Fa l k n e r
Par ent
201 6
Ho u s e
handbo ok
-
20 17
FH parent Handbook front cover.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2016 09:16 Page 2
ATTENDANCE
Parents will appreciate that attendance at school is mandatory. However, if a girl needs to be absent for
an unavoidable reason, parents should seek permission well in advance from Mrs Griggs.
BEDTIME
The earlier the better! Experience shows that the girls who have the most sleep are the most ready to
learn and are the most cheerful.
COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS
The school website is the main means of communication with parents. The calendar, notices and accounts
of recent events are updated onto the website on at least a weekly basis. Every attempt is made to notify
parents, generally by a “Friday email”, of important additions or changes.
CONTACT DETAILS
The school needs always to have a comprehensive list of contact numbers (at least one of which is always
answered by a real human being!). When parents are away the school must have details
of whom to contact in London in an emergency. The school should be kept informed of
any change in address, telephone numbers or email addresses.
SCHOOL DOG
The school dog is Dexter, a chocolate Labrador owned by Mrs Apostolides. Dexter has a
very mild temperament and spends most of his day in the Reception classroom.
EDUCATIONAL VISITS
Teachers are encouraged to arrange visits to sites which support the curriculum. Form staff prepare a
schedule of annual visits in co-operation with subject teachers. Girls in Years 5 and 6 may have short
residential visits to Mrs Griggs’ house in Itchenor, West Sussex or to an activity centre and, in Year 6, girls
generally go to France or Italy in the Summer Term. Plans are made well in advance and discussed with the
Headteacher to ensure appropriate numbers of accompanying adults to ensure safety, and good
organisation. Epipens, etc. are taken if they are used by any pupil who is going off site.
EQUIPMENT TO BE KEPT IN SCHOOL
Reception to Year 3 the school supplies all stationery.
Year 4 and Year 5
 good quality royal blue, roller ball or fountain pen with cartridges
 rigid A4 folder for carrying loose sheets of paper (not ring file)
Year 6 – a very basic set of stationery in a pencil case
 good quality royal blue, roller ball or fountain pen with cartridges
 rigid A4 folder for carrying loose sheets of paper (not ring file)
 ruler marked to 30cm / 12inch
 pencils, sharpener and a rubber
 small set coloured pencils and felt tip pens
 precision maths set
EQUIPMENT TO BE KEPT AT HOME
 ruler marked to 30cm/ pencils/ rubbers/ pencil sharpener/ glue sticks coloured pencils / felt tip pens
 from Year 4 spare royal blue roller ball / fountain pen
 suitable dictionary and thesaurus
FRENCH
The following websites are used at school and also for homework:
 Years 1-6 www.linguascope.com (password: falkner, username changes annually)
 Years 4-6 www.languagesonline.org.uk (French section)
 Years 5-6 www.thisislanguage.com
FOOD
Reception girls have lunch in their classroom with food delivered from the
kitchen. Years 1 – 6 eat in the dining room on a rota system with a selection of
hot, cold and vegetarian food available. Staff monitor discreetly to ensure that
girls choose a balanced diet of a sensible quantity and that good manners prevail.
Water is always available throughout the school and throughout the day. Girls
have a mid-morning snack of fruit or a biscuit with water. These are also available
post school with sandwiches as well for those staying to do clubs or Late Birds.
GIFTS
Parents may at times be kind enough to give presents to the staff. Sometimes one
parent may collect on behalf of the whole class. Giving – or not – is a totally personal choice and it goes
without saying that a homemade gift will give great pleasure to the recipient as will a thoughtful letter or a
donation to charity.
HANDWRITING
Falkner House has a school handwriting method with a common approved formation of letters. Joined up
script is generally started in Year 2. Ink (roller ball / fountain pen) is appropriate in school for Years 4 – 6.
HEALTH
If your child is unwell, please telephone the school by 9.00 am. Girls should only be at school if they are
well enough to participate in all usual activities including PE, swimming and outside breaks in the
playground. Medicines (including cough sweets, etc.) should not be brought into school, instead parents
may come in to administer a prescribed medicine that needs to be taken during the school day. At the
school’s discretion and upon receipt of a signed indemnity form, Mrs Griggs may be able to administer a
prescribed medicine and/or to accommodate children who, whilst well, for reasons such as a broken limb,
are unable to do all normal school activities.
If your child becomes unwell during the school day and needs to return home we will make every
endeavour to get in contact with parents. In the case of a minor injury being sustained whilst at school, first
aid will be applied and the parent notified at collection time. In the case of a major injury we would call
999 immediately. Please also note the school Health and Safety Policy on the website.
Sun screen should be applied before school in hot weather and the uniform baseball hat should be kept in
school for break times.
HOMEWORK
Homework is set from Reception both as a reinforcement of school work and as a link
between school and home. Homework is also seen as part of an important routine of
remembering to complete set tasks and to bring in books, etc. as required. It is
essential that girls learn how to organise themselves for the day ahead and how to
complete a task on their own. Learning of poems has an important role throughout
the school: girls recite poems on an individual basis which boosts self-confidence.
Homework increases in importance and in volume as the girls move up the school.
From Year 2, each girl has a homework book, which parents are asked to sign daily
and in which any comments for the parent / form teacher regarding homework may be written.
Homework schedules are given out at the start of the Autumn Term.
Year
R
Time
daily
¼ hour
1
¼ hour
2
¼ hour
3
½ hour
4
¾-1 hr
5
1-1½ hr
6
1-2
hours
Topic
High frequency and phonic words plus 15 minutes reading plus a poem to learn by
heart every two weeks
Spellings, vocabulary extension, handwriting, oral maths (occasionally written) plus 15
minutes reading (reading scheme) plus a poem to learn by heart every two weeks
Oral tables and maths (occasionally written), spellings, vocabulary extension, plus 15
minutes reading (reading scheme) (occasionally handwriting) plus a poem to learn by
heart every two weeks
Written work across the curriculum, spellings, vocabulary extension, tables plus 15-30
minutes reading (own or library book teacher monitored) or reading scheme plus a
poem to learn by heart every two weeks
Written work across the curriculum, spellings, vocabulary extension plus 30 minutes
reading plus a poem to learn by heart every two weeks
Written work across the curriculum, spellings, poetry ,vocabulary extension plus 30
minutes reading plus a poem to learn by heart every two weeks
Written work across the curriculum, practice examination papers, vocabulary
extension plus 30 minutes reading plus a poem to learn by heart every two weeks.
HOUSES
Girls are placed into one of four houses: Owls (red), Finches (blue), Larks (green) and Swifts (yellow) each
with its own House Captain. Siblings are generally in the same house. There are a number of inter-house
competitions e.g. Sports Day and Swimming Gala as well as the General Knowledge Quiz. Girls are awarded
house points for particularly good work, effort or behaviour and an annual House Cup is awarded in July.
HOLIDAY DIARIES
Girls may enjoy writing holiday diaries but they should only be done if they give pleasure to the family as a
whole or if the class teacher indicates that a diary would be particularly useful. Less can very often be
more, not every day needs to be covered and using postcards, photographs and one line captions is fine
too.
IT
All girls follow an IT syllabus using MacBooks. In Years 5 and 6 parents are asked to purchase through the
school an iPad for use in the classroom and at home. The curriculum for these years is embedded in the
iPads. They are purely for academic use and girls are not allowed to email, etc. Use of the internet is
strictly controlled and monitored.
KIT
If kit is forgotten, younger pupils (Reception – Year 4) may sometimes be allowed to telephone home to ask
for it to be brought in. Depending on circumstances, in the absence of kit, the pupil may be withdrawn
from that activity and provided with a substitute task. Right from the start we are trying to encourage the
girls to take personal responsibility for having the right kit in school on the right day and we ask parents to
support us in this. Finding strategies to allow the girls themselves to remember what they need for a given
day (such as checking off a list before leaving the house) can be extremely helpful.
MARKING
All staff mark work as quickly as possible. Marking is developmental and appropriate to age and subject
material. Numerical grades are kept to a minimum and are used mainly for tests. Marks for the December
and June exams are included on the twice yearly written reports from Year 2. The rank order for
examinations is included in reports from Year 3 onwards. The Headteacher awards Falkner House ‘Well
Done’ stickers to pupils on staff recommendations.
MATHS
The rapid recall of key mathematical facts such as counting, number bonds, times tables and place value is
a critical first step to becoming a competent mathematician. This involves gaining a secure knowledge of
mental maths. Regular exposure to, and manipulation of, numbers in all contexts both in school and at
home for example when walking to school or in the car is essential to strengthen and consolidate
knowledge as well as to boost confidence in mathematics. These facts and skills are the building blocks for
mathematical development; daily practice will ensure that your daughter has the strongest possible
foundations. We strongly feel that the most beneficial way for girls to consolidate the maths learnt at
school is by regular and repeated mental maths practice at home. By Year 4, girls need to be completely at
ease with telling the time in all formats. All girls in Years 2 – 6 have a personal log-in to the MyMaths
website – which can be used either for homework or ad hoc enjoyment.
MUSIC
All girls have class music lessons and from Year 1 girls may also take individual music lessons. Please see
the appendix “Music Notes for Parents”.
OFFICE
The secretary Miss Boyd and bursar Mr Larvin staff the school’s office on the ground floor of 19 Brechin
Place. They play a vital part in the smooth running of the school and take messages for staff and pupils.
Any email contact with staff is via the school office. Parents visiting the school are asked to sign in and out.
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
The broad and balanced PHSE (Personal, Health, Social and Emotional) and science curriculum includes sex
education. It is delivered in an unbiased and sensible way in specific lessons in Years 5 and 6 (with an
additional adult in the room) and is intended to complement and support what parents teach in the home.
If children ask explicit or difficult questions then teachers will use their skill and discretion in deciding how
to respond and who should answer them (teachers / Headteacher / parents).
PETITES AND GRANDES
Year 6 girls (the grandes) all have the care of a Reception girl (a petite). The grandes look after their petites
in the playground and around the school. They first meet each other at the open afternoon for the new
Reception class in June/ July.
PHOTOGRAPHS
We always very much welcome and encourage parental support at school events and inevitably this will of
course include parents taking photographs and videos. Nonetheless, we would like to remind parents that
if they take photographs which include a child /children other than their own, that these should not be
uploaded/circulated on social media.
PLAYGROUND
The playground backs on to the Old Brompton Road and the gate is kept padlocked at all times. When
girls are in the playground, the staff on duty are in and around and
do not merely watch from the inside. Any undue attention from
passers-by is noted by the staff on duty who carry a walkie- talkie to
call for help from the office if necessary. The police are alerted in
case of any suspicious circumstances. In bad weather, children wear
their gilets and tracksuit tops, using the hood when cold - cagoules
can also be worn on top of the tracksuit.
PRAYERS / ASSEMBLIES/ RE
The school holds an assembly daily with a Christian hymn from the school’s hymn book
and prayers (the Lord’s Prayer said by all and a further prayer read by a Year 6 girl). A
moral matter may be discussed, news is exchanged, a child may play an instrument and
announcements are made. At 9.00 am all pupils return to their classes. At times, the
hymn, prayers and religious message are geared to the younger children and during this
time the older children have PHSE in their classrooms. Hymn practice is on Tuesdays.
Remembrance Day and Carol services are held annually for girls, their families and
friends. All faiths (and none) are accepted and indeed welcomed and there is much
emphasis on the similarities of the main faiths. RE lessons are informative rather than
doctrinal; no religious instruction is given in the school.
PRE AND POST SCHOOL CARE
The pre and post school care is referred to within the school as Early/Late Birds and is arranged by the coordinator who liaises with parents, staff and the office. Girls in
Reception - Year 6 can be in school care from 7.45 am until 5.30 pm
(Friday Late Birds on request only). Sisters in Reception and Year 1
who stay from 3.00 pm – 3.30 pm are “waiting sisters” (no charge).
Early / Late Birds and Waiting Sisters are based in the ground floor
room overlooking the playground in 17 Brechin Place (the Aviary). A
record is kept of times of attendance and a charge (half hourly) is
made for the scheme.
Arrival at school 8.30-8.45 am
Girls enter through the playground on Old Brompton Road. The Headteacher is always at the gate and girls
are encouraged to come in on their own.
Arrival at Early Birds
Girls may be dropped off at the school between 7.45 am and 8.20 am at the front door of number 19
(please buzz the Early/Late Birds buzzer).
Arrival at Morning Music Groups
Parents drop their girls off at the school by 8.00 am (punctuality is important)
at the front door of number 19 where they buzz the main buzzer. Girls make
their way to the Big Room (or other music room) to be registered.
Supervision and activities in Early/Late Birds
 At all times girls remain in view of the Early/Late Birds Co-ordinator and
must ask permission to go to the lavatory or get a drink. At any time, the
Co-ordinator must know the whereabouts of each child. If there are
excessive numbers of girls in Early or Late Birds the Co-ordinator is given
additional support.
 Breakfast is available if required.
 At the end of Early Birds (8.30 am) girls collect their possessions and line
up where they are dismissed by the Early Birds Co-ordinator to go to the
relevant classroom.
 At the end of school at 3.30 pm all girls attending a club or Late Birds go to the dining room to have tea
(3.30 – 3.45 pm) under the supervision of a member of staff.
 After their tea children are collected from the dining room by their Club Leader and taken to the
relevant location. A register is taken at the start of the club. If a club has to be cancelled, parents will be
notified as soon as possible by the office by email, phone or text message. After school care will always
be available (free of charge) if children cannot be collected due to late cancellation of a club.
 When the pupils attending clubs have been collected all Late Birds collect their belongings and move,
with the member of staff supervising Late Birds, to the Aviary.
 Girls may complete homework following which a variety of suitable activities are available including
board games, Lego and crafts.
Clubs / squads/ ensembles
These are voluntary with swimming and games squads and strings and wind ensembles by invitation (from
PE / Music staff). Clubs aim to provide opportunities to develop skills and
to promote and find individual strengths and to develop hobbies and
interests. The club programme is administered by the school secretary.
Most girls participate in at least one club and the club programme can be
interwoven with Early/Late Birds. Clubs, etc. are run by various members
of staff and take place in rooms throughout the school or outside venues
as appropriate. Clubs and ensembles are chargeable.
Collection from Clubs
Club girls are dismissed by the Club leader (by shaking hands) to the known adult waiting in the playground.
After school ballet girls are, however, dismissed from the front door of 19 Brechin Place. If a parent fails to
pick their child up from a club after 10 minutes of the end of the club session and cannot be contacted the
child will be taken to Late Birds by the club leader and officially handed over to the Late Birds Co-ordinator.
Collection from Late Birds
When an adult arrives to collect a child from Late Birds they buzz the Early/Late Birds buzzer on the front
door. The Late Birds co-ordinator has easy access to the intercom system from all the classrooms used by
Late Birds. The Co-ordinator answers the buzzer and hands over the child to the known adult at the front
door. If a child is not collected by the end of the Late Birds session at 5.30 pm and the parents cannot be
contacted, the Headteacher becomes involved.
PRIZES
At the end of each term, the following cups/prizes are awarded:
 Form Cups – Reception to Year 3 (generally for achievement)
