Parents Hand Book 2015

Parents Guide 2015 P2a0r14en- 2t0s15Handbook

Parents Guide 2015April 2015Dear ParentsA very warm welcome to Hillcrest.We trust you will find this handbook a useful source of reference. With lots ofnew innovation at school, it is updated throughout the year and the most up todate version can always be downloaded from the website. Please take time toread and digest its contents and do let us know if there is any further informationwhich would be useful to include in next year’s copy.Thank you for entrusting us with the education and care of your son or daughter.The best way for parents to participate in the life of the school is by gettinginvolved in the work of the Parents’ Association, which does so much to supportour community.Inevitably, you will have queries and concerns during the academic year ahead.Your son or daughter’s Form Tutor is always available to offer you advice andguidance and should always be your first port of call. Do not hesitate to get intouch.I wish you and your family a happy and successful year.Ian Rosario-HopkinsHeadteacher 2 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015Semper prospice“Semper prospice”The official school motto which means “Always looking forward” in Latin.Aims of the SchoolOur primary aim is to give all our pupils a first-class, holistic education within asupportive family environment. We aim to enable pupils:● to respect and value each other in a multicultural family● to provide individual focus and personalised learning to develop individual abilities to levels of excellence in academics/sports/art● to offer excellent teaching and learning opportunities● to develop a strong ICT learning environment● to recognize that every child matters – academically and pastorallyPupils are prepared for entry to senior school via Common Entrance or scholarshipexaminations. The school will give impartial advice to help families select and gainentry at their chosen school. 3 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015 How to Contact Us General Queries to School Office; For all general queries, please contact the School Office on 0724256173 or 0736256173 or by email on [email protected]. All staff can be contacted through their e-mail address which follows the generic pattern [email protected] Sport/Games Information For up-to-date information about sports fixtures or Games sessions, first check the school website – www.hillcrest.ac.ke under Co-curricular, Sport or telephone the main school number 0724256173/0736256173. Sport is co-ordinated by two members of staff, Mrs Angie Gardiner, Deputy Head Co curricular and Head of Girls’ Games and Mr Jo Osunga, Head of Boys’ games. Form Tutors and Subject Teachers Teachers are generally busy at the beginning and end of the day, therefore parents are encouraged to contact their child’s Form Tutor by e-mail. If necessary this can be followed up with a request for a meeting. Headteacher For an appointment with the Headteacher please contact the School Office either by phone or by email, as detailed above. The Headteacher is always available to see parents and appointments should be made with the School Office, including a brief outline of the agenda for any such meeting. All staff can be contacted through their e-mail address which follows the generic pattern [email protected] 4 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015Who’s whoBoard of GovernorsHillcrest Preparatory and Hillcrest Early Years is part of Hillcrest International Schools. TheGovernors of Hillcrest are its Trustees and are appointed by the Board of Directors of HillcrestInternational Schools. The Chairman may be contacted via the Principal or directly throughthe School Office.● Mr Bob Kikuyu Chairman● Mr Andrew Hollas Director● Mr Anthony Wahome Director● Mr Ayisi Makatiani Director● Ms Mary Arnal Governor● Mrs Jasmin Banji-Barnes Academic/HR Chair● Mr Nicholas Wasunna Pastoral/Co-curricular Chair● Mr Kevin Barrett Parent Governor● Mr Ken Obimbo Pastoral Co-curricular● Ms Lucy Hannan Co-opted member Communications Chair● Ms Chetal Patel Communications/PRThe School Executive Team● Mr Christopher Wheeler Principal & CEO● Mr Leon Bareham Head of Secondary● Mr Ian Rosario-Hopkins Head of Preparatory● Mr Alfred Kithusi Chief Financial OfficerHillcrest Preparatory – Senior Leadership Team● Mr Ian Rosario-Hopkins Headteacher● Mrs Angie Gardiner Deputy Head Co-curricular (Girls Games)● Mrs Helena Grant Deputy Head Academic (English, History)● Ms Warucu Kijuu Deputy Head Pastoral (Geography, French)● Ms Christina Lacey Acting Deputy Head Administration (Y5)● Mrs Dominique Cave Director ICT 5 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015 Hillcrest Prep, and Early Years Admin Staff Ms Florence Wacuka Miss Frida GakiiSchool Office, School Transport School Office, Admissions Health & Safety, Head’s PA. Victoria Mwangi Martha NjoguSchool Nurse, Lost Property Librarian Beatrice Onyango Felix MwanziaPhotocopying, Stores IT Technician 6 