BMR
Brockhurst, Marlston House and Ridge
House
A guide to the schools,
for parents and pupils.
Version 1.5 incorporating revisions 15 August 2014
BMR guide to the schools
By reading the prospectus and visiting the schools you will have gained a feel for the ethos and way
things work at Brockhurst, Marlston House and Ridge House. What you may be missing however is
knowledge of the little things that add up to make the schools operate on a daily basis: the information
that you find out from teachers, other parents or pupils as you go along.
This informal guide aims to answer some of the questions that you may have as a new parent or as your
child moves up through the schools. Much of the guide relates to Brockhurst and Marlston House, but a
lot of the information should still be informative and relevant to parents of pupils at Ridge House.
There is also a section on Ridge House School, which gives some specific information.
The topics are laid out in alphabetical order.
AFTER SCHOOL CLUB
The After School Club operates for Ridge House and Form 7 pupils as an informal club allowing
parents to collect their child after the normal school day. It is not meant to be seen as a form of extra
tuition. It can be used on a regular or ad hoc basis, with the charge per session added to the end of term
bill.
You should let the form teacher know at the start of the day that you wish your child to stay for after
school club. The teacher will then ensure that your child is taken across to the Form 7B classroom,
which is where the club is run, to be signed in. The children go for a snack in the junior dining room
before going back to the 7B room to play outside or take part in activities inside.
Children can be collected from after school club at any time up to 5.50pm, and must be signed out.
Those children who are still in after school club at 5.50pm will be taken out to the back courtyard, and
stay with the teacher until collected. (At 6 p.m., if still not collected, they will be taken to the Dining
Room and invited to have a drink and/or something to eat.)
ASSEMBLY
After morning registration all pupils at Brockhurst and Marlston House attend assembly in the Great
Hall on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. There is a daily prayer, reading and hymn, followed by
announcements, and the presentation of commendations.
On Tuesday there is hymn practice at Marlston Church and on Thursday there is House Prayers.
BMR
BMR is the Brockhurst, Marlston House and Ridge House parents’ organisation.
The main aims of the BMR are to encourage a feeling of community amongst the parents through its
social events, whilst at the same time raising funds for the benefit of the pupils and local charities. The
BMR is not involved in the running of the schools, and any concerns about the operation of the schools
should be raised with the head teachers.
Each form throughout the schools has a parent representative or “class rep.” The role of the class rep is
to keep all parents informed about the various events being organised, to maintain a contact list for the
class to make it easier to sort out get-togethers for pupils or parents, and to ensure that new parents are
welcomed into the schools. It is important that the class rep liaises appropriately with the relevant Form
Teacher.
In addition to regular activities such as running the Christmas Fayre, the BMR also organises social
activities for parents and pupils.
BLAZERS/JACKETS
All pupils in Form 3 and above have blazers or jackets. Girls wear a navy blue blazer; boys wear a
Harris Tweed jacket. They are available from Stevensons and are worn daily to and from school, on
school outings and into assembly. In the Autumn and Spring Terms the boys wear their jackets to away
fixtures.
Page 2 of 16
BMR guide to the schools
BOARDING
Boarding at the schools works on a flexible basis, allowing pupils to board for one or more nights a
week according to choice and availability of boarding places on a specific night. Some pupils are ‘full
boarders’ through choice or because they live a distance from the school. However, the majority of
pupils start as day As they move up the school, most children start to board on many or all weekday
nights. Some boarders stay at weekends and all pupils are welcomed for the activities that are available.
Bronwyn and Stuart Raeburn-Ward and their family live in the school, and act as house parents for the
boarders, supported by Cassie and Ivan Sliwinski and the matrons.
Pupils who board go straight into supper at the end of the school day, have a supervised prep
(homework) session and then enjoy a range of supervised hobbies or sporting activities such as
cooking, photography, swimming and cricket. Pupils also get the chance to buy tuck, at a maximum
cost of 40p per night, on a maximum of two days per week, the cost of which is added to the school
bill.
Activities are followed by hot chocolate, bed, silent reading in bed and lights out. Lights out for Forms
7 to 5 is at 8.30pm; for Forms 4 to 3 at 9.00pm; for Form 2 at 9.15pm and for Form 1 at 9.30pm. The
wake-up call for boarders from Monday to Friday is at 7.20am, with breakfast after room inspection.
On Saturday morning the wake-up call is at 8.00am.
Whether flexi or full boarding, most pupils board on a regular basis, but boarding can also be organised
on an ad-hoc basis e.g. if a parent has a business or social commitment where it would be easier for the
pupil to stay at school overnight. If you wish to arrange for your child to board either phone the school
office on 01635 200293 or e-mail Bronwyn Raeburn-Ward at bronwyn.raeburnward@brockmarl.org.uk
BONFIRE NIGHT
Bonfire Night is one of the highlights of the school calendar, with all pupils at Brockhurst and Marlston
House being involved.
