18173 Coleraine Grammar - Yr 8 booklet

COLERAINE

GRAMMAR SCHOOL
In Scientia Opportunitas

Year 8 Parent Guide

COLERAINE

GRAMMAR SCHOOL
In Scientia Opportunitas

Foreword

It is a great pleasure to welcome you
all to Coleraine Grammar School.

I hope and expect that this is the beginning of a successful seven year
journey for each pupil here today and that you are all able to fulfil your potential
academically, in extra-curricular activities and in your personal development.

Over the next few months, our aim is to help pupils make the transition
from primary school to grammar school as smoothly as possible. When school
begins in September, pupils will study many familiar subjects and quite a few
new ones too. This helps with the transition because pupils are able to build
on existing strengths and also find new subjects to enjoy.

Equally, pupils will be able to continue many activities and clubs from primary
school and also broaden their horizons and make new friends by engaging in
new experiences.

The teaching and support staff of school are here to help our pupils make the
transition to grammar school and enjoy a happy and successful school career.
In return, we ask our pupils to show commitment to their school, work hard and
always treat every member of the school community with respect.

I look forward to seeing you all at our Lodge Road campus next school year.

Dr David Carruthers
Headmaster

1

This is our senior prefect team, which comprises of
our Head Boy, Head Girl, Deputies and Senior Prefects.

Our school motto:

In Scientia Opportunitas

“With Knowledge comes Opportunity”

2

Coleraine Grammar R Responsibility
E Equality
School Values
S Self-Discipline

Respect P Perseverance

Responsibility E Excellence

Resilience C Commitment
T Tolerance

3

e School Day

The school day starts at 8.55am with registration. Each registration The School Day
class will see their form tutor every morning when they will take the
register, collect any absence notes and sign homework diaries. This Registration: 8.55 – 9.05
is also valuable time for the new pupils to ask any questions they – 9.55
have about the school; their form tutor should be their first point Period 1: 9.05 – 10.45
of contact for any concerns they might have. – 11.00
Period 2: 9.55 – 11.15
www.colerainegrammar.com/about/the-school-day – 12.05
Assembly: 10.45 – 12.55
– 13.45
Breaktime: 11.00 – 14.35
– 15.25
Period 3: 11.15

Period 4: 12.05

Lunchtime: 12.55

Period 5: 13.45

Period 6: 14.35

4

In CGS we use a two week Week A Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
timetable which alternates Reg
between week A and week B. 1 Rg Rg Rg Rg Rg
2 LAU HE3 LAU HE3 LAU HE3 MCR HE3 LAU HE3
This is a sample Year 8 timetable Ë 3
4 Bi Ma Pe Gg Sp
The subject appears first in the box, 5 LH B2 TIL R09 RBV Gym B CL GR1 KLY M03
then the teacher’s initials followed 6
by the room number. Gg Re Hi En Ma
Week B CL GR1 CSN R16 DH HR3 CKA R12 TIL R09
A list of these abbreviations will Reg
be given to new pupils during 1 He Fr Mu Ga En
registration on their first day in 2 AC HE1 KD M01 MCR MR1 MCD CKA R12
school. Please encourage your 3
son/daughter to know what lessons 4 He En Mu Ga Ch
take place each day. 5 AC HE1 CKA R12 MCR MR1 MCD ORY C3
6
As you see from the sample Sp Ar Lw Ph Hi
timetable, this will alter weekly. KLY M03 KN AR2 LAU HE3 ARN P2 DH HE3
Pupils will all be given a printed
version of their timetable when Ma Bi Ch Ma It
they arrive in August. TIL R09 LH B2 ORY C3 TIL R09 RDB IT1

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Rg Rg Rg Rg Rg
LAU HE3 LAU HE3 MCR HE3 MCR HE3 LAU HE3

Ma Hi Tl Sp Ph
TIL R09 LQ HR2 AP MF1 KLY M03 ARN P2

Gg Fr Tl Hi Fr
CL GR1 KD M01 AP MF1 DH R04 KD M03

Mu Bi Ma Ga En
MCR MR1 LH B2 TIL R09 MCD CKA R12

Tl Ar Dr Ga En
MI SD1 KN AR2 DSN R10 MCD CKA R12

En Re Lw Ph Gg
CKA R12 CSN R16 LAU HE3 ARN P2 CL GR1

Ar Ch En Ma It
KN AR2 ORY C3 CKA R12 TIL R09 RDB IT1

Lockers Pupils may leave their books in their lockers during the
day, carrying only what they need for each session.
Each pupil in Year 8 is supplied with a locker. Please They may visit their lockers before school, at break-
encourage your son/daughter to make good use of time, lunchtime and at the end of the school day.
his/her locker as this will help them to carry the
minimum weight in their schoolbag during the Pupils should NOT visit their lockers between classes.
school day.