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015 Hillcrest Prep StaffIan Rosario-Hopkins Dominique Cave Angela Gardiner Warucu Kijuu Director of ICTHeadteacher Prep & Early Years Deputy Head - Co-curricular Deputy Head - Pastoral Senior Leadership Team Head of Girls Games Senior GeographySenior Leadership Team Senior Leadership Team Senior Leadership TeamExecutive Team Helena Grant Christina Lacey Ruth Regau Charles OkukuDeputy Head - Academic Year 8 Form Tutor Year 8 Form Tutor Senior English, History Acting Deputy Head - Admin Faculty CoordinatorSenior Leadership Team Year 5 Form Tutor Faculty Coordinator Modern Foreign Languages Mathematics Senior Leadership Team Susan Dunne Ezekiel Oganga Georgina Harrison Tracy ThomasYear 7 Form Tutor Year 6 Form Tutor Year 6 Form Tutor Year 7 Form Tutor Faculty Coordinator English DT Coordinator Kiswahili, Boys Games Pastoral Coordinator Girls Games Senior English 7 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015Hillcrest Prep Staff Julie Kimutai Surbhi Sharma Vashisht Mary Muchangi Kimberley Bennett Year 5 Form Tutor Year 4 Form Tutor Year 4 Form Tutor Year 3 Form TutorFaculty Coordinator Pastoral Coordinator ECA Coordinator Humanities Senior History Junior French & Drama Polly Maina Thelma Mohamed Maggie Minvalla Virginia WanjiruYear 3 Form Tutor Year 2 Teaching Assistant Year 2 Form Tutor Year 2 Form Tutor KS1 Coordinator Grace Munene Payal Kakkar Cleopatra Da Gama Joyce AlivitsaYear 2 Teaching Assistant Year 1 Teaching Assistant Year 1 Form Tutor Rose Acting Head Hillcrest Year 1 Form Tutor Early Years 8 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015Hillcrest Prep Staff Cynthia Wasonga Julia Mathews Joy Kiano Teresa AguloYear 1 Teaching Assistant MADD Coordinator Faculty Coordinator Science Lab Assistant Drama, Senior History Alix Daykin Rose Guga Zuleka Abdul Malik Yoland MasidzaLearning Support Learning Support Senior Mathematics Music Coordinator CoordinatorBarbara Simiyu Maxwell Wakuhunga Jacqueline Mwangi Barbara Simiyu Sports Coach Sports Coach Sports Coach Sports Coach 9 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015Annitah Nderitu John Mutuku Francis MbuguaArt in Class Support Art/DT Teaching Swimming Coach Asstistant /Life Guard Early Years StaffMrs Payal Kakkar Samira Fazal Josephine Sitati Cecilia Kariuki Reception Teacher Reception Teacher Reception Teaching Assistant, Acting Head, HEY Swimming Coach Year 1 Form Tutor Margeret Esechele Tabitha Wangeci Jaspreet Ghir Lydia MajumaReception Teaching Assistant Nursery 2 Teacher Nursery 2 Teacher Nursery 2 Teaching Assistant 10 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015Early Years Staff Catherine Njoroge Muthoni Bwika Sabrina Wood Irene MusogaNursery 2 Teaching Assistant Nursery 1 Teacher Nursery 1 Teacher Nursery 1 Teaching Assistant Beverline Kemoli Samperu Ndegwa Caroline Kinyanjui Bendetter Mueni Nursery 1 Teaching Playgroup Class Teacher Playgroup Teaching Playgroup Teaching AssistantAssistant & Bus Escort Assistant & Bus Escort Eunice KyaloEmail addresses take the form of [email protected] 11 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015An A to W of useful informationAbsence - If your child is unwell andunable to attend school, please contact theSchool Office by telephone or e-mail. Pupilsshould always be kept off school for 24hours following any vomiting or diarrhea.Permission for absence from school forholidays or other family occasions shouldbe sought in advance from the Form Tutor.Holidays taken during term time are verymuch discouraged because of the disruptionit causes to the individuals concerned andto the rest of their class.Academic Curriculum - The curriculum is based on the National Curriculumof England and Wales for Years 3, 4 and 5 who are largely taught by a Form Tutor,with specialist teachers for Music, DT, Kiswahili, French, Drama, Games and PSHCE.An art specialist is introduced in Year 5.From Year 6 Form Tutors largely teach a class of English, Mathematics and Science.Kiswahili is replaced by an additional French lesson. Mathematics is delivered inability sets.From Year 7 the Common Entrance syllabus is followed. Pupils have a Form Tutor andare set for English and Mathematics and specialist teachers teach all examinationsubjects in preparation for either 13+ Common Entrance or Scholarship examinations.Activities - A large number of fun activities run by members of staff or visitingservice providers take place during “Friday activities” from 2.30pm. A list of theseis circulated on the first day of term and activities usually start on the second Fridayback.Alumni - The school is always keen to hear alumni news so if you know of an oldboy or girl who achieves something noteworthy, please e-mail it (preferably with aphotograph and up to date contact information for that person) to our MarketingManager [email protected]. 