The pupils from Form 6 up form a torchlit pathway towards the lake. The Form 7 pupils lead parents
and relatives along the path to watch the bonfire being lit. There is then a firework display followed by
soup and hot-dogs back up at school.
Since the event starts at 6.30pm, all the children stay at school for supper at no extra cost.
Wellingtons are a must for the pupils, and most wear their tracksuit, fleece or coat over their uniform,
along with a hat, scarf and gloves. Wellingtons are recommended for parents and relatives since the
path is often muddy.
BOOK BAGS
Pupils are provided with a school book bag, which should be used to transport any items they need to
take to and from school such as their prep or pencil cases. The cost of the book bag is added to the
school bill. No other bags should be brought into school, with the exception of bags when boarding. If
a replacement is required it can be purchased from the Uniform Shop. Bags must be named but pupils
are not allowed to add graffiti.
BUILDINGS
Some of the buildings and rooms in the school have formal names. Ones that are useful to know are:
The Great Hall
The wood panelled room to the left of the front door of the school.
The Memorial Hall (Memo
Hall)
The sports hall.
Performing Arts Centre
New in 2014. This incorporates the Memorial Hall above but includes
the music, art, design technology and theatre facilities in one large
complex.
Page 3 of 16
BMR guide to the schools
The Drawing Room
Go into the Great Hall, and the drawing room is the first room on the
right.
The Pudden Centre
The building next to the Memorial Hall that incorporates the art studio
and the design and technology lab.
The Turner Centre
The building incorporating the library and the science labs.
The Learning Development
Centre
New building (2011) has two Ridge House classrooms on the ground
floor and the Learning Development Centre (learning support, gifted
and talented and much more) above.
CAROL SERVICES AND CHRISTINGLE SERVICE
The Carol Service takes place in the Great Hall at 6.30pm on two evenings at the end of the autumn
term, and lasts for approximately an hour. All pupils from Form 4 up take part on both evenings.
Parents receive an invitation for a specific evening to try to balance the numbers between the two
services.
Pupils stay at school for a snack before the service and remain for supper afterwards, whilst parents
have a drink and nibbles in the drawing room. Pupils should be collected from the Great Hall at around
7.45pm.
The Christingle Service takes place in the Great Hall at 3.30pm at the end of the autumn term and lasts
for approximately an hour. All pupils from Form 7-5 take part.
CAROUSEL
Carousel is the name given to the after-school activities for pupils in Form 6, and is a way of easing the
transition from a 3.45pm finish to a 5.50pm finish. A timetable of the carousel activities is posted on
the website and includes things such as art and crafts, and sport.
It is recommended that the children stay on the evening where the activity is swimming, but other than
that carousel is completely optional and flexible. You just need to ensure that your child knows
whether they are staying on a particular day.
Some children stay for only one carousel a week whilst others, particularly those with older siblings at
the school, stay for all five. There is no charge.
CHANGING ROOMS
Pupils in Form 6 and below change for games/PE/judo in the changing areas in or near their own
classrooms. From Form 5 upwards, boys and girls use the ‘senior changing room’ adjacent to the
Memorial Hall (Sports Hall.)
Child protection legislation requires schools to make it clear that parents or other visitors should not
enter the children’s changing rooms. It is embarrassing to the school staff to have to ‘tell-off’ parents or
au pairs who ignore this policy; in an inspection, schools are severely criticised if any adult other than
members of the school staff are found there. (However, if there is a need to search for a long-lost item,
it is permissible to be taken into the changing room by the child’s teacher. However it is better by far to
enlist the teacher’s help because directly looking is not always the most efficient way of locating items
which may turn out to be elsewhere in the school.)
CHATEAU DU TRICHOT
In Form 2 in the spring term, pupils spend a week at Chateau du Trichot in the Lot region of central
France. The travel costs are an extra on the school bill.
The pupils have French lessons and go out into the local village to practise what they have learned. The
trip has taken place for many years, and the locals are now used to pupils stopping them to ask for
directions etc., and make them feel very welcome. It’s not all work, with trips out too, for example to
local sports matches.
CHRISTMAS FAYRE
On a Saturday in November the BMR run a Christmas Fayre. It is an excellent occasion to buy all your
Page 4 of 16
BMR guide to the schools
Christmas presents. Please look out for the date in the School Calendar and put it in your diary.
CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP
The school cross country championship takes place in the spring term, and is predominantly a house
competition with points being awarded to all children who complete the course, which gets longer for
each age group. There are also awards for the overall winners in the age categories - minimus (Form
7), junior (Forms 6 and 5), intermediate (Forms 4 and 3) and senior (Forms 2 and 1).
Parents are welcome to support, and be grateful that they do not have to take part.
