The Next Chapter | Woodhouse Grove School

The Next Chapter

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The Next Chapter.......Year 7 2024

We are so glad that you are joining us in Year 7.

We have created this page to welcome you into the Grove family and to help you learn a little more about Woodhouse Grove in a fun way.

But first, here is some useful information for you and your parents:

Dates for your diary

New Year 7 Parents’ Evening (parents only event) – Monday 24th June 6.30pm
An opportunity to meet key staff, other parents and hear some useful parent tips for Year 7!

Year 7 Induction Day – Tuesday 25th June 9.30am-3pm
All new Year 7s are invited to attend. They will meet their form (and Form tutor) and spend the day getting to know the school a bit more.

The Practicalities – Tuesday 3rd September Morning session (times tbc)
This morning is about getting all pupils set up on IT and providing them with information about how to get in on their first day. They will also have the opportunity to see their form before the first day of term. If you are on holiday please don’t worry, it is a useful but not essential morning.

TERM STARTS – Wednesday 4th September

Year 7 Team Building Day – In the 1st/2nd week of term – date tbc
Based in the school grounds but run by an external company, this day is all about getting to know your form by carrying out a series of tasks and challenges!

Questions….questions…

You probably have lots of questions, so we have pulled together answers to some of the most popular queries that we get asked by our new Year 7s….

Will I be in a form with people from my primary school?

We always try to make sure that you are with at least one person you know from your primary school. We talk to your teachers to see who you are friends with before we put the forms together.

There are, however, lots of children who are the only person coming from their school, so in that case we will pair up your interests with other people who will be in your form, so you have something in common.

We think there will be 5 or 6 forms in Year 7 with about 17-20 children in each.

We will have just less than half the year made up of pupils moving down from our Junior School, so we make sure that they are spread across all the forms so there is the opportunity for everyone to make new friends.

What happens in the first week?

The first week is about you finding your way around, meeting new people and settling in to life as a Grovian. We do hold a Team Building Day in your first week so you can really get to know your form. This is always filled with action packed activities! There will be lots of time with your Form Tutor as well, to ask all those questions that might pop up in the first few days.

What happens if I get lost or need someone to talk to?

New Year 7s are always worried about getting lost, but please do not worry. There are lots of helpful staff and pupils who will point you in the right direction. You will not get in trouble for being late - everyone knows it is difficult finding your way around at first.

You will see your Form Tutor everyday at some point, so if you have any questions or concerns you can chat to them. The Head of Year 7, Miss Barron, is also always in the Year 7 area along with Mr Ridley (Pastoral Lead) for anything you might need. We also have 'The Hub' where you can go to to talk to staff or Sixth Form helpers, which our Year 7 pupils also like doing.

Will I like the food?

We hope that you saw on our Taster Day that there are LOTS of food options at lunchtime! There is always a hot option, jacket potatoes and a pasta dish - so we are sure that there will be something you like.

You can also drop in for breakfast if you arrive early - no need to register, just nip in for another bowl of cereal, toast or a hot chocolate with your friends before school starts. If you are staying for tea it is served at 5.45pm.

What time does school finish?

School finishes at 4pm but lots of pupils stay for co-curricular activities after school and, with our boarding pupils on site, the school is always busy!

Buses leave at 5.15pm, so if you are not doing an activity, you head to the IT area to get some homework done under the helpful supervision of teachers.

Now for the questions your parents might want to ask….

What happens next?

You will have received all your joining information, including details about uniform and answering key questions about the next stage of your journey. We respectfully request that all medical and personal information is returned by the deadlines given.

All parents are invited to an informal welcome Parents' Evening on Mon 24th June where you will get the opportunity to chat to key staff, ask any questions you have and hear a short presentation about joining The Grove.

Children are invited to attend an Induction Day the same week, where they will meet their form and Form Tutor. This is a great opportunity to swap contact details and arrange meet ups over the summer.

What school transport options are available?

Our buses leave school at 5.15pm, after our co-curricular activities. They depart from the playground and this is clearly communicated to pupils on day one. If you are not sure which days you need the bus to begin with, the team can look at giving you a flexible pass until things become clearer!

Our Transport Coordinator is the best person to chat to about all things transport and can be contacted at: travel@woodhousegrove.co.uk

Are subjects streamed in Year 7?

We use the marks from the Entrance Exam to set pupils for maths in Year 7. This is re-aligned in October, just in case the results were not a true reflection of ability. English is streamed from Year 8 and science from Year 9.

How is the school day structured?

The school day starts at 8.35am and finishes at 4pm. Children have six 50-minute lessons a day. Lunch is between 12-1pm - this is our junior lunch hour.  Year 7 are located in their own area with separate locker rooms and the Head of Year 7's office is located within that area, so she is easily accessible for any questions, concerns or worries.

Chapter 1

Right…now that we’ve got that out of the way, it is time for Chapter 1.

Quiz time! 

Here is a short quiz about all things Grovian. You should be able to find all the answers on our website and by looking through our Flickr albums. See how much you can learn about life at The Grove before checking your score!

QUIZ

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ANSWERS

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Chapter 2

Now that you’ve found out a little bit more about The Grove, you’re ready for Chapter 2…

A Grove Crossword!

See if you can fill in all the squares before you check your answers. Good luck!

CROSSWORD

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CROSSWORD ANSWERS

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Chapter 3

Time for something a little bit different. Chapter 3 tests your technology and geography skills and, by the time you’ve finished, you should know the school site much better.

Enjoy the “Around The Grove” challenge!

AROUND THE GROVE QUESTIONS

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AROUND THE GROVE ANSWERS

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Chapter 4

Time to go back to basics for Chapter 4. It’s time for the…

Grove Wordsearch!

Words can be found going across, down and there’s even a few diagonals thrown in. You know what to do!

WORDSEARCH

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WORDSEARCH ANSWERS

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Chapter 5

One last Chapter… sit back and relax…it’s time to meet your Year 7 Form Tutors!

Meet The Form Tutors

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