12 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015Animals - For Health and Safety reasons, the school policy is not to allow animalson the property.Assemblies - Two whole school assemblies are held between 8.20 to 8.50 am asfollows:Monday – Head teacher’s Assembly; Friday - Celebration Assembly led by a class/form or specialist Head of Department, ie. Games. Mini, pastoral assemblies areheld weekly - Years 3 & 4 on Tuesdays, Years 5 & 6 on Wednesdays and Years 7 & 8on Thursdays between 08.15 and 08.30 am. Parents are encouraged to attend ourMonday and Friday assemblies.A non-denominational school, our pupils learn about and respect the values andtraditions of different religions and cultures.Assessment - Academic progress is carefully monitored and assessedthroughout the year. Standardised diagnostic tests are taken by pupils at variousstages as well as formal examinations in Years 6, 7 & 8 with mid-year (February)and end-of-year (June) examinations. In Year 8 this culminates in the 13+ CommonEntrance examination where candidates sit papers in English, Mathematics, Science,French and Geography. Optional language papers eg. Latin are available anddiscussed with the Deputy Head Academic.Birthdays - A birthday cake can be brought into school and shared with yourchild’s class and friends at break time.Please advise your child’s Form Tutorto make arrangements. Our NO NUTSpolicy applies.Boarding - Hillcrest has a boardingfacility for up to 50 pupils. Most pupilsare from the Secondary School buton special request consideration for ayounger sibling may apply. Please askthe School Office for more details.Bus service - The school offersdoor to door transport services which have been tailored to the needs of the schooland our parents. For further details of this service please contact the School Office.Calendar - Each pupil is given a printed copy of the school calendar which detailsfixtures etc. However parents are referred to the website where the calendar can besynced with devices to keep parents up to date.Car park - Pupils are not allowed to be in the Car park unsupervised. Please driveslowly and with care and consideration for others. 13 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015Classes - The emphasis is placed oncreating mixed ability form classes witha range of skills and personality types.Where pupils or parents have concernsabout a form, requests for change shouldbe positive and can only be made at theend of each academic year.In some subjects, (Years 6 to 8) pupilswill be set on ability. This will changefrom year to year and subject to subject,depending on the optimum method ofteaching for that group. In subjects whichare set by ability, changes, which may happen at any time during the school year, willbe discussed with the pupil. The School will act in the best interests of each individualchild.All issues regarding a pupil’s academic progress should be discussed in the firstinstance with a pupil’s Form Tutor. Wider matters may be referred to the Deputy HeadAcademic.Choirs - Pupils are selected to perform in the school choir at school and inter-school performances. Please consult the music department for more details by emailon [email protected] from school - School finishes at 3.45 pm, at which time parentsshould arrange to collect pupils from within the school premises. Year 1 to 5 parentsfrom their classrooms, Year 6 to 8 from the ‘quad’ area. Pupils are not allowed towalk into the car park area unaccompanied by an adult for safety reasons.We appreciate your co-operation in arriving on time to collect your child, however,if you or your driver are unavoidably delayed, please inform the School Office assoon as possible and collect your child from the Library Late Room on arrival. In the event of a very late pick-up, pupils may be sent to the Boarding House after 4.30pm, where possible with the parent/guardian’s knowledge. Communication - The school makes every effort to keep in touch with parents concerning the general running of the school and their child’s education. Each Friday a weekly bulletin is circulated by email and canbe downloaded from the school website. Parents should also check their child’s SchoolDiary for any daily correspondence which they are encouraged to sign.Form Tutors endeavour to send regular correspondence by email and the schooloperates an SMS system sending emergency information. 14 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015Complaints Procedure - Our Complaints Procedure is available on requestfrom the School Office or can be downloaded from the school website. The Principalmay be contacted in writing or via the School Office in the event that parentsfeel the management of the school or Headteacher has not dealt with the matterappropriately. In the event that the matter is escalated above the Principal, then MrBob Kikuyu, Chairman of the Board of Governors may be contacted in writing via theSchool Office. Please mark the envelope ‘Confidential’ and your letter will be passedon unopened.Computing and ICT - ICT skills areembedded into the curriculum, with pupilsfrom Year 5 to Year 8 having their owndevices for use in the classroom, and