place’ and his new set of friends in the School, it is In Year 7, boys can expect to receive three pieces of
important for you to reassure him that it will happen. homework per night and each piece of homework
We encourage getting involved with clubs, as boys tend should take 20-30 minutes. If the homework is taking
to find friends this way. much longer than this, ask your son to stop and write
a note in his planner letting the teacher know that it
took much longer than the allocated time. By doing this

it gives the academic teachers a chance to adapt their 35
expectations for pupils.
Property which is lost typically takes a number of days,
Homework Planners are an extremely important tool sometimes much longer, to reach the lost property
that your son must learn to use. He should record his store and so students are encouraged to make return
homework in the planner during each lesson where visits to see if their property has been recovered.
homework is set and when completing his homework Opening times for the lost property shed are posted
it is a good habit to tick off the work in the planner on the door. The store is open every day.
once complete. Form Tutors will help with organisation
of planners but it is advised that in the first few weeks These additional points can really help the efficient
of settling into Blue Coat, parents should also supervise return of students’ property:
and support their son at home, in order to get into a
good routine. • We would suggest that all property is clearly
named. The majority of all lost property
CELEBRATING ACHIEVEMENT currently in school is unnamed.

We take every opportunity to celebrate achievement. • A simple rule to remember – if they can
This may take the form of presentations of awards and mislay it, label it!
certificates in assemblies, the display of exceptional
art work, and acknowledgement in the local press and On a final note, we hope that your son enjoys his
parent newsletters. We have a plus points system in time at Reading Blue Coat. We find that the transition
school for Years 7-11. from primary to secondary school works best when
pupils, parents and staff work together. If you have
LOST PROPERTY any concerns throughout your son’s time in the Lower
School, then please remember that we are always
If items are labelled, it makes it easier to return willing to help resolve any issues your son may have.
lost property. All unnamed items are kept for An email, telephone call or face-to-face visit is
approximately four weeks. After this time, any encouraged and welcomed.
unnamed items may be donated to local charities or
the Second Hand Uniform sale. Mrs Claire Dance
Director of Lower School

36

Remote Learning

In the event that Reading Blue Coat is physically
closed, teaching staff are well-prepared to deliver the
academic curriculum remotely. Our main platform
is Microsoft Teams; through this we can conduct live
lessons, set, mark and return work and give feedback
to our pupils. This is supplemented by a number of
excellent subject specific platforms that enhance our
provision and provide pupils with variety. We recognise
that structure, familiarity and regular breaks are vital to
pupil wellbeing when they are learning from home; so
we strive to follow the normal school timetable with
built-in rest breaks to make the transition as easy as
possible.

The co-curricular element of the school also continues
in this setting. The weekly activities slot is replaced by
challenges that can be done at home and celebrate the
benefits of being with family. Successes, and of course
failures, are shared by tutor groups to maintain that
sense of community that makes Reading Blue Coat
such a special place. Games afternoons continue to
be delivered by the P.E. Department, who encourage
video submission of the pupils completing the weekly
tasks.

We know that nothing can replace the feel of being
part of a bustling school community, particularly that of
Blue Coat. If we are unable to be together physically,
we can ensure that education, both academic and co-
curricular, continues as smoothly as possible.

Please note that while Remote Learning is necessary,
pupils will need a Laptop, microphone and a webcam.

Mr Rob Tidbury

Deputy Head (Academic)