 Improvement / Effort Cups – Reception to Year 3
 Falkner House certificates for Years 4 and 5 (covering work and
effort across the curriculum)
 Annual House cup
 At the end of the Summer Term, a number of additional annual
prizes are awarded.
There is a Spelling Bee or similar in December, a Poetry and Prose competition in March and also a House
General Knowledge Quiz in the Summer Term. These events are “in-house”.
PROGRESS AND ASSESSMENT
 The children’s learning is subject to continuous assessment as well as routine informal tests. In
addition there are exams whose formality increases gradually:
 Year 2 maths and English in June
 Year 3 maths and English in November, with science added in June
 Year 4 maths, English and science in November, with geography, history and French added in June
 Year 5 maths, English, science, geography, history and French in November with Latin added in June
 Year 6 maths, English, science, geography, history, French and Latin in November and June
 Scripts and question papers are reviewed with girls during class for Years 4, 5 and 6 (class order is not
announced). It should be emphasised that exams are part of ongoing assessments and, as they have no
intrinsic importance, it is important to take both the tests and the results in their stride. Girls should be
encouraged to be pleased with their achievements but not downhearted if there are areas that may
need more practice and effort.
 Work is not ‘levelled’ on a standardised basis using national curriculum levels (SATS are not used),
instead girls are assessed in a consistent, frequent and meaningful fashion to aid planning and thus
teaching and learning.
 A teacher’s own assessment of a child’s performance in a given lesson, the use of questioning, self
assessment (by way of the smiley face or other appropriate symbol if appropriate or relevant alongside
the success criteria for each task) and formal assessment, help the teacher to identify those children
that may need further support or teaching or those that can be extended so as to ensure that all
children are achieving their maximum potential. This may be achieved with individual or small group
support during a break time (for those that need support) or will be factored into another lesson (by
way of adult or peer support and /or extension material and/ or questioning techniques). Extension
questions may be written at the end of a child’s piece of work to promote further thinking.
 Years 3-6 have annual cognitive development tests (CATS and or MidYiS).
 All teachers keep in touch with the Headteacher as regards each and every girl’s progress.
PUPIL RESPONSIBILITIES AND REWARDS
 One girl from each year group (Reception to Year 5) is appointed “badge girl” for
the week. This is announced in the Monday Assembly. They assist the teacher,
are first in line, run errands, and lead when moving around the school e.g. going
down to lunch or to PE.
 Eco-monitors, who form part of the school Eco-committee, are appointed on a
half-termly basis.
 Year 6 girls are appointed to be Head Girl, Deputy Head Girl and Prefect for half
a term. They have various duties including reading a prayer each morning in
Assembly. These appointments are announced in Assembly and on the website.
 The Headteacher awards “Good Work” stickers on advice from teachers.
 House points are also available for good or improved work and behaviour.
Careful note is taken of those selected so that all the girls have these opportunities.
READING
Learning to read is one of the most important skills your child will learn at school. We outline below key
points that will enhance reading at home and school.
Reading scheme Reception – Year 3
Falkner House deliberately uses a variety of publishers and reading schemes, with books banded and coded
according to difficulty. This allows the girls to consolidate their
skills at each level, using texts presented in a range of styles and
with different requirements. Each girl’s progress is monitored
and recorded in detail, and she will move up to the next level at
the appropriate point in her development, irrespective of her
year group. We take great pride in making sure that girls are in
the “right” reading band – assessing this is a lengthy process
(circa half an hour). The reading scheme is not a race. Children
will come off the scheme at some stage – at the earliest in Year
2 and at the latest by the end of
Year 3. There are no prizes in
moving up the scheme fast and
there can be a problem in the inherent competiveness of parents! Please
trust our judgements.
The Falkner House reading scheme is varied and is updated constantly with
lots of fiction and non-fiction books and is an amazing resource. That said,
there may be a few occasions when your daughter says a book is “boring” –
but, it is homework, and part of school life is learning to continue to the best
of our abilities what we may not wish to do! Modern primary school children
are rarely asked to do anything that resembles grind e.g. learning lists of
vocabulary or dates and this is perhaps a mistake… School reading books will
not always appear “challenging” – the aim is for your daughter to become a
confident, fluent reader at each level.
Reading from any book is pointless unless one understands what one is reading; your daughter is not just
reading words from a page for the sake of it! Fundamental skills are acquired
through practice in the process of de-coding (understanding how the words
are assembled) and, increasingly, taking in the structure of the whole
sentence. It is not important how many books a girl manages to read in the
course of a term or at what level; the only matter of real significance is
whether she can understand the content.
Comprehension is the key. The scheme is a tool not an objective in itself.
Once past the initial stages, it is not designed to “teach your daughter to
read” or to measure how well she decodes. The latter is a very small part of
reading. Instead reading is about inference, understanding, comprehension,
critical appreciation and learning. Reading with a parent or teacher is not
about just reading the text, it is a time - 10 or 15 minutes - when an adult has
a crucial dialogue with a child: what is going to happen, why did the dog bark,
what would happen if Jane dropped the eggs, why are modern tankers double skinned? Why is the word
skin used in that context? A “bolt from the blue” what does that mean? What other kinds of bolts are there
(doors, horses, lightening)? “What is a spaniel?” leads on to how to categorise. What does “fed up” mean?
– how do we get to this expression? We are building a crucial understanding of nuance that will serve your
daughter lifelong quite apart from helping her to success at 11+. As can be gleaned from the above, the
capability of the adult concerned is key – they have to understand what they are doing and have a very
good standard of English.
When we hear girls read at school, we will ask them to identify (as appropriate to their level) sight words,
magic “e” words, blends, etc. We help them to become aware of implication and to make their own
inferences. Illustrations are discussed before and during the reading, and stories are analysed: what has
happened and what might happen next? It is important to ensure that there is involvement in the storyline.
As a rough guide, an average child using a reading scheme book will take ten minutes to read, discuss and
analyse two to three pages. Therefore, reading at home should not be an arduous task. Once fluency is
established, girls need not read a whole book out loud, but parents and teachers should ask pertinent
questions to check comprehension.
However, having said that reading is all about inference, it is still necessary for the adult to follow precisely
what the child is reading. Total accuracy in this scenario is important as reading accurately out loud or to
yourself is a vital skill in itself. Clearly much of the time one is not using this skill and instead using another
skill of skim reading. Both are equally important but different.
The school reading scheme books are unrelated to what your daughter chooses to read in her free time.
We applaud girls of any age reading tricky, complicated chapter books if those are what she enjoys – as
ever, though the key is balance, there is generally little purpose in her skipping and racing through long
sophisticated stories! Equally she may want to read newspapers, comics or the same style of books over
and over. She may prefer CDs or audio books. Any of this is a wonderful and essential addition to her life
but quite separate from carefully reading a school reading book with an adult who is promoting and
prompting all the vital skills noted above.
Routine at school
Reading is built into the school day and the girls are heard individually from Reception up to the end of Year
3. The school reading book goes home with the girl to allow her to read to her parent or carer. Any child
experiencing specific difficulties is given extra help and / or referred to the Head of Lower School. When
girls are reading to a teacher, the focus is on quality reading time. As they develop, they are heard for
slightly longer.
Girls are not allowed to bring a Kindle into school or to take it with them on a school trip.
Reception and Year 1: Each girl reads to her teacher from her school reading book on a daily basis. The
reading reinforces letter recognition, sound and blends, with pictures to enhance understanding.
Year 2: Each girl reads to her teacher from her school reading book three times a week.
Year 3: Girls gradually move off the reading scheme as appropriate. If on the scheme, each girl reads to a
teacher three times a week; once off the scheme, she reads to a teacher once a week from a book of her
own choice. It is still expected that your daughter will read very frequently with an adult at home.
Years 4 – 6: Girls are heard regularly throughout the week in a variety of reading contexts, which arise
during lessons; these might be an individual or class reading of a poem, a passage from a novel or a play.
Reading record Reception – Year 3:
All school reading is recorded in the girl’s reading record book, which goes between home and school.
Parents / carers are encouraged to use this book to communicate any important observations or queries
resulting from home reading. The book becomes an important record of progress at school and at home.
The Libraries
Children use the school libraries, which contain both fiction and non-fiction, to develop their reading range
and stamina. There are also small stocks of books in the classrooms
for additional borrowing.
Years 1 – 2 have daily access to the Lower School Library.
Years 3 - 6 have a weekly timetabled session in the Upper School
Library. Girls take out one or two books (recorded by the teacher),
which can be changed during the week, as necessary. It is expected
that girls read at least one school library book a week
HOME READING
Communication
It is crucial that the school and parents / carers work together to ensure that the development of reading
skills is supported through mutual understanding and communication. There may be occasions when a new
book is sent home and it appears too difficult, or indeed too easy. Please be patient and give us your feedback so that we can “get it right”. The whole process requires constant fine-tuning and with your help we
can quickly address any problems. Remember that children are changing and developing all the time; we
have no magic solutions but we do have a commitment to do our very best.
Paired reading
Reading in unison (paired reading) with your daughter is known to have a high success rate. It is particularly
useful when you read a ‘home’ book or library book with your child, or when she moves to a new level of
reading. Paired reading also provides a different approach that can relieve the perception of boredom from
either the child or the parent!
Routine at home
All girls from Reception to Year 4 are expected to read to their parents on a daily basis for 10 -15 minutes.
This time should include discussion, questioning and shared enjoyment of the book – which can be either
from the school’s scheme or one of their own choice. Regular practice improves and reinforces vocabulary
and enables children to accumulate banks of words that become familiar. Establishing a daily routine,
either before or after school, makes it easier for all concerned. Children like structure: they feel
comfortable when they have a clear understanding of what is expected. The best time for reading a book
together or reading aloud to your daughter is often just before bed-time; this is not, however, the moment
for structured, supervised reading.
Practical points to encourage a child to read:
 Read aloud to your child on a regular basis.
 Encourage your child to use the public as well as school library.
 Children love new books and enjoy being taken to bookshops and allowed to choose.
 Audio books can be very helpful for reluctant readers and for all on long journeys. They can also be
an excellent means for a child to enjoy and benefit from a more advanced book.
 Whispersync for Voice allows a child to switch back and forth between reading the Kindle book and
listening to the audible narration (see details on Amazon website). This is more appropriate for an
older child – Year 2 upwards.
A child who is a prolific but not yet a “free” reader will usually have a “home” book which can be used for
individual as well as for paired reading. It is essential, though, that the school reading book is used for
supervised reading, and this requires a quiet environment and your undivided attention. Two pages read
correctly will be much more effective than six pages read in a less structured way.
When reading with your daughter, time spent discussing the content is an essential part of the process.
Parents should support their daughter with a range of questions about the text, for example:
Literal comprehension questions – these require the children to locate or recall specific
information directly stated in the text e.g. What are the two uses of the largest swimming pool?
Inferential comprehension questions – these require the children to draw a conclusion by
combining information not directly stated in the text with some degree of prior knowledge e.g.
Why is it important to have signs about the depth of the water on the side of the swimming pool?
Applied knowledge questions – these require the children to explain generalisations and extend
information beyond the text through personal response e.g. explain why children younger than
twelve years of age are not allowed in the deep pool.
Vocabulary check – choose a word to replace from the passage. Ask the child if they know another
word with the same meaning.
As children become more independent in their reading it is essential that parents continue to read aloud to
them. It is through hearing expressive, experienced readers that children acquire a model of what it
means to be a reader. Reading aloud to them will impact on both their independent reading and the
quality of their writing.
The reluctant reader
It is not unusual for children to lose interest in reading from time to time. Please do not panic, because the
surest way to exacerbate the problem is to make an issue out of it. There are many reasons why a child may
be unwilling to read, ranging from plain stubbornness to a lack of confidence. The most important first step
is for you to alert your child’s teacher if you are experiencing problems at home. There are various
strategies which can be used to encourage reluctant readers, but remember that children learn best when
they are given an enjoyable and meaningful process. We can work together to achieve this.
Quantity / quality
There can be a tremendous amount of competitiveness surrounding children’s reading but excessive
quantity has a negative effect on quality. Far better than rushing through a text, is for your daughter to
read a few pages, with an adult checking her understanding of the storyline and raising her awareness of,
for example, sight words and blends.
Library and reading lists
Children’s reading ability and interests vary considerably and of course
our libraries are far from definitive. Amongst many excellent new
books, there are inordinate number of ‘fantasy’ stories, many are
extremely popular but often of very slight content. Historical fiction
can be very appealing to children as is biography or autobiography;
many children love learning about “real lives”.
“Lighter” books e.g. by authors such as Enid Blyton or Daisy Meadows
are perfectly acceptable as part, but not all, of a child’s reading.
Children should be encouraged to try a variety of books but never
forced to finish a book that they really dislike.
The website shows the books in the Falkner House main and lower
school libraries as well as books read to the children in Nursery and
Reception and in the classrooms. Fiction books are in broad age bands
e.g. picture books for reading to children (Early Years – Nursery and
Reception), emerging readers (Reception – Year 2), upper school
(Years 3 – 6 with a special transition band). The lower school library
also contains a changing selection of transition books for confident readers. Some upper school library
books are deemed ‘extended reading’ either in terms of vocabulary or content – parents may wish to keep
a check on books in this category. Non-fiction is categorized by topic. All the books listed are available to
girls either in the Falkner House libraries or the classrooms and are available for parents to purchase
although some may be out of print. We always are culling and restocking – we have a constant mental
battle over the popularity of easy reads being a route to developing a love of reading versus a striving for
excellence! Please let us know of any books you have discovered and would recommend us to buy.
We have now evolved ‘essential reading’ lists:






Nursery – Year 2
Years 1-2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
books to be read to your child by the end of Year 2
books to be read by your daughter during Years 1 and 2
books to be read by your daughter by the end of Year 3
books to be read by your daughter by the end of Year 4
books to be read by your daughter by the end of Year 5
books to be read by your daughter by the end of Year 6
We are expecting parents to have read most of the Nursery – Year 2 ‘essential reads’ books to their
daughter by the end of Year 2 with the same applying to girls reading the books for themselves in Years 1 6. This will be monitored in school. Your daughter may well be reading books recommended for older year
groups; this is entirely her choice with the key being that she should be really enjoying her reading. The
recommendations are our top picks – an eclectic selection of books that, in our opinion, all Falkner House
girls should have read by the time they finish Year 6! We have generally selected just one book of an
author; if it appeals, then we hope your daughter is enticed to read more of the series. “Essential” books
can be read either from the library or from home books, if the latter, then such books can be noted on the
system under a girl’s name. We hope that it goes without saying that the “essential” list is just a start and
that all girls will read voraciously and access any /all of the books in the Falkner House library.
It is impossible to be precise as to what is the “right” age range for a book for an individual child. Some girls
will be avid readers of books recommended for much older children whilst others are far happier and gain
much more from a book that parents might consider to be “too young”. It all depends and parents need to
use their judgement and be flexible. Most authors write for a fairly specific age range but others e.g. Roald
Dahl, Dick King-Smith and Michael Morpugo span the ages. “
PARENTAL QUALITY CONTROL
We would strongly recommend that parents keep a close eye on what their daughter is reading. This
particularly applies to Kindle home purchases when it is all too easy to click and buy. Most children at
junior school are too young to appreciate or gain from the adult classics such as Charles Dickens, Jane
Austen or Emily Bronte and future enjoyment can often be spoilt by too early an introduction to their
works. Perhaps more important is to avoid current “sensations” such as Game of Thrones or indeed
anything which has a definitely adult flavour in terms of subject matter or vocabulary: it is surely essential
that children are allowed to be children. Furthermore, your daughter will genuinely gain far more
intellectually from something that could be deemed ‘childish’ than from reading overly mature content. It
is interesting to note that all of the girls – even in Year 6 – are relishing the Usbourne Young Reading series.
Finally…each girl is an individual with her own strengths and weaknesses. Avoid comparisons, which are
not helpful, but do praise – frequently! Learning to read is a highly complex task and progress at every
stage should be acknowledged and valued.
Some suggested DVDs (we realise these could be considered somewhat old-fashioned but they are tried
and tested and very popular!)
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Babe
Dr Doolittle
Heidi
Paddington
Little Women
Charlotte’s Web
Alice in Wonderland
Black Beauty
Flambards
The Secret Garden
Ballet Shoes
Tom’s Midnight Garden
5 Children and It
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Swiss Family Robinson
Pollyanna
Matilda
The BFG
Nannie McPhee
Anne of Green Gables
My Friend Flicka
White Fang
National Velvet
Just William
The Sound of Music
Peter Pan
The Wizard of Oz
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Wolves of Willoughby Chase
A Little Princess
The Railway Children
The Borrowers
Oliver
Swallows and Amazons
Treasure Island
Famous Five
The Incredible Journey (Homeward Bound)
Lassie
Mrs Doubtfire
Good Night Mr Tom
REPORTS
Written reports are posted to parents after the end of term. They are designed to be read by the parent
and should not be shown directly to your daughter. All staff always give constant and immediate feedback
to the girls which is the best means of promoting progress. Parent teacher meetings held, at least annually
if, however, there are any concerns or anxieties or indeed if parents would just like to ‘catch up’, please feel
free to make an appointment to see your daughter’s form or relevant subject teacher or Mrs Griggs.
Personal files and records are available to parents upon written request.
Year
Curriculum
meetings
Parent meetings
Written reports
Reception
1
2
3
4
5
6
September
September
September
September
September
September
September
December and on request
On request
On request
On request
Spring term and on request
Spring term and on request
December (accompanied by girls) and on request
July
December and July
December and July
December and July
December and July
December and July
December and July
SCHOOL EVENTS INVOLVING PARENTS (whole school unless noted)
September
Year group curriculum meetings (Nursery, Reception, Year 5 and Year 6)
September / October
Individual parents meetings to discuss the curriculum (Years 1 – 4)
September / October
Harvest festival charity cake bake
October
Reception – Year 2 reading and maths teach in s
October and May
Open days (last afternoon before half terms)
November
Remembrance Day service
November
Reception parent lunch to sample school food
December
Reception and Year 6 parents meetings
December
Reception nativity play
December
Carol service
January/February/ March Years 4 and 5 parents evenings
February
Years 3 – 6 swimming gala
February/ March
Year 5 meeting re secondary school examinations
March
Cross country meet
May
Reception meeting re individual music
June
Year 1 Father’s day breakfast
June / July
Sports day
June / July
Pet day
July
Year 6 play and leavers dinner (evening before end of term)
Periodic
Informal or formal concerts
Periodic
Class drama productions
Periodic
Games matches / swimming galas
Occasional
Whole school drama production
SECONDARY SCHOOLS - REGISTRATION
Parents should be aware that deadlines for registration vary considerably. Boarding schools generally
prefer interest to be expressed earlier than the London day schools as they like to try and get to know
families. For example, Wycombe Abbey now closes its list approximately 18 months before proposed
admission, Benenden can be similar and co-educational schools (which start at age 13 or Year 9) such as
Marlborough, Oundle and Rugby definitely need early registration. St. Mary’s Ascot (Catholic) also very
much notes and appreciates early contact. Parents considering such schools for their daughter should thus
get in touch with them in good time. The London day schools allow registration up until the autumn of Year
6 with each school having a different closing date. Please also see appendix.
SPORT
There are selected school squads (A, B and sometimes C teams) in netball, rounders,
swimming and athletics from Year 3 onwards with frequent matches, galas, meets and
tournaments against other schools. Every attempt is made to include as many girls as
possible. Girls selected for squads should attend the weekly squad training sessions
regularly. Parents are not charged for squads.
Games including
netball and
rounders
Playground
Kensington
Gardens
Cross country
Gymnastics
Battersea Park
Kensington
Gardens
Falkner House
Latchmere
Leisure Centre
2
Battersea Park
Battersea Park
Latchmere
Leisure Centre
3
Battersea Park
Battersea Park
Latchmere
Leisure Centre
Chelsea Pools
4
Battersea Park
Battersea Park
Latchmere
Leisure Centre
Chelsea Pools
5
Battersea Park
Battersea Park
Latchmere
Leisure Centre
Chelsea Pools
6
Battersea Park
Battersea Park
Latchmere
Leisure Centre
Chelsea Pools
R
1
Swimming
Athletics
Falkner House
Millennium
Arena Battersea
Park
Millennium
Arena Battersea
Park
Millennium
Arena Battersea
Park
Millennium
Arena Battersea
Park
Millennium
Arena Battersea
Park
Millennium
Arena Battersea
Park
TIMETABLE
The timetable for the academic year will be available on the school web site at the start of the Autumn
Term.
TUTORING (please see further comments in Appendix 2)
The school believes that additional external tutoring does not benefit the great majority of girls, indeed we
feel it is often counterproductive and damaging to both academic performance and self-confidence. If the
school thinks that additional support might be beneficial then this will be mentioned to parents. In some
cases, Falkner House teachers may be able to support girls pre or post school. In this situation, financial
arrangements are made directly between staff and parents. Maths and English clubs with extension
activities are at times available to selected girls in Years 5 and 6. Maths Plus classes with support activities
are at times available to selected girls in Years 1-3
UNIFORM
All pupils wear the school uniform supplied by Perry Uniform. Perry’s have efficient online ordering and
orders can always be delivered/ collected from Falkner House. Please label
everything, including socks, shoes and underwear in obvious places. There
are termly second hand uniform sales organised by parents with funds raised
being given to the charity of the term. Lost property is put in a box outside
Year 1 and is distributed by the Year 6 prefects.
Kit days
Monday
R
Normal school
uniform.
Dance kit (pink
leather ballet
shoes only) kept in
school.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Come to school
wearing PE kit and
remain in it all day.
Dance kit kept in
school.
School uniform.
Tuesday
Come to school
wearing PE kit and
remain in it all day.
Dance kit (pink
leather ballet
shoes only) kept in
school.
Wednesday
School uniform
with PE kit in their
school bag (not in
book bag) Girls
change at school
and go home in
their games kit
(normal uniform in
their school bag.)
Dance kit (pink
leather ballet
shoes only) kept in
school.
School uniform.
Thursday
Come to school
wearing PE kit and
remain in it all day.
Dance kit (pink
leather ballet
shoes only) kept in
school.
Friday
Normal school
uniform.
Dance kit (pink
leather ballet
shoes only) kept in
school.
School uniform.
School uniform.
Dance kit kept in
school.
School uniform.
Dance kit kept in
school.
School uniform.
Dance kit kept in
school.
Dance kit kept in
school.
Dance kit kept in
school.
Dance kit kept in
school.
Come to school
wearing PE kit and
remain in it all day.
Come to school
wearing PE kit and
remain in it all day.
Dance kit kept in
school.
Come to school
wearing PE kit and
remain in it all day.
Dance kit kept in
school.
School uniform. PE
kit in games bag
kept at school.
Dance kit kept in
school.
Dance kit kept in
school.
Come to school
wearing PE kit and
with school
uniform in games
bag, they change
and leave PE kit at
school.
Dance kit kept in
school.
School uniform. PE
kit in games bag
kept at school all
week.
School uniform. PE School uniform. PE
kit in games bag
kit in games bag
kept at school.
kept at school.
Swimming kit to be
brought in.
School uniform go home in PE kit
with uniform in
games bag.
School uniform. PE
kit needed if
attending after
school Netball
club.
Dance kit kept in
school.
Dance kit kept in
school.
Dance kit kept in
school.
Dance kit kept in
school.
School uniform. PE
kit in games bag
kept at school all
week.
School uniform. PE
kit in games bag
kept at school all
week.
School uniform. PE
kit in games bag
kept at school all
week.
School uniform. PE
kit in games bag
kept at school all
week.
School uniform. PE
kit in games bag
kept at school all
week.
School uniform. PE
kit in games bag
kept at school all
week Swimming kit
to be brought in.
School uniform. PE
kit in games bag
kept at school all
week. Swimming
kit to be brought
in.
School uniform. PE
kit in games bag
kept at school all
week.
School uniform. PE
kit in games bag
kept at school all
week.
Dance kit kept in
school.
Come to school
wearing PE kit and
remain in it all day.
Dance kit kept in
Dance kit kept in
Dance kit kept in
school.
school.
school.
School uniform. PE School uniform. PE School uniform. PE
kit to be in school. kit to be in school. kit to be in school.
Girls
 must wear full winter uniform after half term in the Autumn Term
 must wear summer uniform after half term in the Summer Term
 must wear ankle or knee high white socks and not white tights with their summer uniform
 must wear sensible shoes (not slip ons) - dark blue or black
 must wear only red or blue hair accessories
 must keep a cagoule in school at all times and a baseball cap in the summer
 must have all uniform items labelled (in sensible places please!)
 may wear blazers with grey skirts and white socks in the first half of the Autumn or Summer Term
 must not wear nail varnish
 must not wear watches, bracelets or earrings
 must not have key rings, fobs, etc. on bags
WEEKLY ROUTINE
The hours are Monday to Thursday 8.30 am until 3.00 pm (Reception and Year 1) or 3.30 pm (Years 2 – 6)
and until 3.00 pm on Fridays (Reception – Year 6). The gate onto the Old Brompton Road is opened at 8.30
am and a member of staff is always on duty there until 8.40 am when the bell goes for Assembly in the Big
Room. Girls who arrive after 8.40 am should come to the front door of
19 Brechin Place.
Morning breaks vary according to the year group. Snacks (fruit / dried
fruit / biscuits) are always available. After lunch there is a break in the
playground.
Girls are collected from the playground. If someone other than the
parent e.g. a nanny regularly collects a girl, parents are asked to
introduce them to their daughter’s form teacher. It is very helpful if the school also has a nanny’s name
and contact details. If girls are to be collected by anyone other than their usual “minder” the form teacher
must be given a note or the office emailed or telephoned. Also, if your daughter is going to be on a 'school
run' the form teacher must be given a collection rota with a list of the children involved.
End of term collection times may vary. Please see the website for timings.
CURRICULUM: RECEPTION
English (communication, language and literacy)
Reading, exposure to a wide range of literature including fairytales and poems, phonic work (supported by
Read, Write, Inc), simple composition, sentence construction, full stops, capital letters, handwriting, drama,
speaking and listening.
Mathematics
Practical and written work with addition and subtraction of numbers to 10, number bonds to 10, counting
to 50, weight, capacity, length, shape, time, money, mathematical games, understanding mathematical
vocabulary and basic problem solving.
Science (understanding of the world)
Animals, water, growing (mainly plants), changing seasons and life cycle of a butterfly.
IT (understanding of the world)
Basic computer skills, PowerPoint presentations, recording audio, basic programming, manipulation of
images and shapes, spreadsheets, video.
RE (understanding of the world)
Stories from the Old and New Testaments as well as discussion of festivals such as Eid, Diwali, Chinese New
year, Passover, Yom Kippur, Easter and Christmas.
History and Geography (understanding of the world)
The world we live in, London and dinosaurs.
French (communication, language and literacy)
Simple phrases, colours, numbers, songs and games.
PHSE and Citizenship (personal, social and emotional development)
All about me, looking after ourselves, how we feel, good relationships, my family and friends, safety,
becoming an active and good citizen. Festivals and celebrations such as Divali, Christmas and Easter.