5

Calendar of School Holidays 2018/19

Timetabled lessons will begin for all pupils on August Induction days and First Day of School
Wednesday 29th August, 8.55am – 3.25pm. for Year 8:
During the Year 8’s first few days in school they will take
Term dates and Holidays for 2018/19 are part in an “Amazing Brains” workshop to introduce the new
as follows: pupils to study skills. This will be split across two sessions
during the morning when the new pupils will work in groups
Year 8 Start of Term 29th Aug 2018 and have an opportunity to talk about the differences in
(8.55am - 12.55pm) studying at grammar school as opposed to primary school.

Remainder of Pupils 30th Aug 2018 • Pupils will be given a “Pupil Guidebook” to fill in with
their form tutor, which will answer all their most common
Start of Term (8.55am - 12.55pm) questions regarding their first few days in school;

First Full Day 31st Aug 2018 • On their first full day of school pupils should bring a
(8.55am - 3.25pm) school bag with a pencil case, their break and either a
packed lunch or lunch money;
Half-Term 29th Oct - 2nd Nov 2018
Inclusive • Pupils will receive their homework diary and timetable,
both of which their form tutor will hand out and explain
Christmas Holiday 24th Dec - 4th Jan 2019 how to use properly.
Inclusive
Transportation to and from school:
Half-Term 18th - 22nd Feb 2019 • By car – you should leave your son/daughter on the
Inclusive
Lodge Road and not drive into the school grounds as
Twilight SDD(s) To be agreed; there is not enough room for a large volume of traffic.
1 full or 2 half day(s) Similarly in the afternoons, please collect pupils from the
Lodge Road. If you need to collect your son/daughter
Easter Holiday 15th - 26th Apr 2019 from school to attend an appointment during the school
Inclusive day, then you may park in the visitors’ carpark and
collect your son/daughter at reception.
May Holiday 6th May 2019 • By bus – Some buses will collect and drop off pupils at
the school gates on Lodge Road, others will leave from
End of Term 28th Jun 2019 the station on Railway Road. Please check this
information with Translink in August. Bus passes will be
Any amendments to this will be added to distributed during pupils’ first week in school.
the online version, which can be found at: • On foot – pupils can access the school buildings
www.colerainegrammar.com/school-holidays from 8.30am.

We hope that all our pupils can arrive and leave school in a safe and secure manner.

Your help in achieving this is greatly appreciated.
6

All the teachers are really friendly
when you enter the class.

Evic, Year 8

What I love bout CGS is the
huge selection of amazing
subjects . . . what are you
waiting for?!

Oliver, Year 8

I’ve made a lot of new friends here,
yes it took a little time to get to
know them but now I know we are
there for each other and I love me
teachers here too.

Lucy, Year 8

I enjoy all the different subjects that
we didn’t do in Primary school.

Millie, Year 8

7

Everyone is so friendly and I have met so
many new friends. I love every second here.

Amy, Year 8

e trips are really good fun and we
learn a lot.

Payton, Year 8

I really liked being involved in the
School Play – it was great doing
something so enjoyable.

Rebekah, Year 8

e sporting opportunities and the new
and interesting subjects are the best at
CGS.

Lara, Year 8

We really like the canteen because
the food is amazing . . . even nicer
than Primary School.

Michael & Charlie, Year 8

Teachers are really helpful and
give us success criteria before
every test.

Sienna, Year 8

I loved Summer Camp and my
favourite thing was bouldering!

Emma, Year 8

8

Communication
with Parents

School reports:
There are three reporting periods during the school year
and one of these reports will be a written report with
teacher comments. There will also be a pastoral meeting
offered to you during Term 1 with your child’s form tutor
and then meetings with your child’s classroom teachers
later in the year to discuss their academic progress.