EMAIL UPDATES
At Brockhurst, Marlston House and Ridge House we communicate through our website
www.brockmarl.org.uk rather than using traditional paper methods. It is therefore imperative that you
register for alerts and check the website daily. This can be done by clicking on the “sign up to
receive notice of website updates by email” in the index section of the latest news page.
EXAMS
Pupils from Form 6 upwards sit exams towards the end of the autumn and summer terms. There are no
class exams in the spring term.
For Form 6 pupils the exams are low-key, designed to get them used to the idea of exams. They will
receive feedback on their marks. From Form 5 upwards the pupils will be given their exam mark and
told where in the form they have been placed in each individual subject, and where they have been
placed overall.
Pupils will be given revision notes and will revise during school hours.
Tempting as it is, parents should resist the opportunity to micromanage their children’s revision: the
purpose of the exams is to practise techniques, including revision, and to give teachers a chance to see
which bits of the syllabus the children have not understood well.
These exam marks are used as the basis for awarding academic prizes at the end of term.
EXTRA ACTIVITIES
In addition to the timetabled music, sporting and drama activities that all pupils have, children may opt
for extra activities. Those offered are riding, judo, ballet, cricket, tennis, speech and drama and music
tuition. An additional charge is made for all these activities and added to the end of term bill. When a
pupil wishes to stop an activity a full term’s notice must be given in writing.
Tuition can be arranged for a wide range of musical instruments. It is recommended that you speak to
Mr Rowley to arrange for your child to try a range of instruments before deciding which one they
should start to learn.
Music tuition takes place during timetabled school lessons. As far as possible the time of the music
lessons will be moved from week to week, to ensure that a pupil does not always miss the same lesson.
An extra activities application form can be downloaded from the school website.
No formal music lessons are given to pupils until they are in Form 7.
FLEECES
Everybody is expected to have a fleece. They wear them outdoors in all terms.
FORMS
Form 7 at Brockhurst and Marlston equates to year 2 in the state system, with Form 1 equating to year
8. The forms are given the suffix “b” for boys and “g” for girls.
Children are taught in single sex classes until Form 2 (year 7), when the boys and girls are taught in
mixed classes. Prior to Form 2 boys and girls will work together on drama and musical productions.
In Forms 7 and 6 the children will be taught predominantly by their form tutor in their form room, with
Page 5 of 16
BMR guide to the schools
specialist subject teaching for sport and music. As they progress through the school they receive more
specialist subject teaching and will move to different classrooms for each lesson. The form teacher
should be the first point of contact for any concerns you have relating to your child.
Children go to their form room for registration at the start of the school day, before going to Assembly.
GAMES
Children take part in an hour long games session every day of the week. Matches against other schools
are frequent, with most matches being played on Wednesday afternoons, but with matches for younger
teams and other sporting events e.g. swimming galas or cross country taking place on different days on
an ad-hoc basis. Some matches and tournaments also take place on Saturdays.
The main sports for each term are as follows:
Term
Brockhurst
Marlston House
Autumn Term
Football
Spring Term
Rugby
Cross country
Hockey
Netball
Netball
Cross country
Summer Term
Cricket
Athletics, Tennis
Rounders
Athletics, Tennis
Swimming takes place all year round, with swimming galas each term. All pupils receive a swimming
lesson weekly and there is optional extra swimming with the school swimming club. Details of the
times of the swimming club can be found on the school website. Please note there is no charge for the
school swimming club.
In Form 7 there are fun activities such as football, netball, swimming and rounders arranged with
another school, to get the children used to the idea of meeting and playing pupils from other schools.
Children may start to play in competitive fixtures from Form 6, with matches becoming more regular
for older age groups.
From Form 6 the boys play sport in year groups spanning two school years, being under 9s, under 11s,
and under 13s.
The girls play in their year groups until Form 2, when the teams will often be a mixed under 12/13.
The under “x” age refers to the child being under that age on the 1 st September of the academic year
(though athletics is different and counts from the forthcoming September, rather than the one that has
passed.)
GAMES KIT
The children need different kit depending on the main sports each term. The following is a summary:
Sport
Kit
Football
Shin guards
Football boots with moulded studs
Hockey (girls)
Shin guards
Football/Hockey boots with screw in safety studs
Hockey stick
Mouth guard (see separate note)
Mouth guard (see separate note)
Rugby boots with screw in safety studs or football
boots with moulded studs
Rugby
Page 6 of 16
BMR guide to the schools
Cricket
Cricket bat (not compulsory, but many boys prefer
to bring their own)
Ball
Box
Pads and helmet, for those who are very keen
White trousers for those who are taking part in
cricket matches
Athletics/Cross country
Athletics spikes for those who are taking part in
athletics or cross country matches
Swimming
Swimming costume/trunks, swimming hats and
goggles to be purchased from the uniform shop
Towelling tops (optional, but recommended for
those pupils swimming in galas)
Tennis racket
White shorts or games skirt for those in the tennis
teams
Tennis
HOUSES
Pupils are allocated to a house when they join the school, and the individual houses compete for
sporting and academic cups each term.
