GETTING STARTED AT KGS

THE TRANSITION FROM PRIMARY SCHOOL 

The move to secondary school is a key milestone in a child’s life, and most children need support to adjust. The main differences they will experience include: 

• Independent travel to and from school. 
• Navigating a larger site and moving between lessons among older students. 
• Meeting many new adults, each with different roles. 
• Managing books, equipment and devices, ensuring they have the right items for each lesson.
• Using Microsoft Teams for homework, checking assignments and meeting deadlines. 
• Making new friends and finding their place in a new social group (often their biggest worry). 

The Form Tutor is your child’s main point of contact and will help with any concerns. However, children may not always share their difficulties, so if you notice them struggling, please contact their Form Tutor. We have many ways to support students and seeking help will not lead to stigma.  

SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD AT HOME 

Parents can help with organisation in the early weeks, gradually stepping back as their child becomes more independent. You may find these strategies useful: 

• Display their timetable and equipment checklist somewhere visible at home. 
• Establish a homework and preparation routine for the next day. 
• Set small, positive targets to build independence and self-sufficiency. 
• Encourage your child to try new co-curricular activities before, during or after school to help them make friends and explore interests. They will be able to do this at the co-curricular fair that takes place in September.

LOCKERS

Each student is assigned a locker near their tutor room, with a padlock provided at the start of term. To prevent strain from carrying books, kit and other items, we strongly encourage students to make full use of their locker. 

TIMING OF THE SCHOOL DAY 

The school follows a two-week timetable. Tutor Time and School, House and Year Group assemblies take place during morning registration. 

Additional timings

EVENING ROUTINE 

A structured evening routine helps students manage their workload effectively. Homework is typically set for two or three subjects per night, with each task taking around 30 minutes. As homework is never due the next day, students have time to plan their work. If your child is regularly spending significantly more or less time on homework, please speak to their Form Tutor. 

Parents can stay informed by checking weekly notices and tasks on My School Portal or in your child’s Teams Assignments. Reviewing their school bag and timetable each evening, particularly in the first few weeks, also helps ensure they are ready for the next day. 

To support focus and rest, we strongly recommend that mobile phones are kept out of reach during homework and are not kept in bedrooms overnight. Devices should be charged overnight, ready for the following day.  

Current guidance suggests that children aged 11-14 need between 9 and 11 hours of sleep each night – something that a good routine can really help with. A balanced approach to organisation, rest and study will set your child up for success. 

Co-curricular clubs

A co-curricular fair will take place in September, giving students the chance to find out about all the clubs on offer. All co-curricular clubs will begin on 15 September and students are welcome to attend any that interest them. There’s no need to sign up in advance.

KEY STAFF 

The full list of staff can be found in the  School Directory on our website. Listed here are those you are most likely to need to contact in your child’s early days at KGS. 

COMMUNICATIONS

Keeping up to date

Each Friday, parents receive the Weekly Bulletin which contains key operational information, letters and updates relevant to your child’s year group. At the end of each term, we publish an online newsletter, accessible via the Bulletin or our website. 

As we are a busy school, we also share updates on Instagram, which you may wish to follow.  

Contacting staff 

The best way to contact staff is by email. When contacting a subject teacher, please copy in your child’s Form Tutor. Staff email addresses follow the format (with a few exceptions): first initial + [email protected] (for example – Ms S Butler is [email protected]).  

If you are unable to email, please call Reception on 020 8546 5875 and they will direct your query to the appropriate person. 

Contacting your child 

If you need to contact your child in an emergency, call Reception on 020 8546 5875. Students are not permitted to use their mobile phones during the school hours of 8.15am to 3.45pm.  

After school, a member of staff is on duty until 7pm and carries an emergency phone. The emergency contact number is 07843 350687. 

My School Portal

My School Portal is used to share a wealth of information relating to the activities of students at KGS and includes links to attendance records, academic reports, behavioural records as well as the day-to-day calendar for events and sporting fixtures at school. The portal should be used to report your child as absent from school. This includes if they need to be excused from PE and Games due to injury.

Each Friday a weekly summary of notices is sent to parents which includes information about activities taking place in the coming week.