pupilsin Years 1, 2, 3 and 4 having access to sharedsets of devices. The Computing curriculumsin Years 1 to 6 follow the Switched onComputing curriculum from Rising Stars. Thisprogramme is delivered by the class teacher.Pupils in Year 7 and 8 receive tuition from aspecialist teacher and follow the ComputingSyllabus of the UK National Curriculum.Pupils and parents are required to sign aComputing Usage Policy and must understandthat infringements of this may result in serious sanctions, up to and includingexclusion from the School.Contact information - Please inform the School Office in writing if youchange your personal circumstances, address, telephone number or email so that wecan maintain proper records. Mobile numbers are very useful in emergencies. Pleaseensure we also have an extra up-to-date emergency contact number.Diaries - All pupils have Prep Diaries which they take home daily. They should besigned by the parent/guardian as well as weekly by the Class Teacher or Form Tutor.They are also be a means of communication between home and school.Disclaimers - Parents are sent disclaimers during the course of the academicyear to sign giving permission for their child to attend trips or matches.Discipline - Discipline at Hillcrest is based on clear boundaries. All pupils aremade aware of the school rules and what is deemed appropriate behaviour. Parentsare kept regularly informed of behavioural issues.Drinking waterWater dispensers are available around the school with purified water for the pupils toaccess throughout the day. Pupils may bring a bottle of water to school. 15 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015E-Mail - Pupils in Year 4 and above will all be given School e-mail addressesfollowing the generic pattern - first four letters of first name, dot (.) first four lettersof last name, year which child would reach year 13 @ students.hillcrest.ac.ke. [email protected] ActivitiesWe offer a wide range of extra-curricularactivities to enrich the pupil’s school day,including an Activities Afternoon on Fridays forall pupils from Year 3 and above.Extra-curricular activities are also availableand are billed by the visiting peripatetic staffwho run them. Recently these activities haveincluded: LAMDA, Ballet, Football, Taekwondo,Swimming, Pottery, Squash, and Basketball;additional suggestions are welcome.Full details are sent home at the beginning ofeach term, and all activities are available on a first come first served basis.Fees - The Board of Directors determines the school fees and the Chief FinancialOfficer will inform parents of the fees for the following year before the end of thecurrent academic year. Any queries relating to school fees should be addressed inperson to the Principal. Fees and any extras are payable on or before the first day ofeach term.Form Tutors - Hillcrest follows the National Curriculum structure for Years 3 to6 and the Common Entrance syllabi for Years 7 and 8. Pupils are placed according totheir age on September 1st at the start of each academic year. Provision for pupilsout of age group is a consideration after a meeting with the Headteacher and with theappropriate Educational Psychological assessment. Each form tutor group is knownby the year group and the first letter of their Form Tutors’s initials. For example 3PMrefers to a Y3 class taught by Ms Polly Maina. 16 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015Games - All pupils are expected to attend Gamesunless they have a note from their parents or havebeen put “Off Games” by the School Nurse. (SeeSport for more information).Gifted and Talented - The school, throughthe HoD Learning Support Coordinator, will recognisegifted and talented pupils with specific programmesdesigned to stretch the most able.Hair - Hair should be neat and tidy. Long hairshould be tied back and kept off the face. Boy’s hairmust be kept to a reasonable length (not below theshirt collar). It should not be braided nor cut in amohican style, nor feature razor patterns. Please donot permit your child to come to school with coloured hair or coloured hair extensions.Health and Safety - Regular checks are made on Health and Safetyarrangements within the school. Fire instructions are posted and Fire Practices for allpupils and staff are conducted termly.Homework - At the start of each year, the Form Tutor sends the specifichomework timetable to all parents. Pupils are not expected to work beyond theallotted time, although those in their final year preparing for examinations for entryinto senior schools will have additional work to complete. All pupils should recordtheir homework in their Diary where parents may also make comments if theywish, although e-mail communication with a teacher may achieve a more expedientresponse.Homework Club – We offer parents, of pupils in Years 5 to 8, the opportunityof enrolling their child in our paid evening homework club. The club will run from 4pm to 5 pm and be supervised by academic teaching staff, who will monitor and helpwhere possible. Children will receive biscuits and a drink prior to starting their work.For more information, please contact the Deputy Head Academic, Mrs Helena Grant. 