The Brockhurst houses are Corinthians, Greeks, Spartans and Trojans and those for Marlston House are
Austen, Bronte, Curie and Nightingale.
A teacher is the head of each house, but the houses are predominantly run by the pupils with a head,
deputy head, sports captain and secretary being elected. House meetings are held on a Thursday each
week and are used as an opportunity to share news of success or areas of “could do better,” and to
review how many house points have been earned.
LATE PREPS
Pupils in Forms 3, 2 and 1 have a second prep to take home (or do at school.) On several evenings a
week for Form 2 and 1 this is a taught prep/lesson. The pupils have supper then go into a taught prep
until 7.20pm. There is a list on the school website, under ‘Parents and Pupils’ then ‘extra curricular’,
detailing the evenings on which there are late preps.
Many children opt to board on some of the nights when they have late prep. Those who are not
boarding should be collected from the courtyard and must be signed out by whoever is collecting them.
The signing out sheet will be outside Mr. Raeburn-Ward’s office.
LEAVE AWAY WEEKENDS
On leave away weekends school finishes at 5.50pm on the Friday and there is no late prep or boarding.
There is also no Saturday school for Forms 3 to 1, or Saturday Club for Forms 7 to 4 - a chance to sleep
in!
LEAVERS’ SERVICE
This takes place on the last day of the summer term after the school prize giving, and is attended by the
pupils and parents of all those leaving Forms 3 and 1 to go on to their senior schools. All pupils in
Forms 2 and 3G also attend.
The service takes place in Marlston Church, and tends to become quite an emotional occasion, so
hankies are recommended.
LOST PROPERTY
In the younger forms it is best to enlist the help of the Form Teacher. If an item is lost by an older
pupil, helping the child to compose a brief description as a note to leave on the Grand Piano in the
Great Hall works wonders. The note is read out at the next assembly and the whole school then knows
Page 7 of 16
BMR guide to the schools
LOST PROPERTY cont.
that the item is missing. If the lost property is an item of clothing, the same procedure applies. For
safeguarding reasons the temptation to search by ‘popping into the changing room when no-one is
about’ must be resisted. (See Changing Rooms.)
MATCHES
Travelling to away fixtures:
Girls and Boys: Athletics & Swimming – Full Tracksuit
Girls: Full Tracksuit for all other sport
Boys: Autumn & Spring Term: Jackets to be worn
Boys: Summer Term: Cricket whites & white cricket jersey
Matches against other schools generally take place on a Wednesday or Saturday afternoon, but can be
on other days. Children in Forms 3-1 HAVE to return to school after a match and in Form 4 it is
encouraged that they return. In all other forms, children may go home after a match although they do
need to be signed out.
The school website shows the current fixture list and there is a link through to teams so that you can
find out if your child is playing. Teams are usually loaded at least a day before the match is due to take
place. The website will also be updated if the match is cancelled for any reason, so it is always worth
checking before you set off to watch. Please do note that inclement weather does not normally prevent
the matches from taking place.
Netball matches take place on the tennis courts, and all other matches are over on the sports field.
Parents are encouraged to come and support the children at both home and away fixtures. Match tea
for parents is served in the Great Hall in the autumn and spring terms, and is often brought along to the
sports field in the summer. Match tea for the pupils is generally in the dining room in the autumn and
spring terms and at the sports field in the summer.
MEALS
Breakfast begins at 7.50am, and you may arrange for your child to have breakfast at school if required,
at an additional cost. There is a selection of cereals, toast and spreads, fruit juices and hot drinks.
The main meal of the day is lunch, which is served in different sittings for juniors and seniors. There is
always a vegetarian alternative and vegetables and fruit are actively encouraged, as is the wide
selection of items available in the salad bar. There is a choice of puddings with fruit and biscuits and
cheese as well.
Supper is at 6.00pm, and you may arrange for your child to have supper at school if required, at an
additional cost.
Menus are published on the school website in the Parents and Pupils section.
MOUTH GUARDS
From Form 6 boys play rugby and girls play hockey, so they require a mouth guard. The school
arranges for the fitting of professionally produced mouth guards, the cost of which will be added to
your bill.
NAME TAPES
All items brought to school should be labelled to avoid them getting lost.
The school provides large name tapes that should be sewn onto the outside of all games kit (except the
tracksuit as this will damage the exterior waterproof coating.) The charge for these tapes will be added
to your school bill.
Other uniform tends to be labelled with sew or iron-on labels, and permanent marker can be useful.
Page 8 of 16
BMR guide to the schools
PARENTS’ EVENINGS
These take place in the Spring Term from 6.30-8.30pm approx. In Form 7 and 6 parents only speak to
PARENTS’ EVENINGS cont.
their child’s Form Teacher. In Form 5 to 1, pupils have subject teachers and a Form Teacher. Parents’
Evenings provide these parents with the opportunity to talk to both the subject and Form Teachers. Of
course parents are able to approach both the subject and Form Teachers at other times should the need
arise.