Use of the pupil planner and absence notes:
Your son/daughter’s pupil planner is not
only for recording homeworks, it also contains:
• A copy of school policies which are most

pertinent to pupils;
• A list of school holidays;
• Pro-formas for absence notes;
• A section for parental comment and

signature at the end of each week;
• Space for the pupil to copy their timetable in.

Parental Contribution
You will be given further documentation on how to make
these parental contributions. This will outline your various
payment options and gift aid information.

What should my child do with their
mobile phone whilst in school?
Mobile phones must be turned off during the
school day and stored carefully. You may contact
your son/daughter via the school office if necessary.

The mobile phone policy is available on the school website:
www.colerainegrammar.com/about/policies

9

Key staff Year 8 pupils
need to know

Year 8 form tutors: SENCO:
Pupils will be informed who their Miss N. Kerlin
form tutor is on their August
induction days. School librarian:
Mrs A. Ledwith (see later for more
Pastoral Leader of Year 8: detail on library).
Miss R. Clarke School counsellor:
Jean Cooper

10

Some key information:

What to do if your child is unwell, injured or has a medical condition:
• If your child is feeling unwell during the school day they should tell their class teacher, who will issue

them with a “Pupil feeling ill” card that the pupil takes to reception, from where their parents/carers can
be contacted.
• If your child is injured during the school day, there is a qualified first aider on the Lodge Road site:
Mrs C. Barry, who can be located in the school reception.
• If your child has a medical condition that may require medication during the school day, please follow the
school protocol for leaving the necessary materials in the school reception. You will be required to complete
a medical form in this instance and the medication will be labelled and stored safely there for use when your
child requires it.

11

Key areas in school

Canteen: Library: Mrs A. Ledwith
• Pupils should remain on All pupils automatically become Librarian
members of the library and receive
the school grounds and are a library card. Junior classes are
permitted to eat a packed lunch allowed to borrow 2 fiction books
in various specifically allocated and 2 non-fiction books for a period
“lunch rooms” during lunchtime of 2 weeks. Senior classes are
or buy a hot meal in the Junior allowed to borrow 3 fiction books
Canteen. and 3 non-fiction books for a period
• There are some areas outside of 3 weeks. Pupils will be able to
which are deemed “out of access the library system on all
bounds” in order to ensure the School computers which will make
safety of our pupils at all times. it much easier to do searches. The
These areas will be shown to library accepts requests for new
pupils during their August books and will reserve books,
induction days by their should you wish to do so.
form tutor.
• Recreation during lunchtime The school library has a reading programme called Reading Olympics
is supervised by teaching and which is now a well established course for Years 8, 9 and 10. Pupils
ancillary staff in the canteen, come to the library with their English teacher for one period per fortnight
lunchrooms and outside. until Easter. There are 3 levels to the Reading Olympics Scheme: Bronze
Award, Silver Award and Gold Award. All pupils tend to really enjoy this
e teachers in CGS are challenging scheme.
really good, and it you
don’t understand anything, The library is a fun place to go and Mrs Ledwith holds various
they will help you until competitions throughout the year as well as celebrating important
you do. dates in the literary calendar.

Emma, Year 8 Currently the library holds over 11,000 books. The library is open
from 8.30am until 4.00pm most days and two days a week until 4.30pm.
ere is a really great The library is open to everyone before school/lunch time and after school.
atmosphere in CGS. Two books may be borrowed at any one time and are issued for a period
of two weeks.
Daniel, Year 8

12

What I enjoy most about CGS is all the
nice teachers and my lovely friends.

Lois, Year 8

13

Uniform and Games Kit

Expectations about neat and tidy appearance:
Coleraine Grammar School pupils are expected to wear their school
uniform with pride and as such should be neatly turned out. That means
top buttons of shirts should be fastened at all times, ties are an adequate
length and shirts are neatly tucked in. Girls’ skirts should be knee length
and all pupils’ footwear should be fit for purpose. No training shoes or
high heels are permitted. Blazers should be worn at all times in school
(except in a warm classroom). Please refer to the full school uniform
policy on our website for more information.

CGS Sports kit is a bespoke design by Under Armour and can be ordered
online, although some kit can also be purchased from local stockists:
S & T Moore and Heart and Home. These orders should be placed as
soon as possible to ensure timely delivery for the start of the school term.