Art (expressive arts and design) and DT
Painting, drawing, clay, scissor manipulation, model making, use of various media and colour. DT - cross
curricula linkage with use of various construction kits, free design, planning and making models and sewing.
History of Art (expressive arts and design)
Different topic / artist each term which is announced at the start of term.
Music (expressive arts and design)
Develop confidence in singing, (Kodaly songs, popular English songs, nursery rhymes and songs from
different cultures, carols and hymns), study composers lives and their major works, introducing music
theory, knowledge of the instruments of the orchestra, clapping and use of musical notation and musical
terms, dance to improve sense of pulse and sense of tempo.
Physical Education (physical development)
Athletics, ball skills, dance, games, gymnastics and cross country.
CURRICULUM: YEAR 1
English
Reading, poetry, creative writing, writing instructions, dictation, spelling, phonic work, sentence
construction, grammar and punctuation, handwriting, initial, middle and final blends, speaking and
listening, library and drama.
Mathematics
Addition and subtraction, number bonds, place value, numbers to 100, shape and symmetry, doubling
numbers, weight, capacity, length, money, time, number patterns and ordering, odd and even numbers and
handling data.
Science
Ourselves, senses, light and dark, animals, materials, sound and hearing.
IT
Basic computer skills, illustration techniques, story creation using PuppetPals, data collection and
recording, PowerPoint presentations, navigating Google Earth.
RE
Old and New Testament stories including the Nativity. Gospel stories about Jesus’ life, death, resurrection
and ascension. Christian festivals such as Candlemas and Epiphany will be explored and pupils will learn
about events in Holy Week.
History
Timelines, Remembrance Day, Guy Fawkes, Horatio Nelson, Scott (the Antarctic), Ernest Shackleton and Sir
Ranulph Fiennes, Florence Nightingale, Louis Braille, transport over time, comparison of historical figures
e.g. Queen Elizabeth I and II, Columbus, Neil Armstrong and Captain Cook.
Geography
England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales – identify characteristics of the four countries and capital cities,
geographic enquiry and skills, mapping, changes in the environment including physical and human features,
continents, seas and oceans and weather.
French
Simple words and phrases, games and songs.
PHSE and Citizenship (personal, social and emotional development)
How we feel, good relationships, being a good friend, safety, becoming an active and good citizen.
Art /DT
Cross curricular linkage with painting, clay, scissor manipulation, model making, use of various media,
collage, free design, planning and sewing.
History of Art
Different topic / artist each term which is announced at the start of term.
Music
Singing in controlling pitch and phrasing awareness, (Kodaly songs, popular English songs, nursery rhymes
and songs from different cultures, carols and hymns), study composers life and their major works, theory
covering note reading, sharps and flats, key signature, rests and dynamics, clapping (including ternary and
binary metre), dance to improve sense of pulse and sense of tempo.
Physical Education
Wide range of skills and games, athletics, gymnastics, dance and cross country.
CURRICULUM: YEAR 2
English
Reading, poetry, comprehension, creative writing, sentence construction, dictation, spelling, phonic work,
grammar and punctuation, handwriting, library and drama.
Mathematics
Tables ( ×2, ×3, ×5, ×10), the four operations: multiplication, division, addition and subtraction, number
bonds, 2 and 3 digit place value, analogue and digital time, fractions, money, 2D and 3D shapes, compass
bearings, symmetry, length, capacity, problem solving investigations and handling data.
Science
Earth, planets and space, electricity, variation in plants and animals, habitats and forces.
IT
PowerPoint, illustration techniques, audio recording, programming, animation, iMovie, use of templates
and formatting.
RE
Churches, cathedrals, heads of churches and Christmas, Old Testament stories, Easter and Passover,
Abraham’s family and Old Testament stories.
History
The Plague and Great Fire of London, Ancient Egypt and the Victorians.
Geography
Our island home, countries in Europe and our local area (including project work).
French
Simple phrases, colours, numbers, games and spelling of simple words.
PHSE and Citizenship (personal, social and emotional development)
How we feel, good relationships, being a good friend, safety, becoming an active and good citizen.
Art /DT
Cross curricula linkage with painting, clay, colour, understanding of paints, use of various construction kits,
free design, building and planning models, joining and combining materials, cutting and hand sewing.
History of Art
Different topic /artist each term which is announced at the start of term.
Music
Singing with accuracy (Kodaly songs, popular English songs, songs from different cultures, carols and
hymns), study of major composers, introduction to music history, music theory from tones/semi tones to
ties, dots and accidentals, introduction to important musical works, dance to improve sense of pulse and
sense of tempo.
Physical Education
Skills and mini-games, netball, hockey, athletics, rounders (striking and fielding), gymnastics, football and
dancing.
CURRICULUM: YEAR 3
English
Reading, poetry, comprehension, creative writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, handwriting, library
and drama.
Mathematics
Tables (×2, ×3, ×4, ×5, ×6, ×8, x9,×10) the four operations: multiplication, division, addition and subtraction,
analogue and digital time, fractions, money, 3 and 4 digit place value, shape, compass bearings, symmetry,
area, perimeter, length, mass, capacity, missing numbers, problem solving investigations and handling data.
Science
Teeth, growth of plants, materials, magnets and springs, bird behaviour and study, light and shadow.
IT
Research techniques, PowerPoint, illustration, manipulation of tables and images within documents, email
communication, animation using Scratch.
RE
Old Testament including Samson, Naomi, Saul, Samuel, David and Goliath, Solomon and Elija.
New Testament including the Nativity story, Epiphany, Candlemas, the baptism of Jesus, Jesus in the
wilderness and Lent.
History
Romans, Anglo-Saxons/Vikings and Aztecs.
Geography
Coasts, a village in India and a village in Mexico (Tocuaro).
French
Simple sentences, songs, poems, role playing and spelling of simple sentences.
Classics
Introduction to classical mythology.
PSHE
Feelings, good relationships, safety and citizenship.
Art/D.T.
Cross curricula linkage with painting, collage, 3D work, pattern design and texture and simple construction.
History of Art
Different topic / artist each term which is announced at the start of term.
Music
Singing in tune with emphasis on tone (Kodaly songs, popular English songs, easy canons, songs from
different cultures, carols and hymns), study of major composers and music history, theory intermediate
level from dotted rhythm to note dictation and rhythm dictation, introduction to important musical works,
dance to improve sense of pulse and sense of tempo.
Physical Education
Games, netball, rounders, athletics, cross country, gymnastics, swimming and dancing.
CURRICULUM: YEAR 4
English
Literature, comprehension, creative writing, grammar, spelling, poetry recital and drama.
Mathematics
Number and the 4 operations, place value, time, money, shape (2D and 3D), geometry, area, metric and
imperial measure, fractions and decimals, data handling, co-ordinates and graphs, word problems and
investigations.
Science
Solids, liquids and gases, sound, forces and friction, vertebrates and invertebrates, skeleton and muscles,
animal groups and habitats, conservation, electrical circuits and conductors, earth and space.
IT
Website design, music composition using Garageband, animation, document collaboration, database
creation, spreadsheets, graphic design and geotagging.
RE
Old Testament stories Elijah, Elisha, Jehoash, Jonah, Jeremiah, Nehemiah, Ezra and Daniel, a close look at St
Mark’s Gospel, a performance of the Passion Play and Psalms.
History
The Normans, the Middle Ages (including British monarchs) and medieval life.
Geography
Earth, volcanoes, rocks and minerals, mapping, plans and world facts, comparing locations and landscapes
using Mim in Ghana.
French
Vocabulary, games, Equipe Nouvelle 1, songs, poems, grammar and four verbs (être, avoir, faire, aller).
Classics
Introduction to classical mythology.
PSHE
Feelings, good relationships, safety and citizenship.
Art / DT
Cross curricula linkage with painting, drawing, clay, printing, simple construction and mixed media.
History of Art
Different topic / artist each term which is announced at the start of term.
Music
Singing with control of pitch and tone (easy canons and songs from different cultures, rap and famous
musicals, carols and hymns), introduction of canon singing, study of composers, music history, music theory
intermediate level from triads to intervals and accidentals, study of elementary composition with a major
music work, dance to improve sense of pulse and sense of tempo.
Physical Education
Netball, rounders, cross country, gymnastics, swimming, athletics, hockey, dance and fitness assessments.
CURRICULUM: YEAR 5
English
Literature, poetry analysis, comprehension, composition (imaginative, factual, descriptive, personal,
discursive), spelling, parts of speech, punctuation, syntax, debating, public speaking skills and drama.
Mathematics
Number and 4 operations (including long multiplication), fractions, decimals and percentages, directed
numbers, formal algebra, construction, co-ordinate geometry (translation, rotation and reflection), time,
money, imperial and metric measurement, properties of polygons, area and volume (squares, triangles plus
nets of 3D shapes), handling data and graphs (including pie charts, line graphs and bar graphs) and
calculator work and investigations.
Science
Particle theory, investigation of properties of materials, chemical changes, flowering plants, how our bodies
work, menstruation, health and energy sources including fossil fuels and renewable energy, classification
and evolution.
IT
3D building design, iMovie, interactive games, animation, creation of e-books. Use of iPads across the
curriculum.
RE
Parables from the New Testament, Jesus’ call to mission and teaching, Belief, Ethics and Judaism.
History
Tudors
Geography
Water, rivers, weather and climate, renewable and non-renewable resources and study of South Africa.
Projects and talk backs.
French
Equipe Nouvelle 1, grammar, worksheets, written and oral work.
Latin
Minimus Starting Out in Latin and linked Roman history.
PSHE
Personal safety and citizenship, teamwork and ethics.
Art /DT
Cross curricula linkage with general art, drawing skills, colour and simple construction. Cubism and
Exprressionism
History of Art
Different topic / artist each term which is announced at the start of term.
Music
Singing and canon singing (canons and songs from different cultures, rap and famous musicals, carols and
hymns), study of composer in their time, musical appreciation (baroque, classical romantic and modern),
music history, music theory, intermediate level, study of elementary composition with a major music work,
dance to improve sense of pulse and sense of tempo.
Physical Education
Netball, rounders, cross country, swimming, athletics, hockey, gymnastics and tennis.
CURRICULUM: YEAR 6
English
Literature, poetry analysis, comprehension, composition (imaginative, factual, descriptive, personal,
discursive), parts of speech, punctuation, syntax, debating, public speaking skills and drama.
Mathematics
Revision of Year 5 syllabus: Number and 4 operations (including long multiplication), fractions, decimals and
percentages, directed numbers, formal algebra, construction, co-ordinate geometry (translation, rotation,
reflection), time, money, imperial and metric measurement, properties of polygons, area and volume
(squares, triangles plus nets of 3D shapes) and handling data and graphs (including pie charts, line graphs
and bar graphs). Long-division, Pythagoras’ Theorem, circle geometry (including Pi, area and
circumference), complex algebra (equations, simplifying, substitution and factorizing), bearings, ratio and
proportion (both direct and indirect), gradient and straight line graphs and circle theorems.
Science
Light and sound, electricity and electrolysis, acids and alkalis, sex and relationship education, climate
change and global warming (cross curricula project) and, in addition, revision of all Year 4 and Year 5 topics.
IT
Presentations, spreadsheets, film production, animation. Use of iPads across the curriculum.
RE
Similarities between the Abrahamic religions, Hinduism, ethics and debating.
History
First and Second World Wars and suffragettes. London through the ages.
Geography
Mapping, regions of the UK, climate change and global warming, mountain environments and ranges, plate
tectonics and earthquakes.
French
Equipe Nouvelle 2, grammar worksheets, written and oral work.
Latin
Minimus Secundus and linked Roman history.
PSHE
Government and politics, how to manage social media and internet safety.
History of Art
Different topic / artist each term which is announced at the start of term.
Art /DT
General art, drawing skills and colour and cross curricula forms of simple construction.
Music
Canon singing, (canons and songs from different cultures, rap and famous musicals, carols and hymns),
study of composer in their time, musical appreciation (baroque, classical romantic and modern), music
history, music theory, intermediate level, study of elementary composition with a major music work, dance
to improve sense of pulse and sense of tempo.
Physical Education
Netball, rounders, cross country, athletics, swimming, hockey, gymnastics, tennis and dance.
YEAR 5 MOVING INTO YEAR 6 AND YEAR 6 HOLIDAY WORK
At the end of Year 5 the girls will be given summer holiday work to keep them ‘ticking over’. The work is
not arduous and should be spread out over the holidays to ensure that the girls are ready to move forward
in September. It is of major importance for all of Year 6 to be at school on the FIRST day of the academic
year in September as study plans and procedures are discussed with them and courses of study are started.
Year 6 girls will also be set work to be done during the October half-term break and Christmas holidays.
Girls will, however, also need some time to have a well earned rest over these holidays!
As the secondary school examinations exams start very early in January, parents need to plan any family
holidays carefully so as to avoid jet lag etc. at this crucial time.
Revision for the secondary school examinations is mainly covered in class and is closely monitored. The
emphasis is on a regular programme of study with realistic goals. Not surprisingly, a thorough knowledge of
the syllabus makes for less stress. Whilst home support is greatly appreciated, individual tutoring, unless
recommended by the school, is positively discouraged as this may well prove counter-productive. Staff are
always ready to discuss your daughter’s progress as well as their approach to their subject in order to
ensure that children are helped with the same methods at home as at school.
Verbal Reasoning (VR) and Non Verbal Reasoning (NVR) for 11+
Various packs and books are published by:





Learning Together
GL assessment
Athey Educational Secondary Selection
Bond
CEG VR and NVR
Most of these are published in progressive sets. Parents should thus start with Book 1 or Pack 1 and
proceed according to aptitude and success.
Please bear in mind that VR and NVR questions form only a minor part of most of the secondary school
examinations taken by the girls at Falkner House.
Appendix 1: Notes for parents to assist their daughter with revision
Children are not generally able to “revise” until they are aged about nine. Paying attention in class and
doing homework throughout the year and, above all, answering the question, is the real key to doing well
in exams rather than any amount of revision. It should also be noted that revisable content is but a small
part of exams at Falkner House and indeed for most of the secondary school exams taken by the girls. We
feel very strongly that all exams sat whilst at Falkner House should be taken as part of day to day life – all
normal activities e.g. sport should thus continue regardless in the run up to or during exams.
What does it mean to ‘revise’?
The aim of revision is to:
 Highlight the areas girls do not know/find challenging/missed due to absence
 Improve these areas by memorising and practising
How to revise?
Children will revise in a variety of different ways, at different times of the day, for different subjects.
Revision is best done little and often. It should not involve learning anything new.
Where
 Mostly girls need their own, quiet space (no TV on)
 They should not revise in bed which should be associated with sleep.
 Ensure that the desk has all the equipment needed and with enough light, elbow room and that the
chair is comfortable.
When
 Generally brains are most active first thing in the morning.
 Make sure that girls take regular sips of water during a revision period.
 Occasionally, stand up and dance a jig to pump some oxygen to the brain.
 Ensure that girls have plenty of sleep and physical activity to reduce the chance of anxiety
How long
Children can concentrate for longer as they get older. A typical attention span is age plus two minutes with
planning for some movement for five minute bursts every 15 minutes or so. This can be anything from
stretching legs, wiggling toes or rotating head, also standing up, going for a little walk, singing a song, etc.
Holidays
Holidays are important: girls need time to recuperate, spend time with their family, relax and play! It is
best for parents to draw up a plan ahead of time aiming for little and often.
Humanities
English, history and geography involve revising concepts and ways of approaching extended writing tasks.
Useful techniques: mind mapping, speed planning, writing practice (introduction, conclusion, and/or the
whole thing), comprehension practice, vocabulary, simile and metaphor lists, memorise various poetic
techniques.
Mathematics and science
These subjects (and parts of the humanities) involve memorising information, then putting it into action.
Useful techniques: practice of typical sums/ problems, revise times tables and key vocabulary and know
how to apply it.
Languages Basically, you just need to know the words! Useful techniques: memorise vocabulary; practise
aloud and writing it down; revise sentence and verb structures.
How to Memorise
Revision may involve memorising so as to be able to recall the information at any time. Short-term memory
can only retain about seven items of information and the challenge is to move this information into the
long-term memory. There are different ways of learning but don’t be tempted to label your child as a ‘type’
of learner; a variety of methodology is most helpful. Good generalisations however to consider are:
Visual learners like seeing, observing and visualising. They usually prefer to study alone in a quiet area.
 ‘draw’ the words
 draw mind maps
 look, cover, write, check the words
 write lists using various colours
 make notes which summarise the key ideas
Auditory learners like listening and often prefer to work in a group and include discussions in their study
sessions.
 explain processes aloud
 ‘teach’ a stuffed bunny rabbit
 repeat facts with eyes closed
 record spelling lists, play them back and test yourself
 create a song or rhyme
 read your revision aloud
 create mnemonics (a simple word, phrase or rhyme which aides memory e.g. colours of the
rainbow – Richard of York gave battle in vain-red, orange, etc.)
Kinaesthetic learners learn by doing so learn best through practical demonstrations, experimenting and
hands on activities.
 ‘teach’ an imaginary class
 use gestures to ‘show’ the word/concept
 revising in different positions (sitting, standing and lying down)
 create a memory card game (write definitions and key vocabulary on different cards, lie them face
down, then try to match them up)
 write key words in the air with a finger
For all
 Heed the advice given by teachers: look at any targets set in reports or exercise books and convert
these to a list and tick them off. Follow the tips given.
 Convert knowledge into a different format: PowerPoint, table, diagram, role play, present it to an
imaginary audience or a real one.
 Convert knowledge into a test: design your own and create a marking scheme.
 Read a variety of texts: non-fiction (newspapers, magazines, text books, picture books, science
books)
 Create flash cards: great for memorising key vocabulary, concepts and facts.
 Use a highlighter.
 Girls should test themselves and have parents test them.
 Make sure that girls use time limits according to the advice given by teachers.
 Be methodical: plan a logical revision timetable, focusing energies on the areas found hardest.
 Don’t allow girls to fool themselves or their family by hiding behind pretty coloured notes and
‘finding’ things on the internet… stop procrastinating!
Appendix 2: Entry to secondary schools
WHEN TO APPLY
For London day schools, the application forms need to be finalised some time during the Autumn Term of
Year 6. There is no advantage in earlier registration as the offers of places are made purely on the basis of
performance in entrance exams, together with interviews and our reference. For boarding schools, the
process can require much earlier registration and lists for some schools will close during Year 5. The state
secondary system also requires relatively early registration.
WHEN TO VISIT
All schools offer open days or evenings when you can visit and get a flavour of the school. They also will all
have, to varying degrees, representative and informative websites. Many parents find it helpful to start
visiting boarding schools when their girls are in Year 4 and day schools in Year 5. At this stage it is best not
to take the girls along. If they see too many schools they can become overwhelmed or fixated on a school
that is inappropriate for them. It is best to take them to visit in the Autumn Term of Year 6 once you have
narrowed down the list to a smaller number of schools.
In terms of boarding schools, as the whole visiting process inevitably takes longer, it is definitely worth
starting in Year 4 or early in Year 5. It is also crucial to understand the rhythm of the individual school’s
day/week/term. What would your daughter be doing at 7.30 am or 4.00 pm or 6.00 pm or 9.00 pm? Which
of the amazing facilities are freely open to the girls and when? What are the weekend arrangements and
will they suit your family? How many girls go home at weekends? All of these factors are as important as
the academics when choosing a boarding school.
When visiting, it is advisable to take notes to help you remember which school was which – they all have
wonderful art departments, science labs, ICT rooms, etc. so it is worth trying to make a note of anything
really distinctive. This helps you and the girls when they go for interview, to answer the ‘What do you
particularly like about our school?’ question if it comes up.
AGREEING A SHORT-LIST
Competition for London day schools is fierce in that large numbers of girls apply for them. You will see vast
numbers turning up for all the exams, however, in the end, each girl can only go to one school. Because
there can be no guarantee that your daughter will be offered a place at the one particular school that you
are aiming for, we recommend that you apply to a range: top end, safe-bet and insurance. (Please do not
EVER refer to any school as ‘fall back’ or ‘insurance’ in front of the girls. In truth, these are all good schools.)
The number of schools applied for will depend on how undecided you are and how many exams you feel is
appropriate. In our experience, once the girls are in ‘exam mode’, they tend to take exams pretty much in
their stride, but there is a limit and more can definitely be less. The most important thing is to keep a
completely open mind and ensure that the girls do so too. They must not be given the impression that
some schools are for the ‘clever’ girls and others are not. It is very difficult to dispel this impression once it
is set and the effect can be extremely negative.
Geography is a key feature. There is no point applying for a school, however appealing, if it is logistically
out of reach. It is essential to take in to account the length of time it would take your daughter to get to
school by school bus or public transport, bearing in mind that most secondary school girls will wish to travel
independently and it may also be quicker.
During the years at Falkner House we will discuss your daughter’s progress and your thoughts as to
secondary schools. Should you be interested in boarding schools, this will become pertinent in Year 4,
otherwise more specific consideration of individual schools will generally begin in Year 5. In the Spring
term of Year 5 there is a meeting to discuss the process of admission to secondary schools, followed up by
the curriculum meeting early in Year 6. In addition, all parents are always welcome to meet with Mrs
Griggs individually to consider their daughter’s options.
However much you might like the idea of a particular school, what matters is what is right for YOUR
daughter. Will she thrive in a large school or will she perform better and ultimately achieve more as a ‘big
fish in a smaller pond’? When making your short list, do not be tempted to put her in for an exam for a
very academic school which she is virtually certain to fail, ‘just to see’, or because she has insisted. You are
the adults with the foresight and experience to anticipate. Although your daughter (and you) might think
she will not mind if she fails, the truth is that a rejection letter is a painful thing; if it comes at the beginning
of the exam period it can have a very deleterious effect.
PREPARATION FOR THE EXAMS
Throughout Falkner House, but in particular from Year 4 onwards, all the teachers will have been working
hard with the girls to prepare for the business of sitting exams. Some of the London day schools set their
own separate entrance exams so the girls sit for each school whilst others are in a consortium which has
two groups of exams.
The exams tend to consist of an English paper, a maths paper and may include verbal and non-verbal
reasoning tests (VR and NVR). Most of the boarding schools also have a science paper. There is constant
flux as to what is included in the examination process for each school. We keep abreast of these
developments and teach your girls what they need to know. We give them plenty of exam practice using
papers of all different kinds so that they are prepared for virtually anything that might be put in front of
them. As much as you, we want your daughter to be able to do her very best.
TUTORING
All Falkner House girls have a very full programme of academic work and we do not generally consider it is
necessary or advisable for them to receive any extra external tuition. If, however, we ourselves have
identified a particular area of weakness, we would be in touch with you immediately to discuss things and
make recommendations. For the vast majority of our girls though, we strongly believe that outside
tutoring:






Blurs our perception of a girl’s abilities (she might do brilliantly on a particular paper because it has
just been done with the tutor)
Gives a girl even more work at a time when they are already at full stretch
Gives less time for things like reading (very important for English), simply relaxing (they do need to
do this), observing life and people around them, questioning, discussing, pursuing hobbies or just
using some imagination
Gives less time for spending time, talking to and learning from you
Often involves just ‘doing more papers’ or drilling rather than anything more constructive
Many senior schools are very good at spotting the ‘tutored girl’ and in some cases are even able to
identify a particular tutor’s style. This will NOT add to your daughter’s chances!
Finally, irrespective of their possibly stellar academic CVs, most tutors are simply not good enough! All
schools want girls who are individual, with their own backgrounds, ideas, interests, quirks and differences
to contribute to their community. This will never be achieved by coaching. Many parents, who have wisely
resisted the prevailing mood, panic when they hear that other girls are being tutored and it takes a strong
character to hold firm. But please consider the impact on your daughter and the fact that we have over 60
years of experience in preparing girls for these exams. If despite all of the above, you engage a tutor, please
let us know so that we can liaise with them. Many senior schools will also ask you or us point blank
whether or not a girl has been tutored.
PREPARING FOR INTERVIEW
The best way to prepare your daughter for interview is to get her used to talking about what really interests
HER, not what we consider might be impressive. Senior schools interview hundreds of girls every year and
can spot the over-prepared ones a mile off. If you want to help, spend time discussing ‘what if?’ questions –
stretch her imagination, show that it is good to make guesses and sometimes get them wrong. It is the
willingness to have a go that is interesting. If asked about a favourite book, the idea is not to tell the story
but to say WHY she likes it. One-word answers are not helpful. They should aim to follow up with
‘because…’. Successful interviews at this stage are about genuine enthusiasm (usually shown not only by
tone of voice but also through depth of knowledge), being ready for the unexpected, having a question for
the interviewer, firm hand shake and good eye contact. Girls need to be ready to deal with questions such
as “why do you want to go to this school” and “what is your first choice school”. To help prepare and also
to help us write our reference, we will ask you for your daughter’s interests, achievements and passions in
and out of school. Please be honest and do not exaggerate. If her reference says she loves archery but in an
interview your daughter clearly knows nothing about it, the effect will not be good! We will give the girls as
much interview practice as is necessary. Over preparation is definitely counter-productive but equally the
girls need to be helped to give the best possible impression.
SCHOLARSHIPS
Every school has a different scholarship system and Mrs Griggs is happy to discuss the matter with parents
on an individual basis. In some cases girls may sit scholarship papers for one school and standard papers
for another. Most schools offer music and some also drama, sport and art scholarships (art scholarships
require a very significant sized portfolio requiring at least six months preparation). If you think that your
daughter might qualify for an art, sport or music scholarship please discuss this well ahead so that proper
preparation can be made for e.g. an art portfolio. Parents, not Falkner House, enter girls for these
scholarships but it is crucial that you keep us informed so we can support the application.
We do not operate separate ‘scholarship classes’ but prepare all to the maximum of their potential at every
stage. The exception would be for a girl sitting for a boarding school scholarship, where the requirements
can be more specific and when we would give individualised assistance.
Scholarships are merit based whilst bursaries are based on perceived financial need and will be means
tested. Merit and need may, of course, coincide! The secondary school’s registrar or website will be able to
give further information.
ONCE THE EXAMS START
At this point, in the January of Year 6, what the girls need most from you is CALM. You may well be feeling
pressure – you love your daughter and want the best for her – but she has a right not to have your
concerns transmitted to her. Please do not let her overhear you discussing schools and fretting – she will be
taking in every word and it is not beneficial. Provided your daughter does the work set and she has a
regular, quiet, comfortable space to do homework, the job is done. We can be totally confident that she
will try to do her very best. Irrespective of which school she goes to, she will have a great future. It
unquestionably helps to remain upbeat, to demonstrate that family life and fun go on regardless of what
happens in the exams and that you love her unconditionally.
DECIDING ON A SCHOOL
You are likely to finish by choosing between two or more schools. There are all manner of considerations:
location, mixed or single-sex, general ethos and so on as well as ‘gut instinct’. Although it may seem good
to involve your daughter, in the end the decision should be yours. You have the life experience to bring to
bear and you should use it. Do not be too influenced by where friends might be going – it can be a
wonderful new start to be the only Falkner House girl going to a given school! Think about where you could
see her in about two or three years’ time but equally realise that she could change schools for sixth form.
Email, Mumsnet, Twitter and other methods of instant communication have put ever increasing pressure
on parents, and consequently on your girls. This can create an entirely unnecessary annual London parental
panic regarding secondary schools. Above all, please remember, we are here to help and support you and
your daughter through the process.
APPENDIX 3 TECHNOLOGY GUIDE
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Arthur C. Clarke
Technology has become an integral part of our everyday lives and will, undoubtedly, be a huge part of the
lives of the next generation, in ways that we can’t yet imagine.
At Falkner House we aim to develop independent learning and problem solving skills, preparing pupils for
this ever-adapting technological world.
This guide offers advice about how best to help your child cope with technology. Please bear in mind that
of course, every child is different and every parent will have their own opinions about what is acceptable.
Ultimately, the same ideals that we strive to install in our children throughout their lives are the standards
that we should be promoting when they use technology; a strong moral compass, giving them the ability to
assess difficult situations and the strength of character to stand up for their beliefs.
Setting Boundaries
When your children are young, it is a good idea to devise a series of family rules for technology. Putting
these boundaries in place at an early age makes it much easier to keep a level of control over how your
children use electronic devices. A few ideas:
 What - what devices are they allowed to use?
 How often - are you happy for them to use devices during the week or just at weekends?
 How long - do you want to set a time limit for the amount of screen time they are allowed?
 When - do they have to ask for permission? Are they only allowed to use electronic devices
between certain hours?
 Where - where can they use electronic devices? Are they allowed at the dinner table? Can they be
taken out of the house?
 Using electronic devices in a communal area is a good way to ensure that an adult is always aware
of what they are doing.
 There have been several studies which have shown that children find it difficult to sleep if they
have access to electronic equipment in their bedroom or use it just before they go to sleep.
 Who - do the rules apply just to children or to adults as well?
 Restrictions - what restrictions are you going to impose? For example, you might decide that they
can only use the internet if an adult is present, if they are on an iPad they might have to state which
app they are going to be using, or if they are allowed to watch TV/You Tube on their device this
might be only with adult supervision.
 Consequences - what happens if they break one of these rules?
E-Safety
Just as you would role play dangerous or difficult every day scenarios with your child, like crossing the road
or playground bullying, it’s also important to include internet safety in these discussions. Suggestions for
topics that you might want to approach with your child:
 Cyberbullying - what would your child do if they posted a picture and someone said something
unkind?
 Grooming - if someone happens to be talking to your child online what are the things that they
should watch out for, should they talk to people online if they don’t know them?
 Inappropriate websites - what should they do if they come across something that makes them feel
uncomfortable? Why should they avoid particular websites?
 Losing control over pictures and video - why might they want to think twice about the photographs
they post of themselves online?
 Viruses, hacking and security - it’s very easy to give away personal information on the internet so
the importance of not revealing anything should always be stressed. Particularly with children,
explaining the dangers of pop up windows, questionnaires, free giveaways and contests is also
important as to a child these are very tempting.
The website http://www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers has some useful advice for parents about how to
tackle internet safety with children.
Electronic Devices
There are many different electronic devices available for children with information below about the ones
that are most popular /suited to primary children. The basic advice will apply to any electronic device that
is Wifi enabled.
AMAZON KINDLE - The Amazon Kindle is a series of e-book readers. Within these devices you can shop for,
download, browse and read e-books and other digital media via Wifi.
AMAZON KINDLE FIRE. The Kindle Fire is a mid-range mini tablet, on which you can watch videos, play
games, send emails and browse websites, just as you would on an iPad or Android tablet. With parental
controls, you can restrict access to web browsing, shopping from the Amazon Store or Amazon Shop app,
or playing Amazon Instant Video and Prime Instant Video.
 Swipe down from the top of the screen to show Quick Settings, and then tap More
 Tap Parental Controls and then tap On
 Enter a password, confirm your password, and then tap Finish. Once you've set a password, you
can restrict one or more of the following:
 Web browsing
 The Email, Contacts, and Calendars apps
 The ability to purchase from the content stores on your device (for example, the Amazon Appstore)
 The ability to play Amazon Instant Video and Prime Instant Video
 Specific content types (for example, books or apps)
 Wireless connectivity
 Location-based Services
Note: Make sure that you record your password. If you forget your Kindle Parental Controls password, you
will need to reset your Kindle Fire to factory defaults to restore full access. After resetting, you'll reregister
your Kindle Fire, and re-download your content from the Cloud. When you deregister your Kindle, your
device will remove your content. You can access and download your content from the Cloud at any time.
When you set up and enable Parental Controls, a lock image of a lock icon appears at the top of the screen.
To choose books, apps, games, and videos from your collection for your kids to enjoy - but restrict access to
other content on your device - you can use Fire for Kids. Fire for Kids is a free app available on Kindle Fire,
Kindle Fire HD, and Kindle Fire HDX devices.
iPOD TOUCH - is a phone-less iPhone, similar to the iPad mini but smaller and without a data connection.
iPAD, iPAD MINI or the android equivalent - tablets with the ability to download apps, watch media etc.
iPad, iPad Mini, iPod Touch - parental controls.
Restrictions can be applied on any of these devices and can be accessed in ‘settings’. The restrictions that
we use on the school iPads are detailed below:
 Within ‘General’, restrictions are enabled with a passcode
 FaceTime, the iTunes Store, In-App Purchases, installing and deleting apps are all turned off
 Content:
o Music, Podcasts and iTunesU – set to ‘explicit content not allowed’
o Films –PG
o TV programmes –set to ‘don’t allow TV programmes’
o Books –set to ‘explicit sexual content not allowed’
o Apps –4+
o Websites – at Falkner House we restrict this to ‘limit adult content’, you are also able to
restrict it to ‘specific websites only’ where you can specify the websites your child can visit
o Facebook – set to ‘don’t allow changes’
o Twitter – set to ‘don’t allow changes’
o Accounts set to ‘don’t allow changes’
o
‘Multiplayer games’ and ‘adding friends’ turned off
To lock your child to a specific app1:
 In ‘settings’ go to ‘general’
 Select ‘accessibility’
 Select ‘guided access’, turn on ‘guided access’
 Set a passcode
 Turn on ‘accessibility shortcut’
 Open the app that you would like your child to use and triple tap the home button, the iPad will
then be locked to this app
 To unlock your iPad, triple tap the home button and enter the passcode
For more details about how to enable the parental controls for iPod touches, iPad minis or iPads visit this
webpage: http://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201304
PLAYSTATION, X-BOX or Wii - Through these gaming platforms children can have access to games, movies,
television, the internet, online chat forums, etc. You can turn on parental controls that allow you to control
things such as which games can be played/TV shows watched, how long each family member can use the
console on a daily or weekly basis and whether or not someone can access Xbox live or the chat function on
the Playstation. The links below give information about how to install parental controls on these devices.
X-Box: http://support.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-360/security/xbox-live-parental-control
Playstation:
http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/basicoperations/parentallock.html\
Wii: http://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/landing/p/604/c/628
The three key things to do with any electronic device:
1. Ensure that devices your children have access to only use Wifi as this will enable you to have far more
control over their internet access.
2. Always set up the parental controls. These will allow you to restrict the content your children watch,
prevent access to the app store, emails, messaging, etc.
3. Make sure passwords and account details are held by you and kept private.
Social Media
The way in which children use social media has changed quite significantly in the past few years. It is far
more common for primary school children to have access to devices with Wifi allowing them to dip their
toe into the social media at a much earlier age. Every parent will have different views on what is
appropriate for their child and when they are happy for their children to start using social media. The
benefits of introducing it from a young age are that it allows parents to have more involvement in teaching
children how to use social media and provides opportunities to discuss any potential problems.
Email address
It’s a good idea to set your child up with an email address. Apple email addresses also serve as Apple ID’s.
Gmail also gives access to Google Drive where files can be stored and shared. These two email accounts are
some of the most secure and not tied to a particular internet provider. When you set up a password, as
with every password, make sure it has a mixture of capital and lower case letters, numbers and symbols. If
you set it up with your child you can use it as a good opportunity to discuss why passwords are important
and what constitutes a safer password. You will need to decide if you want your child to know their
password. We would recommend linking your child’s email account to your own so that you can monitor it,
do be open and honest about this so your child knows that this is a condition of them being allowed an
email account, otherwise you may cause resentment!
1
A list of recommended apps can be found at the end of this guide.
App Store, iTunes and Kindle accounts
It is very easy to buy inappropriate material in online stores and we would strongly suggest that you
monitor any purchases that are made. We recommend that you do not give your child the password to App
store, iTunes or Kindle accounts to ensure any purchases are made through you. If you use Apple devices, a
great feature is ‘family sharing’ which will allow up to six people in a family to share purchases, from
iTunes, iBooks and the App store without sharing accounts. This means that you will be able to approve and
monitor any purchases very easily with the ‘ask to buy’ feature. It will also set up a shared family photo
stream, calendar and (for internet connected devices) will share the location of family members. Children
under 13 cannot have their own Apple ID but, as a parent under family sharing, you are allowed to create
an Apple ID for a child and you can limit the content children have access to through restrictions or parental
controls (http://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201060).
Shared photo streams
Apple shared photo streams are a great way of dipping a toe into social media in a safe environment. You
might want to start by creating a shared family photo stream that is shared by all your close family. You can
show your child how to post and edit photographs, comment on other people’s pictures and also take the
opportunity to talk to them about the correct etiquette of commenting and posting photos. It can also be a
great way of helping grandparents to become involved with their grandchildren’s lives.
https://www.apple.com/uk/icloud/icloud-photo-sharing.html
Messaging
The most popular apps, at this moment in time, are iMessage, WhatsApp, Snapchat, Telegram, Kik,Cryptical
and Line, to name a few. Deciding whether to allow messaging and how much freedom to give your child
poses a real dilemma for parents. Although messaging is becoming a vital player in the way that children
interact socially with their peer group it also means that conversations that previously happened in the
privacy of the playground are now shared throughout the whole school. Mistakes can be costly and
embarrassing so ensuring that your child has the right tools to deal with them is vitally important. You will
have to make some difficult decisions and it will be easier if your child understands why or is able to
participate in these decisions.
Using family sharing allows you to take control over the messaging apps your child downloads. There are
certain apps like Snapchat (where messages are sent and instantly deleted), which provide far more
opportunities for bullying and mistakes to be made. If your child has to request the app from you before
they can download it, it allows you to discuss its benefits and drawbacks before deciding whether to allow
it. Starting with one app like iMessage and setting up group family messages allows your child to learn how
to message in a safe environment.
Restrictions - As a parent you then need to decide on the restrictions that you want to impose. Here are
some that you might want to consider:
 Turn off all messaging on a device and don’t allow any messaging apps on device
 Set up a rule that if your child uses messaging apps then they must be happy for you to regularly
view these apps to check the suitability of their content
 Have your child’s message account logged in on a profile on your computer so that you can view
their messages
 If you are using Android devices there are a number of apps like Mobile Spy where you can view
and monitor messaging activity.
The best thing you can do is to have established a good set of family rules early on so that your child
understands how messaging should be used and has strong enough values that they can remove
themselves from a situation that they know is not appropriate.
Other forms of social media
Facebook - you have to be aged at least 13 to have a Facebook account, however, many children do set up
accounts for themselves before this. If you do decide to allow your child to have a Facebook account it is
vital that you set up the account with your child so that you can ensure they have the correct privacy and
security settings (decide who gets to see their posts and timeline, specify privacy for a specific message or
post, control how much information is shared with applications and make their profile hidden so that
people can’t search for them). Becoming their friend will allow you to monitor what they post and allow
them to prove that they can use it correctly before you allow them to use it on their own.
http://www.digitaltrends.com/social-media/how-to-set-facebook-privacy-settings/
Twitter - allows you to post tweets and follow others. If you decide to let your child use Twitter make sure
their Tweets are protected. Accounts with protected Tweets require manual approval of each and every
person who may view that account’s Tweets. Twitter allows direct messaging and this is not a feature that
you can turn off and so this may be an app that you allow later on.
https://support.twitter.com/articles/14016-about-public-and-protected-tweets
Instagram - has recently become a more popular way of sharing information with friends and is starting to
eclipse Facebook amongst the younger generation. You should ensure that your child’s account is also
private. A private account means that you have to approve anyone who follows you. You can share photos
privately, publicly and directly. Anyone can see your profile, so your picture and the text you add about
yourself are visible. Users can be tagged in photos and if that person has a public profile that image can
then be seen by anyone. If you share through Instagram on other social networks your images are no
longer private (https://help.instagram.com/154475974694511/).
In essence, for any type of social network that you allow your child to use, you should ensure that the
security settings on their account are all set to private. You should also make sure that you are one of their
approved followers so that you can monitor what they post. It is also important to make your child aware
that if they want to post pictures/text that there will be some people who will make comments that may be
upsetting.
Parents and Social Media
We all are very aware of how important it is to make sure children are protected online. However, it is very
easy to forget about the importance of keeping personal accounts private. The most important thing is to
ensure that images of your children that you post are, as much as they can be, private and that you do
consider the type of images that you post on any social network.
Home Networks
A wireless router is a device that allows all the computers and portable devices in your home to share an
Internet connection. If you access your router, most will have a menu that offers ‘access restrictions’ or
‘parental controls’. Within this menu, you can set time frames to allow or disable Internet access or limit
the websites used for all the electronic devices in your home. You can specify different restrictions for
different devices or users. This can be quite complicated to access and differs from manufacturer to
manufacturer. It’s best to seek specialist advice to configure these settings properly and understand their
limitations.
More information
To read more about parental controls: https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/Primary/Tools/Parentalcontrols/
The websites below offer lots of good ideas about E-Safety, parental controls and social media.
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/
http://www.kidsmart.org.uk/
Recommended iPad Apps
Below are just a few of the excellent apps available in the App Store. New apps are added all the time and
can be searched by category.
AGES 4-7
Creative
Disney Pixel’d
Dr Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat
Color & Create
Magic Piano
Kid Art for iPad
My First Classical Music App
Maths
Little Digits
Counting with the Very Hungry Caterpillar
Times Tables: Squeebles multiplication
Math Bingo
Win it! Math Training for Kids
The Singing Alphabet
Funimal Phonics
iWriteWords
Rainbow Sentences
Collins Big Cat: The Farmer’s Lunch Story
Creator
My A-Z
English
Science
Your Fantastic Elastic Brain
General Knowledge
Around the clock
Coopers pack: London Children’s Travel Guide
Cooking with Kids
Geography
Barefoot World Atlas
Games
Change4life Fun Generator
Lego Super Heroes Movie Maker
Moshi Monsters: Moshlings
Pictureka
AGES 8-11
Creative
Brushes
iMovie
GarageBand
Puppet pas director
Morfo
Symphony Pro
Productivity
Pages
Numbers
Keynote
SharedPaper
Penultimate
Maths
Maths Wiz
Meteor Math
11+ Non-verbal Reasoning
MathBoard
11+ English
11+ Verbal reasoning
Epic Citadel
My spelling test
Storykit
Spelling Mastery
Dictionary.com
Bluster
Story maker
Grammar Up HD
DK The Human Body
Brian Cox’s wonders of the universe
NASA Science
Solar Walk –
3D Solar System Model
Star Walk for iPad
Britannica Kids: Volcanoes
English
Science
Geography
Google Earth
TapQuiz Maps World Edition
Flags and capitals
National Geography map
Geo Walk HD –
3D World Fact Book
World Atlas HD
Languages
Fre-Eng
FR lite
Essentials
History
Timeline World War 2 with Dan Snow
March of the Dinosaurs
Kings and Queens
Monarchy
History maps of the world
Today in history
This day
London: A City Through Time
World Heritage
Britannica Kids Ancient Rome:Britannica Kids Knights and Castles:
Britannica Kids Aztec Empire:
Britannica Kids Ancient Egypt
Sudoku
Word search
Origami
Monopoly for iPad
Scrabble for iPad
Slice It
Hopscotch
4 Pics
Games
Appendix 4: Music Notes for Parents
Music is an extremely important part of life at Falkner House. Class music allows for all girls to have one
(Years 4 – 6) or two (Nursery – Year 3) lessons per week. The curriculum covers singing, percussion,
composition, recorder group, aural training and preparation for shows and the carol concert. The individual
music programme, allows girls from Year 1 (exceptionally Reception) onwards, to learn an instrument at
school. Mrs Altenburger leads a team of visiting specialist musicians. Individual music lessons take place
during the school day on a rotational basis. The older girls have priority in terms of not missing key
academic subjects but every effort is made to look at each girl’s timetable individually so as to ensure that
the inevitable compromises are kept to a minimum. We do not recommend learning more than one
instrument in school, though a second instrument could be started after the conclusion of the secondary
school exams in Year 6.
It takes, of course, a certain maturity for a child to cope with the discipline of coming in and out of lessons
as well as the requirements of daily practice. Parents are thus asked to take advice, in advance, from their
daughter’s form teacher as regards the timing of starting an instrument. Mrs Altenburger will then discuss
the options available in terms of which teachers have time available and which instrument would be best.
Your daughter may also have strong views as to which instrument she would like to learn and indeed the
final choice has to rest with her – learning an instrument is too difficult to be in any way “imposed”. To help
in the choice, trial lessons are always possible as is watching one of the ensembles.
Whatever the instrument, parental involvement is key. Not only is daily practice essential but intelligent
support of practice is also crucial. Instruments and music also have to be in the right place at the right
times! Girls should be practising five times a week for approximately 20 minutes each session. Inevitably,
regularity is more important than time (one hour’s practice the day before the lesson achieves little).
All the music teachers welcome communication with parents: they are encouraged to attend lessons and to
talk with the music staff as to their daughter’s progress, examinations, etc. Mrs Altenburger liaises closely
with the individual music teachers as well as the teaching staff. Each girl’s musical progress is analysed and
discussed on a regular basis and written reports are sent to parents in December and July. The music staff
are happy to discuss the appropriate size and quality of instrument as well as the hire or purchase options
(see below).
Girls are entered, as appropriate and if desired, for the ABRSM grade examinations (see below). Entries are
submitted approximately eight weeks in advance and shortly afterwards parents will be notified of the
location, time and date and also the timings for the dress rehearsal. Aural training is on offer as part of the
programme.
Parents, teacher and pupil, may, of course, have a different objective from grades.
Lessons are charged at £280 per term (generally in advance) on the basis of 10 lessons per term and / or 30
lessons per year. Every effort is made to “catch up” on lessons missed on account of school trips and this
may well happen in a subsequent term. This is not generally the case if music lessons are missed on
account of pupil illness, external examinations, pupil absence, etc. Refunds are given in July if there is a
shortfall over the academic year and, equally, parents will be charged pro rata if pupils receive more than
the 30 lessons in the year. Teachers will also try to make up lessons missed on account of pupil illness or
external exams but this is not guaranteed. Once a girl has started music lessons, a term’s notice is required
before giving up or changing instruments, to avoid fees being charged in lieu. If, however, there is a waiting
list for the instrument, the notice requirement may be waived. The music books required will be ordered
by her music teacher with the cost being included in the subsequent term’s invoice.
Once a certain level of competence is reached, a girl will be invited to play in prayers. Her parents’ will be
invited to join the school for assembly (8.45 – 9.00 am) and to watch their daughter’s short performance
accompanied by piano if necessary. This should not be seen as a “performance” requiring significant
preparation, instead an opportunity to play in front of a very supportive group of friends! There are regular
formal and informal concerts for individuals and small groups (chamber music is an increasing part of
musical life at Falkner House) and open sessions for the choir, wind band and string groups to showcase the
girls and the music department. As ever, parents and family members are very welcome. Details are found
on the school website Fixtures Calendar.
Purchase or rental of instruments
There are clearly a number of options but listed below are a few recommendations. Some shops will offset
rental fees against purchase price if you buy within a certain period. Some also run a system of purchase
with buy back later when your daughter may need a larger or better quality instrument. Out-of-London
shops will usually supply instruments, etc. by post. In all rental or purchase and buy back arrangements,
parents need to set up a contract and pay the outlet themselves. It is clearly important that all instruments
are insured and that everything including bows, cases, etc. are clearly labelled. Please consult Mrs
Altenburger before any purchase of a string instrument as she may already know of something suitable that
is available from another pupil.
Violin, cello or viola:

Stringers of London
99 Lisson Grove London NW1 6UP
Maureen Morrison is generally very helpful

Cardiff Violins
www.cardiffviolins.co.uk
15-23 The Balcony Castle Arcade Cardiff CF10 1BY
029 2022 7761
Violins only and possibly better quality instruments. Cecile Limon runs the shop.
www.stringersmusic.com
020 7224 9099
Trumpet, saxophone or French horn:

Phil Parker, the Brass Musical Instrument Specialists
106a Crawford Street, London, W1H 2HZ

Prozone Music
www.prozonemusic.com
20a Station Road Chesham Bucks HP5 1DH
01494 776262
Probably the better but less convenient being out of London
www.philparker.biz
0207 486 8206
Piano:
All girls learning the piano need to have a piano at home (Yahama and Kawai are considered reliable
options). The piano can be a keyboard so long as it is full-range (88 keys) with fully weighted keys. Again
Yahama is a good make but there are many other possibilities.

Chappell of Bond Street
152-160 Wardour Street London W1F 8YA
www.chappellofbondstreet.co.uk
Tel: 020 7432 4400

Jaques Samuel Pianos (Edgware Rd).
142 Edgware Road London W2 2DZ
www.jspianos.com
Tel: 020 7723 8818
Recorder, clarinet and saxophone:

Kensington Chimes Music
9 Harrington Road London SW7 3ES

Howarth of London
www.howarth.uk.com
31 Chiltern St. London W1U 7PN
020 7935 2407
Excellent shop for the purchase of B flat clarinets (the standard instrument) and a trusted place for
repairs. Call the repair department in advance to discuss the problem and to make a booking.

Wood, Wind & Reed
www.wwr.co.uk
106 Russell Street, Cambridge CB2 1HU
01223 500442
Good shop for Amati C clarinets and Elkhart C clarinets, which are sometimes used in the initial stages
by young players who cannot reach the keys of the more usual B flat clarinet. Options for buy back
when ready to move on to the B flat clarinet.

John Packer Ltd
www.johnpacker.co.uk
141 Staplegrove Road Taunton Somerset, TA2 6AF
01823 282386
Useful for John Packer C clarinet and simplified C clarinet hire and purchase which can be useful on a
temporary basis for young players with small hands.