PARKING
In the morning parents may park in the Ridge House car park when dropping off Ridge House and
Form 7 pupils. There is a drop off and run system in operation for all other forms. You should drive
up the main driveway and drop your child off at the paved section, then drive on. If you need to park
you should park further down the school drive or at the sports field.
At pick up time parents may park in the front courtyard and driveway, or in the Ridge House car park.
To ensure the safety of pupils, parents are NOT allowed to drive down the back drive at any time,
and are NOT allowed to drive into the front courtyard in the morning.
PROGRESS REPORTS
Pupils from Form 6 upwards receive a progress report at regular intervals each term. They are awarded
a grading from A to E reflecting both their effort and attainment in each subject. These grades are then
turned into points which show their effort for that period. The reports will show the range of effort
points awarded in the class so that you can gauge how hard your child is perceived to be working. The
reports for Form 5 upwards record where in the class the child has been placed for effort, based on
these points.
REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS
At Brockhurst and Marlston House good work and behaviour may be recognised by the awarding of
stars. A commendation may be awarded for a particularly good piece of work, or good progress in
class. As well as receiving a certificate from the headmaster or headmistress the recipient also gets five
stars.
A record is kept of the number of stars each pupil has, and these count towards the total number of stars
received by the pupil’s house, which is the basis of the awarding of the house cups each term. There
are also term prizes for each form for the pupil with the greatest number of stars.
Minor misdemeanours may lead to a lunchtime forfeit, where the pupil is expected to help clear up
after lunch by clearing plates or sweeping the floor. More serious misdemeanours may result in a
stripe, which leads to the loss of five stars.
Pupils may also be given a detention. This is a more serious punishment, and means that the pupil will
be kept in during break time thus losing their free time.
RIDGE HOUSE
Ridge House General
Children may be taken to their classroom between 8.20am and 8.45am, so if you do not have children
at the prep schools, which start at 8.20am, you can avoid the worst of the morning rush by dropping
your child slightly later.
Children attending the nursery class finish at 12.45pm. Alternatively they may stay at school for lunch,
and be collected at 1.00pm. The school day finishes at 3.15pm for children in the full-time nursery
class, at 3.20pm for those in reception class and at 3.45pm for Form 8. Children should be collected
from the entrance to Ridge House School, where they wait with their teacher until collected.
At Brockhurst, Marlston House and Ridge House we communicate through our website
www.brockmarl.org.uk rather than using traditional paper methods. It is therefore imperative that you
register for alerts and check the website daily. This can be done by clicking on the “sign up to
Page 9 of 16
BMR guide to the schools
receive notice of web site updates by email” in the index section of the Latest News page. You can
see the daily menu at “Lunch Menu” in the index section and you can see the term’s outline and
other useful information at “Items for Pupils.” (See also “WEBSITE.”)
Events specific to Ridge House are detailed on both the printed school calendar and the school website.
Some in particular to look out for are:
Declamations: the children in all the Ridge House classes recite poetry that they have learned, and
parents are encouraged to come and listen.
Christmas Play: all the children in Ridge House take part, and parents are encouraged to watch.
Fun Day: this takes place near the end of the summer term and is a day of fun and games for children.
They get to wear “mufti” i.e. casual clothes.
Christmas Party: the Ridge House Christmas Party takes place near the end of the autumn term and is
another day of fun and games for the children.
Sports Day: the Ridge House Sports Day is a mid-week event towards the end of the summer term,
and is separate from the Brockhurst and Marlston House Sports Day. Parents and relatives are
encouraged to come along and cheer on the children.
The current uniform list is on the school website. You can phone Stevensons on 01727 853262 and
order items you require or email sales@stevensons.co.uk. In addition Stevensons come into school in
the Spring and Summer terms and uniform can be purchased on these selling days. The date of the
visits will be posted on the website. There are also details of the uniform shop where specific items
which are asterisked on the list and second hand uniform may be purchased. Girls should return to
school from the Easter holidays wearing their summer dresses. (See also “UNIFORM and UNIFORM
SHOP”.)
All pupils at Ridge House receive a weekly swimming lesson. Swimming hats are compulsory and
swimming goggles are strongly encouraged. Likewise fitted swim shorts for the boys rather than baggy
board shorts are encouraged because they do make swimming easier for the boys.
Nursery Class
There are some specific points that it is useful for the parents of children in the nursery class to note.
The children take part in a swimming and mini gym session each week. As part of the child’s learning
parents are encouraged to get into the swimming pool with the children, but it is not compulsory. The
school may be able to arrange for one of the gap students to help on a first come first served basis. The
swimming session is followed by a mini gym class, but parents do not accompany their children to mini
gym.