All the teachers are really nice and help you out when- ICT is so fun because you
ever you need it. get to learn and apply
computer coding.
Nathan, Year 8
Jamie, Year 8
All school policies pertaining to uniform, pastoral care, SEN, social
networking etc can be found in full on our school website via the I really like HE
following link: www.colerainegrammar.com/about/policies because you get to
make really yummy
My favourite subject is Art, it really lets you foods.
express yourself through paper.
Lara, Year 8
Payton, Year 8

14

15

Extra-curricular programme

At CGS we offer a wide range of extra-curricular clubs, sports and
societies which are very active and give our pupils the opportunity to
engage in a variety of pursuits. Whether pupils’ interests are focused on
sport or music, drama or outdoor pursuits, problem solving or
performing, there is something for everyone.

Some examples of extra-curricular Some examples of sports available
clubs available for Year 8s are: for Year 8s are:

• Junior Choir • Athletics • Hockey
• Junior Orchestra • Badminton • Rugby
• Junior Scripture Union • Cricket • Swimming
• Modern Foreign Languages Club • Cross Country • Surfing
• Puzzle Club • Football • Tennis
• Golf

Please refer to our school website for the full list and more detailed information on all
extra-curricular activities and the times during the school term that they are active.

How can my son/daughter get involved in extra-curricular activities?
Pupils should listen out for announcements in assembly, watch out for flyers and posters
in school or ask their form tutor. These methods of communication will give pupils the
time and place to go to in order to join the activity.

I have been involved in the Chamber Choir and took
part in the Carol Service and the Spring Concert. I also
played hockey and took part in a lot of matches against
other schools.

Emma, Year 8

I love being part of orchestra because I enjoy being
a part of all the instruments playing together.

Lois, Year 8

16

17

I really enjoy Rugby because
we won almost all our matches!

Matthew, Year 8

I have got involved in Harriers, Badminton and
Rugby aer school and they are all great fun.

Nathan, Year 8

18

19

I love playing hockey matches and I’m learning new skills
every time – you really should give it a try next year .

Lucy, Year 8

20

21

Summer Camp

is year I have been involved in choir, SU and Athletics I only started hockey
and they were loads of fun! this year and I’m
already on the team
Sienna, Year 8 and am loving it

Coleraine Grammar School offers our Year 8 pupils a unique opportunity Amy, Year 8
to embark on a residential with their new classmates, senior pupil leaders
and some teaching staff to Castlewellan Castle, Saturday 30th June -
Wednesday 4th July 2018. This has been hugely popular and successful in
the past and it gives the new pupils an enjoyable introduction to Coleraine
Grammar School.

Castlewellan Castle is the ideal location for this type of camp, situated in
1100 acres of forest park in the foothills of the Mournes. The castle, which
is over 120 years old, has facilities that include dormitories, games room
and tuck shop. There are resident staff to cook our meals.

22

SU is really good, we learn about God and His promises,
sometimes we have treats like crisps or popcorn.

Evie, Year 8

23

e teachers in CGS have helped me Summer Camp was brilliant because
so much by teaching us in fun ways. of all the different activities.

Andrew, Year 8 Jessica, Year 8

Whether you enjoy sporting activities and outdoor life,
or prefer a relaxed holiday, you won’t want to miss the
fun and companionship. The planned activities range
from inter-team games and hobbies in the mornings to
outdoor pursuits including canoeing, bouldering,
activity hiking and multi-athlon in the afternoons.

The aim of camp is not only to provide an enjoyable
holiday, with all the fun that comes from getting to
know new school friends, but also to help the pupils
understand the relevance of Christianity today. For
half an hour each evening we will have some drama,
singing, quizzes and a short talk.

(Sports photographs courtesy of David McDonald)

24

ICT club is very good, we learn a lot and sometimes
even get to play games.

Luke, Year 8

Badminton is really great because I have improved from
learning the basics onto playing well in no time.

Lucy, Year 8

I am in the Choir and every time I leave our rehearsals I
am smiling from ear to ear .

Payton, Year 8

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18173 www.iedprint.com T: 028 9041 9005

COLERAINE

GRAMMAR SCHOOL
In Scientia Opportunitas

Address: 23 – 33 Castlerock Rd, Coleraine, BT51 3LA
Phone: 028 7034 4331

Address: Lodge Road, Coleraine, BT52 1LZ
Phone: 028 7034 3178

Fax: 028 7035 2632
Email: [email protected]

Web: www.colerainegrammar.com

Find us on Facebook at Coleraine Grammar School
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