17 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015House System - The House system operates at Hillcrest to encourage healthycompetition and teamwork. Upon arrival at the school, pupils are allocated to one ofthe three Houses, all named after the peaks of Mount Kenya: Batian (Yellow); Nelion(Blue) and Lenana (Red).A range of competitions are held during the year, including the House Cup which isawarded each term and overall at the end of the year. Pupils are encouraged to befully involved in their House projects and teams and each House has a Head of Housefrom Year 8 to support and develop this. Siblings are always placed in the sameHouse.Jewellery - Pupils are not allowed to wear jewellery of any sort, save for religiouspurposes. PE/games regulations expressly identify jewellery as a source of physicalinjury in contact sports. Girls may, however, be permitted to wear small gold or silverstud earrings, which may have to be taped for some sports. Boys should not wearearrings.Late Arrival - It is very important that if your child arrives at School after formregistration, which ends at 8.20am, he or she should report to the School Office uponarrival before joining normal classes.Learning Support - Where a pupilencounters difficulties in a specific subjectarea or requires help as a result of speakingEnglish as an additional language, there isprovision for up to two lessons of learningsupport each week on either one-to-one,in-class or small bubble groups. If a parenthas concerns about their child’s progress, thefirst point of contact is their Form Tutor. Allreferrals to the Learning Support Departmentwill be discussed with parents before anyaction is taken.Lost Property - The school does its best to locate items of lost property, whichcan be reclaimed from the School Nurse, Miss Vicky Mwangi, however, the task isvirtually impossible without the clear labeling of all items of uniform. Pupils areencouraged to check their kit regularly and to be responsible for their own belongings.Lunch – Lunch is cooked on the premises by our out-sourced caterers. Weeklymenus are posted in the weekly bulletin with the emphasis on simple healthy cookingwhich will appeal to as many pupils as possible.If your child has an allergy, please report this to the School Office or share with theirForm Tutor at the beginning of term. Pupils are encouraged to eat lunch, but theyare never forced. The School Council has the opportunity every term to discuss thecontent of the break/lunch menus. 18 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015 Medical Care - A full time Paediatric School Nurse, Ms Victoria Mwnagi, is available on site and many teaching staff are fully qualified in the delivery of first aid. If your child is unwell in the morning, please keep him/her at home so that infections are not spread. If your child is unwell at school, you will be contacted. The School Office staff can give medication to pupils, provided it is brought to the School Office first thing in the morning with clear written instructions for use: such an arrangement is undertaken entirely at your own risk. Mobile Phones – Pupils are not allowed mobile phones in school, unless via pre arrangement by parents for those pupils who travel on the school bus. In this instance they should be deposited at the School Office, on arrival at schoolfor safe-keeping. If a pupil is found in possession of a mobile phone during schoolhours, it will be confiscated and a referral made to the child’s Form Tutor.Pupils are not allowed to carry mobile phones on school trips. The teachers in chargealways have access to mobile phones, which enable parents to contact a child in anemergency.Money - On normal school days pupils are not permitted to bring money intoschool. However, House fund-raising activities or school events may require smallamounts of money to be brought into school. In such cases both pupils and parentswill be suitably informed.Music lessons (private) - There are manyindividual musical instruments that your child canlearn at school. If you are interested in discussingmusic lessons, please contact the Music department.The pupils have their lessons at a different time eachweek so that they do not miss the same lesson.Notice Board for Parents - The mainNotice board for parents is situated adjacent to theSchool Office. General information is displayed thereand should parents wish to advertise somethingon it, they should hand it into the School Officefor approval. With respect, we do not encourageprofessional advertising but will consider generalposters and charity events. 