All children who are registered to join Ridge House School may join in the swimming lesson free of
charge, but must be accompanied by a parent.
Children in the nursery class take part in the Ridge House Sports, but there is no nursery class on the
morning of sports day, to avoid the children becoming overtired.
There is no formal discussion with the class teacher about a child’s progress in the nursery class. The
class teacher will highlight any specific problems to the parents, and parents are able to request
informal discussions with their class teacher at any stage.
Reception Class
Parents with a child in the reception class should note that they do not need to accompany their child to
the weekly swimming lesson because there are helpers in the water.
Reception children and those in Form 8 have the opportunity to attend short tennis lessons, the charge
for which will be added to your school bill. They may also attend a weekly ball skills session which is
held after school and for which there is no extra charge.
There is a formal parent teacher discussion arranged by the class teacher near the end of the summer
term for Reception pupils. Parents are however able to request informal discussions with their class
teacher at any stage during the school year.
Form 8 (Year 1)
Page 10 of 16
BMR guide to the schools
Form 8 at Ridge House equates to Year 1 in the state system. The year group is also often referred to
as the “top year group.”
Form 8 (Year 1) cont.
Ridge House book bags are required for Form 8 to protect the reading books the children may take
home. Book bags are the same as those used in Reception.
Children in Form 8 also have the opportunity to learn judo. Although this is an extra-curricular
activity, it takes place during the school day. The cost of the judo lesson and the hire of a judo suit are
added to your child’s bill at the end of each term. Details of the judo lessons for Ridge House are on the
school website.
As in the reception class, there is a formal parent teacher discussion arranged by the class teacher near
the end of the summer term for Form 8. Parents are however able to request informal discussions with
their class teacher at any stage during the school year.
RUNNING LATE
If you are running late then please do not worry. If you are due to collect at 3.45 p.m. and you do not
arrive at that time then your child will automatically go into After School Club, or Carousel for
children in Form 6. Similarly, if you are due to collect your child at 6 p.m. and do not arrive before
that time then your child will go into the dining room to wait for you and will be offered supper.
A charge for the meal, if eaten, will be made to your termly bill. Staff have to register children as being
present in the building (to comply with fire regulations.) Signing out is then done on the board outside
Mr Raeburn-Ward’s study.
SAFEGUARDING
Child protection legislation requires schools to make it clear that parents or other visitors should not
enter the children’s changing rooms. It is embarrassing to the school staff to have to ‘tell-off’ parents or
au pairs who ignore this policy; in an inspection schools are heavily criticised if any adult other than
members of the school staff are found there. (However, if there is a need to search for a long-lost item,
it is permissible to be taken into the changing room by the child’s teacher. It is better, however, to enlist
the teacher’s help.)
SATURDAY CLUB
This is an optional club for pupils from Form 7 through to Form 4, which runs from 9.00am until
12.30pm, the same hours as Saturday school. Saturday Club does not take place on Leave Away
weekends. Examples of the activities the children take part in are swimming, gymnastics, mountain
biking (bring your own bike), and golf.
The club operates on a flexible basis so children do not have to attend every week. Children should be
taken to the Memorial Hall (Memo Hall) to be signed in, and then collected at 12.30pm from the
courtyard. There is no additional charge for Saturday Club.
SATURDAY SCHOOL
Pupils in Form 3 through to Form 1 attend school on a Saturday morning from 9.00am until 12.30pm,
unless there is a leave away weekend.
The Saturday timetable includes academic subjects, but swimming, music and drama may also be part
of the timetable.
Pupils should be collected from the courtyard and signed out as normal at 12.30pm.
SCHOOL DAY
Pupils should arrive at school for 8.20am, ready to go to Assembly at 8.30am. Lessons start at 9.00am.
Lessons are timetabled for periods of 35 or 40 minutes. There is a morning break of 25 minutes at
10.55am, when the pupils are offered a snack of biscuits or fruit.
The lunch break is approximately 35 minutes and is followed by activities and, for older pupils, games.
The school day finishes at 3.45pm for pupils in form 7 and those in form 6 who are not doing Carousel.
Page 11 of 16
BMR guide to the schools
The day continues for others with a snack of sandwiches or fruit and a thirty minute break, followed by
more lessons until 5.50pm, when pupils in Forms 5 to 3 finish. Pupils in Forms 2 and 1 finish at
SCHOOL DAY cont.
5.50pm when there is no late prep. On late prep evenings they finish at 7.20pm.
SIGNING OUT
For safety reasons, pupils must sign out when they are collected from the school, to record who has
collected them.
At 3.45pm and 5.50pm they are signed out as they are collected, by the teacher who taught their last
lesson. Parents are required, again for safety, to make themselves visible to the teacher signing out – it
is not an option to stay in the car and wait for your child to come to you, however wet the weather!