37

The Foundation Office

At Reading Blue Coat, we are very lucky to have a community that extends beyond our current pupils,
parents and staff, and includes former students – Old Blues – their families and friends of the School.
Our global network of alumni alone has almost 7,000 members so you are never far from someone with
whom you share the defining bond of Reading Blue Coat.
Our community is shaped by thousands of one-offs – thinkers, athletes, creatives, leaders and
campaigners. We are proud of this diversity and the great achievements being made. By harnessing this
expertise, we can directly and positively benefit our students. Whether through our mentor scheme,
tailored careers advice, speaker programmes, or organising off-site visits to industry, members of our
wider community step in to further enhance our teaching and learning, and this is not exclusively for the
students. As a parent, grandparent, Old Blue or friend, we are creating social and business opportunities
for all, connecting like-minded people through a range of events and communications.
The Foundation Office is also focusing on further extending the charitable values and ethos of our
founder Richard Aldworth. In his will of 1646, Aldworth, a wealthy London merchant, established our
School to fully fund the education of 20 poor boys from Reading. Contemporaries of Aldworth and
others throughout our 370 year history have played an integral role in expanding the Reading Blue Coat
School Foundation, it is now time to more to underpin this vision. Over the coming year, we will focus
our attention on raising financial support for our Bursary Programme and in time, partner with our
community to update buildings and enhance our teaching provision.
You are joining an inclusive social and professional network and we hope you will become an active part
of our One Reading Blue Coat community. Please do get in touch with any questions. We look forward
to hearing from you and meeting you soon!
Victoria and Sarah
[email protected]

38

The Aldworth Partnership

Reading Blue Coat has the opportunity to give more The key to sustainability and ‘buy in’ is to have the
to the community and beyond. Through our giving we programme being student lead. The prefects of 2018/19
can also receive. Both people in a partnership benefit have left a legacy in this respect and next year’s prefects
and this is the aim of the Aldworth Partnership – for have already taken on the mantle and are bringing great
communities and our student body to grow and be enthusiasm to the drive. As it stands, all pupils at
fulfilled through service. Reading Blue Coat have the opportunity to engage in
meaningful service during each year they are here.
This relationship is best served through service that The School is committed to this growing over time.
is ‘transformational’. Meaning that both groups in the
partnership are transformed for the good because of The scientific research is strong. Those that serve
the relationship. This is very different to ‘transactional are happier. Those that serve when at school are
service’ which is raising money and just handing it over more likely to serve and be benefactors when they are
to people. People do not get to grow in their human older. Good role-modelling helps well-being for both
relationships and their values through this. The Aldworth parties. Serving helps build positive relationships which
Partnership is founded on transformational service. can be learnt and modelled in other contexts.
The relationships are the building blocks of society.
The Aldworth Partnership comprises of all the things
we do in the School involving outreach – locally and
internationally. Local primary schools that we have
a strong partnerships with are Thameside Primary,
Highwood Primary, Rivermead Primary and Cranbury
PRU. We run classes in many others also.

Overseas
partnership

Individual
ventures school

projects

Over the fence
partnership

THE ALDWORTH PARTNERSHIP
TRANSFORMATIONAL SERVICE

Appendix 1 39

TERM AND HOLIDAY DATES 2020-21

Autumn Term 2020 Monday 08:35 7 September
Term begins Thursday 16:10 22 October
Half Term begins Tuesday 08:35 3 November
Term resumes Friday 27 November
Open Day Holiday Wednesday 13:00 16 December
Term ends
Spring Term 2021 Wednesday 08:35 6 January
Term begins Friday 16:10 12 February
Half Term begins Monday 08:35 22 February
Term resumes Wednesday 13:00 31 Marchl
Term ends
Summer Term 2021 Tuesday 08:35 20 April
Term begins Monday 3 May
Public Holiday Friday 16:10 28 May
Half Term begins Monday 08:35 7 June
Term resumes Friday 16:10 2 July
Term ends Saturday 10:30 3 July
Prize Giving Saturday 14:30 3 July
Malthus Leavers’ Service

40

Appendix 2

SCHEDULE OF FEES AND CHARGES FOR 2020-21

School Fees £5,838 per term (Fees unchanged from 2019-2020 Academic Year. To be
School Lunches reviewed for Spring Term 2021)
Students’ Personal Effects Insurance
Pupil Absence Insurance Scheme £4.26 per day (£4.64 per day when purchased on an ad hoc basis)
Denshield Dental Insurance
£8.12 per term
Rowing subscriptions, which includes
the British Rowing subscription. 0.73% of pupil’s fees