19 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015Nut Allergies - Nuts of any kindare not permitted at school. A numberof pupils at Hillcrest have serious nutallergies. Please do not send any foodinto school including chocolates andcereal bars, which contain nuts or nutextracts. If your son or daughter suffersfrom an allergy, please ensure that theSchool Office and School Nurse aremade aware.Open Days - Pupils may berequired to attend a Saturday OpenDay. Dates will be published in the Calendar.Parents’ Evenings - Years 6, 7 and 8 Parents’ Evenings are organised by yeargroups and take place at least twice a year starting at 4 pm in the main school Hall.Appointments are made by the pupil in conjunction with the specialist teachers andsupporting Form Tutor. Years 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 hold parent-teacher consultations at leasttwice a year. Appointments are made via a letter from the Form Tutor.Parents’ Association - All parents are automatically members of theParents’ Association and have the right to attend the Annual General Meeting, whichis usually held in September. This body co-ordinates and plans fundraising and socialevents throughout the year in support of its aims, and decides how the money itraises is to be spent. Coffee mornings are held regularly. All parents are encouragedto support the association in any way they can and are invited to discuss membershipof the committee with the Chairperson or the Headteacher. The chairperson can becontacted on [email protected] - Please park considerately when you drop off your child or collect him/her from School. Equally, please do not stop, for any length of time, in the roundaboutarea during peak times. This is merely a ‘set down and pick up’ area. Vehicles mustnever be parked directly in front of any school entrance to allow emergency servicesaccess. Your support for sensible parking around the School is greatly appreciated.Pupils are not permitted to enter the car park unaccompanied by an adult.Personal Property - Please do not allow your child to bring in valuablepersonal items such as iPods, cameras, games machines or special items, such asfavoured toys, as the School cannot accept responsibility for them.Prefects - We believe that our pupils should learn to take responsibility as part oftheir preparation for their future schools. Pupil service and mentoring are importantaspects of school life at Hillcrest and help to foster excellent leadership skills amongstour pupils. 20 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015 Head Boy, Head Girl, School Prefects, House Captains and other roles of responsibility serve the School and its pupils in a variety of ways. Election of these positions of responsibility take place with election from the outgoing year group (Y8), the year group to assume the responsibilities (Y7) and Year 6 (who look up to the Prefects) as well as all teaching staff. New leaders are highlighted at Speech Day. In all these roles, pupils are given advice and targets on leadership skills and a record of their service is held by the Deputy Head Pastoral.Prize giving and speech dayPrize giving is on the last day of each term with a special ‘speech day’ prize giving onthe final day of the April term. This is a compulsory occasion for all pupils. If yourchild is a prize winner you will be notified in advance. All parents, friends and siblingsare encouraged to attend.Questions - If you have any, please do not hesitate to ask!Reports - Full reports are sent to parents by email at the end of Term 1, ourlongest term and Term 3, at the end of the year. During Term 2 we send a progressreport which reflects attainment and effort with a summary paragraph from the FormTutor.Rewards - House points or credits, are awarded to pupils for good effort in twocategories: work and conduct. Credits contribute towards House totals and thewinning House is announced at the end of each term. The School’s Behaviour andDiscipline Policy is available upon request and is published on the website.Scholarships and Bursaries - Hillcrest is committed to ensuring thatparents’ financial circumstances should not preclude their pupils from a Hillcresteducation. Financial support is available in the form of means testedbursaries. Applications should be made to the Headteacher who then passes on tothe Chief Financial Officer, where standard requests are made based on appropriatefinancial disclosure.Scholarships are available at Hillcrest for entry to Year 7 and Year 9. Registration forthese exams is shared with parents or can be requested by contacting the SchoolOffice or your child’s Form Tutor. Successful candidates may be awarded a reductionin their school fees for the remainder of their time at Hillcrest, subject to satisfactoryacademic progress. Further information is available on the website.In Year 8 pupils may also enter for the Hillcrest Open or Closed 13+ Scholarships. 