Year 7

This page has been put together for parents of Year 7 students, to provide the information needed to understand and support your child’s learning through their transition into secondary school. 

We have high expectations for all students and this includes consistently demonstrating excellent behaviour, engagement and independence in their learning. We also expect students to have a high attendance of over 96% and to be punctual to school and to all their lessons. Finally, we also expect students to wear the school uniform correctly and with pride. We expect them to be brilliant ambassadors for the school – both internally and externally.

We will consistently challenge and support students to ensure that they develop into young adults that the school, parents and local and wider community will be proud of.

Miss N Harrison - Head of Year 7 / Associate Senior Leader
harrisonn@chancellors.herts.sch.uk

Form Groups and The House System

Each form has around 30 pupils in the form. Some may be friends from Primary School, but most will be people students have never met before.

We have seven school Houses at Chancellor’s which comprise pupils from all Years (7 – 13):

• Arundel

• Beckett

• Hailsham

• More

• Somers

• Wolsey

• York

Each form group is attached to a particular House which students can’t forget, as the form group letter serves as a reminder. There are regular house competitions and events in which students can represent their house, including our annual sports day.

Form Group Teachers

7A - Miss Males

7B - Miss Shahzad and Miss Cabello

7H - Mrs Adams

7M - Miss Powell and Mr Arenas

7S - Miss Pollard

7W - Miss Gregor and Mrs Aminuddin

7Y - Miss Parmer and Dr Hames

Form Tutors should be the first port of call if there is a pastoral issue regarding your son/daughter. Please contact their subject tutor if there is an issue specific to that subject.

To email a member of staff, please use their surname followed by their first initial (John Smith = smithj) and then add @chancellors.herts.sch.uk

The School Day

The school day may seem very different from primary school to start off with, but like everything else here, students get to grips with it quite quickly.

TIME	KS3 - YEARS 7, 8 AND 9
8.20	Arrival - Form Rooms
8.30	Form
09.00	Lesson 1
10.00	Lesson 2
11.00	Early break
11.25	WARNING BELL
11.30	Lesson 3
12.30	Lesson 4
13.30	Late break
13.55	WARNING BELL
14.00	Lesson 5
15.00	Buses
15.10	End of school

 

Homework

All homework will be set on Google Classroom. We encourage students to complete their homework on the night it is set. This way they will never have to rush to finish it and will always have the weekends to themselves. 

Written homework will not necessarily be set on every occasion. Tasks may involve reading, oral work or an investigation. Additionally, it is an expectation that all KS3 students should be completing 30 minutes reading a day for pleasure. There is a homework club that runs every day from 3.10pm-4.00pm in the library. Most subjects offer a breaktime help club if additional support is needed.

We believe that setting high expectations for all students is fundamental in enabling them to achieve, enjoy and excel. This also develops a lasting, positive attitude to learning.

In the first half term students will have a phased start to homework;

For the first 2 weeks only English, Maths, and ICT will set homework. (ICT will oversee email and Google Classroom setup so that it is working before other subjects start setting written homework.)

Each other Faculty will come online at the rate of 1 more per week until all subjects are setting homework by half term.

The order will be as follows;

Week 3 – Technology & Art

Week 4 - Science

Week 4 - Humanities

Week 6 - MFL

Week 7 – PE

To prevent student overload and allowing for all Year 7 classes being mixed ability, homework will be differentiated to both extend and support the needs of all students.

After the first half term Year 7 should expect to spend 40 minutes a day on homework.

Additionally, ICT, Music, Art, Drama and Technology may be set, the day depending on the group.

Attendance

For any attendance issues or to report your son/daughter absent, you should contact the school via phone on 01707 650702.

Research clearly shows that achievement is directly linked to attendance, and it is absolutely vital that students attend school at all times, apart from in extreme circumstances. Students with a high level of attendance invariably perform better in class and in examinations. Put simply, your son or daughter’s attendance will affect the level of progress they make.

With an attendance record of 90% across the year, that student would have missed the equivalent of one half day a week. This is a huge amount of work missed and does not give them the best opportunity to succeed.

This really does highlight the direct impact that excellent or poor attendance can have on the qualifications that will stay with your son or daughter for life.

Extra curricular

There are lots of clubs at Chancellor's, some of which run at break times and some after school.

Teachers are always on hand to support students if needed, and most subjects already have after school or lunch time help sessions in place.

PE practice and fixture timings can be found under Sport in the School Life and Extra-Curricular tab on the website. Details regarding Drama, Music, Art and other extra-curricular clubs can also be found here. There are also posters around the school for all the clubs on offer at lunchtime and after school.

Detentions

We expect all students to behave impeccable, in line with our very clear school and we have a reward point system to encourage good behaviour

Every new Year 7 pupil worries about detentions, but they are easy to avoid if students...

• Enter the classroom quietly and are correctly dressed

• Bring the correct equipment for each lesson

• Work hard during lessons

• Do not talk or act silly during lessons

• Hand in homework on time

• Are polite and courteous at all times around the school

Key Staff

Mr Croston - Headteacher

Mrs Reilly - Deputy Headteacher

Miss English - Assistant Headteacher

Miss Harrison - Head of Year 7 / Associate Senior Leader

Mrs Smith - Pastoral Assistant

Mr Toye - Pastoral Assistant 

Key Dates

3rd September 2024	Year 7 First Day
19th September 2024	Open Evening
17th October 2024	Year 7 Welcome Evening
11th December 2024	ATL Report Issued
26th March 2025	Report Issued
21st May 2025	Year 7 Parents Evening
16th June - 20th June 2025	Year 7 Internal Exams
9th July 2025	Report Issued