£4.99 per term

Y9/J14 £20.00 per term (Spring and Summer Terms only)

Y10/J15 £40.00 per term

Y11/J16 £60.00 per term

Y12+/J17-18 £60.00 per term

Please note the following: may be paid in instalments by Direct Debit or other
agreed method. This scheme is known as the Termly
• Full details of the business relationship that exists Instalment Scheme. Under the Termly Instalment
between Parents and the School are set out in the Scheme, the dates and amounts of each instalment for
Terms and Conditions document that was issued that particular year’s fees will be set out in a separate
with the Headmaster’s original offer of a place. agreement. No administration charges, interest or
other charges are included in the Termly Instalment
• The Governors normally give a term’s notice of Scheme. The School reserves the right to withdraw
any increase in fees, although they reserve the or amend the terms of the Termly Instalment Scheme
right to amend fees at any time in exceptional at any time by giving you notice in writing before the
circumstances. No remission of fees can be made by beginning of a new school term. No agreement to
the School for any reason whatsoever. accept payment on deferred terms will be valid unless
it provides for no more than four payments within
• In line with many schools, non-means tested a 12 month period. For more information on the
discounts have been reduced and the money Termly Instalment Scheme please contact Mrs Pratima
put into means-tested bursaries. Old Blues and Errawalla, Fees Billing Accountant, at [email protected].
parents with more than one child at the School do
not receive discounts but may apply for bursarial STUDENTS’ PERSONAL EFFECTS
support if needed. INSURANCE

PAYMENT OF FEES The School does not accept responsibility for loss of,
or damage to, the personal property of pupils, but we
All parents are required to pay their school fees by do use an insurance scheme offering cover on an ‘All
Direct Debit. Fees are due on the first day of each Risks’ basis within the UK, rather than whilst on school
term, unless parents opt for the Termly Instalment premises. If you require Students’ Personal Effects
Scheme, which commences in July 2019. Insurance, please complete the insurance form via the
portal. Further information can be found on the portal.
TERMLY INSTALMENT SCHEME

At the School’s discretion, a particular year’s fees

PUPIL ABSENCE INSURANCE 41
SCHEME
DENSHIELD DENTAL INSURANCE
If pupils fall sick and are off school for a length of time,
the School cannot refund any fees. However, the School The School participates in an insurance scheme
participates in a Pupil Absence Insurance Scheme, operated by Denplan. Existing insurance policies do not
which enables some refund of fees when illness or necessarily cover all the costs that could be incurred
accident leads to absence from school. There is also in the event of injuries to the mouth. While the policy
an accidental death insurance cover for the School Fee itself will not prevent injuries, it would help soften the
Payer. If you require Pupil Absence Insurance, please often heavy financial burden of any necessary, and often
complete the insurance form via the portal. Further costly dental treatment. If you require Denplan cover,
information can be found on the portal. please complete the insurance form via the portal.
Further information can be found via
www.denplan.co.uk/schools/for-parents.

Appendix 3

UNIFORM LIST

All boys are required to possess the clothing listed below.

Key: Available only from Stevensons
Available from Stevensons or any high street retailer
• Available only from high street retailers
••
* Optional items

Uniform – Boys Years 7-11 Information Supplier
Items This is a compulsory item for pupils in Year 7 to 11.
RBC blazer The appropriate House tie is compulsory for pupils in Year 7 to 11.
RBC House tie White shirts are compulsory. Long or short sleeved in any term.
White shirts Compulsory for pupils in Year 7 to 11.
Charcoal grey trousers Compulsory for pupils in Year 7 to 11.
5-pack charcoal grey socks
Woven or iron-on All uniform must be named.
name tapes
Shoes Formal black leather shoes are compulsory. Not suede or boots.
School bag Dark in colour without offensive slogans. Rucksack or single-strap bag.
RBC sweater* A popular optional item, especially in winter for pupils in Year 7 to 10.
Black sweater* A popular optional item, especially in winter for pupils in Year 11 only.
RBC beanie hat* This is an optional item.
RBC scarf* This is an optional item.