Pupils who are in late prep or leaving for the day at a different time for any reason must be signed out
by the person who is collecting them. Signing-out sheets are kept in Mr. Raeburn-Ward’s office.
It is the responsibility of the parent to ensure that their child/children have been signed out. Failure to
do so is considered a serious offence and may result in a ‘stripe’. (See also ‘SUPPER’.)
SLAPTON
Pupils in Form 1 are required as part of their geography Common Entrance and Scholarship
examinations to have completed a fieldwork investigation. Each autumn the school takes Form 1 pupils
to the Field Studies Council Centre in Slapton, South Devon. During their week away, the pupils
undertake a study of sustainable development on Dartmoor and complete significant sections of the
biology and geography syllabus, relating to adaptation to salt water conditions and coastal erosion and
deposition. Often their trip coincides with an Indian summer, providing idyllic opportunities for
bathing in the sandy coves when work is done. For many pupils the week proves to be among the most
memorable in their school year.
SPORT FOR PARENTS
Details of the sporting activities that parents and carers can join in are on the school website. There is
football for the men, and there is also swimming for the ladies. All levels of expertise and fitness (or
lack of!) are welcome.
There is also a bridge club for those who wish to exercise their brain, details of which are on the
website too. The Commnity OPrchestra is open to parents and to adults and older children from outside
the immediate schools community.
SPORTS DAY
One of the high lights of the year is Sports Day which takes place on a Saturday in the summer term
and all Brockhurst and Marlston House pupils from Form 6 to Form 1 take part. There is a separate
sports afternoon for Form 7 and Ridge House on a mid-week afternoon towards the end of the summer
term.
Sports Day is predominantly a house event, but there are also awards for the overall winners in the age
categories, junior (Forms 6 and 5), intermediate (Forms 4 and 3) and senior (Forms 2 and 1.)
The day usually runs from around 10.00am until 4.00pm, and parents should bring a picnic lunch.
STATIONERY
Pupils are provided with all necessary school books and text books, but they should bring a pencil case
with pencil, pens, colouring pencils, ruler, pencil sharpener and eraser. From Form 5 upwards pupils
are expected to write in ink for much of the time and they should therefore have fine-line roller ball
pens with blue ink. Biros are not acceptable. All pupils in Forms 2 and 1 use a fountain pen.
The school does have a supply of stationery, and the cost of any stationery that your child requests will
be added to your school bill.
Pupils in Forms 7 through to Form 3 do not require a calculator. Pupils in Form 2 and 1 will be given a
scientific calculator to use in their maths lessons, the cost of which will be added to your school bill.
SURGERY
Page 12 of 16
BMR guide to the schools
If your child becomes ill during the day at school they will be taken to Surgery which operates with an
Open Door Policy. If nobody is in Surgery when you arrive please look at the board on the door to see
where Mrs Park or Matron can be found. It is important that all medical forms are completed and
sent to Mrs Park at the start of your child’s time at Brockhurst, Marlston House or Ridge House.
SURGERY cont.
This is so that if medication is needed the school is able to check their records if parents are
unavailable.
UNIFORM
The current uniform lists are on the school website on the Uniform Shop page of the Parents and Pupils
section. You can phone Stevensons on 01727 853262 and order items you require or email
sales@stevensons.co.uk. In addition Stevensons come into school once a term and uniform can be
purchased on these selling days. The date of the visits will be posted on the website.
The main thing to know is that there are different uniforms for winter and summer.
For Brockhurst the winter uniform is a checked shirt, maroon tie, grey jumper with maroon stripe and
grey shorts or trousers, with knee length grey and maroon stripe socks. Boys from Form 3 upwards
wear trousers whilst those in Forms 7 to 4 wear shorts.
In the summer the boys wear a checked shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and a grey sleeveless pullover
with their grey trousers or shorts. They do not wear a tie.
The winter uniform for girls is white shirt, green tie, navy blue jumper with green stripe and kilt, with
navy socks or tights.
In the summer the girls wear a summer dress with white socks, and their navy blue jumper if necessary.
The dress can be ordered from Stevensons in the spring term.
Girls wear the winter uniform in the autumn and spring terms, and should return to the school in the
summer term wearing their summer dress. The timing of when the boys change from winter into
summer uniform is weather dependent, and the boys will be told when to change uniform.
Items asterisked on the uniform list can only be purchased from the school uniform shop. Details of
these items are shown on the clothing lists on the website, and the opening hours of the shop are also
on the website.
UNIFORM SHOP
The school uniform shop is run by parent volunteers, and details of the opening hours or how to make
an appointment are on the school website. To contact the uniform shop, please send an e-mail to
uniformshop@brockmarl.org.uk
The shop holds samples of all uniform and offers a fitting service so that uniform can ordered from
Stevensons with confidence. They also have items of second hand uniform. Items of second hand
uniform that are in good condition can also be traded or sold on the “Wanted” and “For Sale” pages of
the uniform shop site. To help cut down on administration we request that all shop items are paid for at
time of purchase.