Reeds Direct Cambridge
Immediate 1st class delivery of reeds.
www.chimesmusic.com
020 7589 9054
0800 0969 440
ABRSM Examinations
As noted above not all children will wish to take music examinations. For those that do, the system is as
follows:
The examination grades run from preparatory to grade 8. It is essential for a girl’s long term musical
development that she does not take too high a grade too early and parents should take advice from the
music teacher. From grade 1, candidates receive an overall grade of pass, merit or distinction.
Distinction
Merit
Pass
over
130
120-130
100-120
The grade is derived from 5 marks from the five sections of the exam
Piece 1
Piece 2
Piece 3
Scales
Sight reading
Aural test
Maximum
Maximum
Maximum
Maximum
Maximum
Maximum
30
30
30
21
21
18
The maximum total is thus 150 but, as perfection does not exist in music, a candidate will never be given
the maximum.
The scales need to be memorized but not the three pieces; sight reading and the aural test need careful
preparation:


Mastering sight reading, as with any skill in music, is a matter of practice and sight reading will form
part of your daughter’s individual lessons. There are many sight reading books available.
Aural training is another skill which needs to be practiced and we hold specific classes at Falkner House
for those taking an exam that term. These classes follow the ABRSM aural training books and cover
what will be asked in the examination.
It is well known that the control of nerves is a huge part of success in music. The best way to master it is to
do it and to play in front of an audience at the earliest stage and youngest age. Exam preparation at
Falkner House is thorough:






Soon after the start of each term, the individual music teachers decide on who will sit which grade
exams and parents are informed. You will be given as much notice of the date and time as possible
Parents are informed as to the required aural training class.
Candidates are entered for one or two mock examinations each term.
There are informal and short “exam preparation concerts” each term at school. We endeavour to have
the same pianist who will accompany the candidate on the day of the exam.
There are mini rehearsals, again with the relevant pianist, during school time, a few days before the
exam.
Girls have the opportunity to play all their pieces in prayers before the grade examinations.
Girls move up the grade system as appropriate (there are termly sessions) and, for example, it is
uncommon to achieve grade 6 or above whilst still at Falkner House. It is important that children play a
wide variety of pieces whilst learning an instrument as it is likely to be extremely off putting to be practising
just the three grade pieces and relevant scales for possibly a year or more.
There is no hard and fast rule as to when to start taking grade examinations as it depends on maturity as
much as instrumental ability. However, it is quite common to take a preparatory test or grade 1 in the first
year of learning an instrument. Pupils may sometimes stay two years on one grade to ensure that the
repertoire is assimilated. It is unlikely that candidates will pass every grade with “distinction”.
It is not advisable nor is it the Falkner House philosophy, to push through the grade system as an end in
itself. Taking grades are a means of setting goals, giving encouragement, helping to master nerves,
confronting challenges, etc. But, it is counterproductive in the long run only to work on grade pieces which
only represent a small part of the broad repertoire needed for a full musical education. Your daughter may
never wish to become a professional musician but our aim is that she will have a lifelong love of music.
Examination procedure
Candidates generally take their ABRSM grade examinations at Falkner House, in the Big Room on a
Saturday chosen by the school to fit with the various school activities. There are examinations in the
Autumn, Spring and Summer Terms. Grade examinations usually start at 9.30 am and continue until 5.00
pm and, on prior request, we will try to schedule your daughter at a convenient time. If the chosen
Saturday is impossible, the examination can alternatively be taken at one of the ABRSM London venues.
If arranged by Falkner House, the costs of the examination and a share of the cost of the steward and
accompanist (if relevant) and the £50 aural training charge will be added to the subsequent term’s invoice.
The day of the examination:
 Candidates should arrive 30 minutes early. A member of the Falkner House music staff (the
“steward” according to ABRSM) will be there to tune your daughter’s instrument, show her a
room for warming up and be on hand for general assistance.
 A Falkner House pianist will be there to allow for a mini rehearsal.
 There will be only one examiner in the assembly room.
 The order of the examination is as follows:
The candidate plays her three pieces (with sheet music and piano accompaniment). We recommend the
following order:
1. The candidate plays her memorized scales.
2. The candidate plays her three pieces (in any order)
3. The candidate is shown the sight reading piece and is given 30 seconds to look at it in silence
before playing it once without stopping.
4. The candidate is tested on her aural skills with the examiner at the piano

Parents are asked to leave their daughters at the school and to return to collect them after the
examination. They are not allowed in the examination room and past experience shows that
however well intentioned, parental presence has a detrimental effect upon performance! With
the exception of the pianist during the three pieces, the student is alone with the examiner for
the aural training, scales and sight reading. The ABRSM allows no exceptions to this even for
the youngest candidates. It is essential thus to have a number of prior public “performances”
so that candidates take the grade examinations in their stride.
Results are posted on line and are made available to the Falkner House music staff. Results will be emailed
to parents as soon as possible.
Suggested concerts, workshops, courses etc.
Week-end Workshops:

BBC SO Family Orchestra & Chorus Workshop, all ages and levels
http://www.bbc.co.uk/orchestras/events/883

RCM: Royal College of Music, Sparks Festive Family Music, all ages and levels
http://www.rcm.ac.uk/sparks/
Orchestra courses (Christmas, Easter or Summer)

String Wise: age 6 to 14, any level (from starters) http://www.stringwise.com

NCO: National Children's Orchestra of Great Britain, age 7-10, Grades 3 to6
http://www.nco.org.uk/

NCWO: National Children's Wind Orchestra, age 10 to 19, Grade 5 and above
http://www.ncwo.org.uk

DYO: Dulwich Youth Orchestra, aged 7 - 18. http://www.dyodulwich.com

NPSO: National Preparatory School Orchestra, Grade 2 to 5 and above http://www.npso.co.uk/

Gloucester Academy of Music: International Holiday Music Courses 2012
http://www.gamweb.co.uk
Choir Workshop (Easter)

The Junior Choral Course, choir, all ages http://thejuniorchoralcourse.co.uk
Family Concerts:
Children can often try instruments before and after concerts as well as enjoying arts activities etc

Barbican Hall: LSO Discovery Family Concerts
http://www.barbican.org.uk/music/event-detail.asp?ID=11813

Royal Festival Hall: Funharmonics concerts
http://ticketing.southbankcentre.co.uk/series/funharmonics-family-concerts

Wigmore Hall: family concerts
http://www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/whats-on/productions/sing-a-story-schools-concert-29146

Cadogan Hall: Cadogan Hall family concerts:
http://www.cadoganhall.com/showpage.php?pid=1489.
Mr Todd
Mrs Hasler
Mrs Altenburger
Mrs Hasler and Mrs Altenburger
Mrs Kondo
Teacher
Mrs Rosie Richardson
Mrs Mariko Kondo
Mrs Florence Altenburger
Mr Cailin Andre
Mr Cailin Andre
Mrs Harriet Davey
Mr Cameron Todd
Mr Cameron Todd
Miss Katie Lockhart
Miss Katie Lockhart
Mrs Susie Rushton
Mrs Susie Rushton
Teacher
From beginner
Beginner to Grade 2
From Grade 5/6
From Grade 3
Preparation for grades
By selection from
Year 1
Year 1
Year 1
Year 1
Year 1
Year 1
Year 3 possibly Year 2
Year 3 possibly Year 2
Year 4
Year 3
Year 3
Year 1
From
Monday
Tuesday
Thursday
Friday
Thursday
Day
8.00-8.45
8.00-8.45
8.00-8.45
8.00-8.45
8.00 to 8.15 Grade 3/4
8.15 to 8.30 Grade 2/3
8.30 to 8.45 Grade PT/1
Time am
Selected
Selected
Selected
Selected
Selected
Participation
Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday
Thursday and Friday
All week
Tuesday and Friday
Tuesday and Friday
Tuesday and Thursday
Monday
Monday
Monday
Monday
Tuesday and Wednesday
Tuesday and Wednesday
Day
£ 130
£ 75
£ 130
£ 130
£50 charged as and
when a pupil enters
an ABRSM exam.
Cost per Term
Punctuality for the music groups is essential to allow the staff to make the most of the time available. We thus ask girls to arrive a few minutes before 8.00 am;
after 8.05 am girls are asked to go to Early Birds as it becomes disruptive for them to join the group late.
Wind Band
Mini Strings
Super Strings
Big Strings
Aural training
Music Groups
Piano
Piano
Violin
Violin
Viola
Cello
Trumpet
Horn
Saxophone
Clarinet
Flute
Recorder
Instrument
Mrs Altenburger
Mr Todd
Miss Lockhart
Mrs Davey
Mrs Rushton
Ms. Richardson
Mrs Kondo
Mr Andre
Paganini
Louis Armstrong
Little Library
Monday
Paganini
Art Room
Louis Armstrong
Little Library
Tuesday
Louis Armstrong
Little Library
Paganini
Wednesday
Little Library
Louis Armstrong
Paganini
Thursday
Little Library
Big Room
Louis Armstrong
Paganini
Friday
Mini Strings
Hymn Practice
Waiting sisters
8.00 – 8.45 am Wind Band
8.45 – 9.00 am Assembly
3.00 – 3.30 pm Waiting sisters
Late birds on request only
Netball Club Y4-Y6 (autumn/
1st half of spring)**
Waiting sisters
All clubs are collected from Old Brompton Road apart from ballet which is from 19 Brechin Place.
*Aural training only if taking an ABRSM exam that term. Grade 3 at 8.00 – 8.15 am; Grade 2 8.15 – 8.30 am; Grade 1 and Prep 8.30 – 8.45 am.
** Collection from Battersea Park
5.20 – 6.00 pm Ballet Standard IV Y5-Y6
4.45 – 5.20 pm Ballet Standard III Y4
4.10 – 4.45 pm Ballet Standard II Y2-Y3
Chess Club Y2-Y6
Late birds
Sports Skills Club Y1-Y2
Waiting sisters
Assembly
Super Big String Group
Super Big String Group
Aural Training*
Assembly
Early birds
Friday
Early birds
Thursday
Art Club Y2-Y6
Netball Squad Y5-Y6
Netball Squad Y3-Y4
(autumn/spring)
(autumn/spring)
Rounders Club Y5-Y6 (summer)
Rounders Club Y3-Y4 (summer)
Cookery Club Y2-Y6
Computer club Y3-Y6
Musical Theatre Club Y1-Y6
3.45 – 4.45 pm
3.45 – 5.00 pm Art Club Y2-Y6
Swimming Squad Y3-Y6
Modern Dance Y2-Y6
Late birds
3.30 – 5.30 pm Late birds
Cross Country Club Y3-Y6
(autumn/spring)
Athletics Squad Y3-Y6
(Summer)
Late birds
English Club – Selected Y6
(autumn only)
Maths Club – Selected Y6
(autumn only)
Art Club Y1
Waiting sisters
Assembly
Early birds
Wednesday
3.30 – 4.30 pm Sports Skills Club Y1-Y2
3.30 – 4.10 pm Ballet Standard I Y2
3.00 – 3.45 pm Ballet Primary Y1
Early birds
Tuesday
7.45 – 8.30 am Early birds
Monday
FALKNER HOUSE – WEEKLY SCHEDULE – 2016-2017
Mrs Omar and Mrs Healy
Miss Wong and Miss
Gardner
Mrs Altenburger
Mr de Burlet
Mrs Hankey
Mrs Hankey
Mrs Hankey
Mrs Waller
Mrs Hankey
Mrs Hankey
Mrs Hankey
Mrs Post and Mrs Hankey
Miss Wong and Mr
Montgomery
Mrs Altenburger
Mme. Edwards
Mrs Apostolides
Mrs Apostolides
Mrs Apostolides
Miss Day
Mrs Apostolides
Mrs Apostolides
Mrs Apostolides
Mrs Post and Mrs
Apostolides
PE
Music
French
Maths
English
Science
RE
Art
History
Geography
IT
Myths,
Legends
Latin
Form
teacher
Assistant
Miss Haynes and Miss
Cogdell,
1
Miss Boyce
R
Mrs Apostolides
Year
Mrs Post and Mrs Slater
Mrs Slater
Mrs Slater and Miss
Zervou
Mrs Slater
Mrs Waller
Mrs Slater
Mrs Slater
Mrs Slater
Mr de Burlet
Mrs Altenburger
Miss Wong and Miss
Gardner
Miss Noone
Mrs Slater
2
3
Mrs Haig
Mrs Post and Mrs Green
Mrs Green
Mrs Green and Miss
Zervou
Mrs Green
Mrs Waller
Mrs Green
Mrs Green
Mrs Green
Mr de Burlet
Mrs Altenburger
Miss Wong and Miss
Gardner
Miss Langford
Mrs Green
STAFF LIST
Mrs Haig
Mrs Post
Mrs Waller
Mrs Post
Miss Zervou
Mrs Waller
Mrs Kelly
Mr Kibblewhite
Mr Harling
Mr de Burlet
Mrs Altenburger
Miss Wong and Miss
Gardner
Mr Kibblewhite
4
Mrs Post and Mr Harling
Mrs Haig
Mrs Haig
Mrs Kelly
Mrs Post
Miss Zervou
Mrs Kelly
Mrs Kelly
Mr Kibblewhite
Mr Harling
Mr de Burlet
Mrs Altenburger
Miss Wong and Miss
Gardner
Mr Harling
6
Mrs Post and Mrs Kelly
Mr Waller
Mrs Post
Miss Zervou
Mrs Kelly
Mrs Kelly
Mr Kibblewhite
Mr Harling
Mr de Burlet
Mrs Altenburger
Miss Wong and Miss
Gardner
Mrs Kelly
5
note s
FH parent Handbook front cover.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2016 09:16 Page 3
Falkner House
19 Brechin Place
London SW7 4QB
T: 020 7373 4501
E: [email protected]
W: www.falknerhouse.co.uk