42

Sportswear – Boys Years 7-11

Items Information Supplier

RBC Games jersey A compulsory item worn for rugby, hockey and football in Years 7 to 10.

RBC Senior sports shirt A compulsory item worn by Year 11 and Sixth Form boys only.

RBC navy sports shorts A compulsory item.

RBC rugby shorts A compulsory item worn for rugby.

RBC white polo shirt A compulsory item worn in all terms.

RBC track top A compulsory item for Year 7-11. Matches the RBC track pant.

RBC track pant A compulsory item worn in all terms.

RBC hooped singlet* An optional item.

Swimming trunks* An optional item.

RBC School sports socks Pupils require one pair of School socks for team matches.

House socks One pair of the appropriate House sports socks for training and
games lessons.

Sports boots As required for rugby, football, hockey and cricket.

Two pairs of trainers One pair for indoor use i.e. light-soled; the other for outdoor activities.

RBC sports holdall The RBC sports holdall is optional but all boys require a holdall
for their kit.

Shin pads Compulsory for hockey/football.

Boil-and-bite gum shield A gum shield is mandatory for rugby and hockey.

RBC weatherproof top* An optional item.

RBC sports hoodie* This is a popular optional item, which is not for general wear but for
sports use only.

RBC cycle shorts* An optional item worn under rugby shorts by some pupils and for rowing.

RBC bootbag* An optional item.

RBC cricket cap* Compulsory for pupils who play team cricket matches.

RBC cricket shirt* Compulsory for pupils who play team cricket matches.

RBC cricket sweater* Compulsory for pupils who play team cricket matches.

RBC cricket trouser* Compulsory for pupils who play team cricket matches.

RBC swimming hat* Compulsory for pupils who swim in School fixtures.

43

Appendix 4

SCHOOL COACH INFORMATION

Key Routes Bus Company Contact

Bracknell/Warfield/Ascot/Windsor Fernhill Travel 01344 421 423
fernhill.co.uk/school- [email protected]
318: Hook/Fleet/Wokingham/Emmbrook/Winnersh contracts
338: Burghfield Common/ Mortimer/Riseley/
Swallowfield/ Spencers Wood/Shinfield/Earley Horseman Coaches 0118 975 3811
348: Camberley/Crowthorne/Barkham/Winnersh horsemancoaches.co.uk [email protected]
294: Marlow/Bourne End/Cookham/Maidenhead
328: Shiplake/Henley Kingfisher 0118 931 3454
283: Boulters Lock/Bray/Maidenhead/Knowl Hill
kingfisherminicoaches.com [email protected]
Pangbourne/Purley/Tilehurst/Caversham
Kingfisher 0118 931 3454
Checkendon/Stoke Row/Sonning Common/
Caversham kingfisherminicoaches.com [email protected]
Late buses
Fernhill Travel 01344 421 423
Ascot fernhill.co.uk/school- 0118 975 3811
contracts
100 to Maidenhead
101 to Wokingham Horseman Coaches
horsemancoaches.co.uk

Please Note: It is necessary to make an early application to reserve your place. Your contract is directly with the coach
company and you should be aware of their terms and conditions.

PUBLIC BUS INFORMATION
( C O U R T N E Y B U S E S – W W W. C O U R T N E Y B U S E S . C O M )

Bus Route
129 Reading to Wokingham via Sonning and Twyford
128 Reading to Wokingham via Woodley, Sonning and Twyford
127 Reading to Maidenhead via Sonning (Saturday only)

Holme Park, Sonning Lane, Sonning-on-Thames, Berkshire, RG4 6SU
Tel: 0118 944 1005 rbcs.org.uk