WEBSITE
At Brockhurst, Marlston House and Ridge House we communicate through our website
www.brockmarl.org.uk rather than using traditional paper methods. It is therefore imperative that you
register for alerts and check the website daily. This can be done by clicking on the “sign up to
receive notice of web site updates by email” which appears on most pages of the website .
The “Parents News” page contains details of current news and information and there is a photo gallery
for many of the school events. The “School Calendar” page shows what events/matches are taking
place, and you will be able to click through to find team information around the day before a match is
scheduled.
This whole section of the website is maintained by Nick Park, who is always open to suggestions about
further developing the website or responding to any questions about it. He can be contacted via the
link on the calendar page of the website. He recognises that it is not always easy for new parents to find
Page 13 of 16
BMR guide to the schools
their way around, but the Parents News area has a wealth of information and photographs about many
aspects of our children’s education.
Page 14 of 16
BMR guide to the schools
APPENDIX
Brockhurst and Marlston House health notes from Jane Park, Matron.
Sickness
If your son or daughter is ill, please allow 36 – 48 hours after the last of any symptoms of sickness,
diarrhoea, contagious conditions or high temperature before allowing them to return to school. If you
are unsure contact me. janepark@brockmarl.org.uk or 01635 200293 Ext 225
If your son or daughter appears unwell at the start of the day please keep them at home but do not
hesitate to bring them in later if they are clearly fine.
If your son or daughter becomes unwell during the school day a member of staff or I will call you.
In the event of an emergency, treatment and care of the pupil will be our priority and a member of staff
will call you as soon as possible.
Absence
If your son or daughter is going to be absent from school for any reason, please email me or the office
so that we are able to fill in the register correctly.
janepark@brockmarl.org.uk or 01635 200293 Ext 225
Off Games
Please remember that a note or an email, stating the reason, is required from parents whose son or
daughter needs to be off games. However, children frequently feel better as the day goes by and
‘games’ might well be beneficial rather than otherwise. If you wish to leave me to discuss with your
son or daughter whether they feel sufficiently ‘better’ just before games, then please say so in the note.
Nits
Please be aware that the ‘dreaded’ nits rear their ugly head very regularly! Some parents use a ‘Nitty
Gritty’ comb everyday and this is working for their children. www.nittygritty.co.uk is highly
recommended.
Trainers
These must be proper sports trainers, not fashion or canvas shoes. The pupils will not be allowed to
play games wearing incorrect footwear.
Shoes
Girls must wear black shoes that give support i.e. with laces or a proper bar strap.
‘Pumps with a token strap or ballet-type shoes’ are not allowed for everyday use, though boarders may
wear them during the evenings.
There is good evidence that the wearing of shoes providing little or no support may cause damage to a
child’s future posture.
Page 15 of 16
BMR guide to the schools
Daily uniform
Please check your children’s uniform. For instance, many girls and boys have large holes in their
elbows and they look very scruffy! Please could they be repaired or a new jumper purchased? Boarders
should have enough clothes with them to have fresh clothes each day. Their dirty clothes can easily be
washed at school if parents would prefer. Please name all clothing and shoes – including home clothes,
socks and underwear
Towels
Every pupil should have a named towel for their games locker (for showers and swimming) and
another named towel if they are boarding.
Sports clothes and shoes/boots
All children must be equipped every day with the correct sports clothing, correct footwear and full
swimming kit as shown in the uniform lists (available from the website under Forms for Parents). Even
pupils who are off games sometimes need to change into games kit – for photos etc.
Mouth guards
Girls
These will be fitted for every pupil from Form 6 and upwards by Mr Alberts, who is a qualified dentist,
at the beginning of the autumn term. Pupils should have their old one with them (please ensure the
mouth guard is at school) and if it still fits correctly they will not need to have a new one fitted.
Boys
These will be fitted for every boy from Form 6 and upwards by Mr Alberts during the autumn term.
Pupils should have their old one with them (please ensure the mouth guard is at school) and if it still
fits correctly they will not need to have a new one fitted.
Periods
Some girls start their periods in Form 3 or earlier and some will not have started before they leave at
13. The schools’ biology lessons deal with the changes during puberty in a way appropriate to the age
of the pupil and my role in these lessons is to have a fairly informal but structured talk with the girls
during each of their senior years (in Forms 3, 2 and 1) and, most importantly, to answer their questions.
Nick and I have brought up three daughters of our own here at Brockhurst and Marlston House and I
think I empathise with the concerns of both pupils and parents during this period of adolescence.
Surgery is, of course, suitably stocked to provide practical assistance if necessary and to offer help and
support.
Jane Park
janepark@brockmarl.org.uk 01635 200293 Ext 225
Page 16 of 16