21 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015Awards for the Open and ClosedScholarship may be found onthe website or confirmed by theHeadteacher. We have a longhistory of academic success atHillcrest; please trust our judgmentin the selection and preparation ofthese candidates.Security - It is of paramountimportance that all parents obtaincar stickers in order to enterHillcrest Preparatory school and/ornominate their guardians or othersthat might be collecting pupils.Please bear with our security personnel while they carry out random car checks. Wemeet regularly with our security provider, Tandu and are in constant communicationwith other security consultants. Pupils are not permitted to enter the car parkunaccompanied by an adult.School Office - The School Office is open from 7.45 am to 4.30pm (Monday toFriday). If you wish to get in touch with the Headteacher or another member of staffit is best to write an email to [email protected] or to the teacher concerned.Alternatively, please call the school and your message will be relayed. The SchoolOffice staff are the heart of the school operation, a fountain of information andpatience. They will always be happy to deal with any enquiries you may have.Sport - The major sports are hockey, netball and rounders for girls, and football,hockey, rugby and cricket for boys. Pupils also gain an opportunity to compete incross country, swimming and athletics.All pupils have the opportunity to represent the school during their time at Hillcrest.Team lists are distributed and posted on the noticeboard and on the website. Matchestake place on Tuesday (Under 11s), Wednesday (Under 13s) and Thursday (Under 9s)afternoons. 22 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015Parents are very much encouraged to attend inter-school matches. Please ensureall comments from the sideline are positive and supportive and bear in mind thatcoaching and refereeing are the responsibility of the relevant coach and official.During matches, it is important that pupils feel part of their team and thereforeshould remain with their side throughout. Parents wishing to collect their pupils froma match should speak to the relevant coach before leaving.Whilst some pupils may be disappointed by their initial position in a team, pleaseallow time for teams to settle before raising concern with the relevant coach. Teamselection is a difficult balance and parents are asked to support the sports coachesand, if disappointed, encourage their child to discuss their concerns with their coach.Not all pupils can play in the top team and selection will be under constant review.Stationery – Kindly ensure that your child has these items clearly marked.Equipment/Other items Kindly ensure that your child has these items clearlyPencil case, ruler, rubber, HB Pencils, marked.sharpener, coloured pencils, glue stickSchool Book bags All yearsSchool Chair bagsProtractor Years 2 - 5Compasses Years 2 - 5Ink Pen Years 5 – 8Dictionary Years 5 – 8Thesaurus Years 5 - 8Scientific Calculator Years 5 – 8French Dictionary (We recommend Years 5 - 8Collins Robert Learners Dictionary) Years 6 – 8 Years 6 – 8 23 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015Swimming - Pupils are taughtswimming throughout the year.There is also an opportunity forpupils to take part in extra, paid,swimming lessons – please speakto the Games Dept.Timetable - Your child’stimetable is displayed in the frontof their Diary.Trips - Your child will enjoy anumber of educational and bonding trips during their time at Hillcrest. The cost ofsome of these trips is covered by the school, however, you will be asked to pay inadvance for other trips.Uniform - We have a practical and informal uniform suited for the climate andactivities our pupils engage in. The school uniform and specific items are available atAnimet (YaYa Centre, 3rd floor), T-Mall (Mbagathi Way, 2nd floor) oremail [email protected] to place an order.We encourage pupils to take pride in their uniform whether it is the daily schooluniform or their sports kit. Each time they wear the uniform they represent theschool and should do so with pride. We are dependent on your input to ensure thatthe standard of your child’s uniform is excellent at all times. Untidy and faded uniformgives a tardy image. Pupils are required to wear their shirts tucked in and fleecesleeves pulled down. 24 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015 Daily Uniform Minimum 2 sets recommendedBoys GirlsBeige Socks White SocksBlue School Cap Blue School CapBeige School Shorts Beige School SkortsGreen School Fleece Green School FleeceWhite Short Sleeved School Shirt White Short Sleeved School ShirtBlack Leather Shoes or Safari Boots Black Leather Shoes or Safari Boots Games and PE KitBoys Girls Green School Polo Shirt X 2Green School Polo Shirt X 2 Black School Skort X 2 White and Green School Socks X 2Black School Short X 2 White School Polo Shirt for Team Matches (1 only required)Green and White School Socks X 2 White Trainers/Sports Shoes (not fashion shoes)White School Polo Shirt for Team Matches Black School Swimming CostumeTerm 1 and Term 2 only (1 only) Blue School Swimming Cap (optional but needed for swimming teamWhite Trainers/Sports Shoes (not fashion members)shoes) Blue School Swimming Towel (optional but needed for swimming team members)Black School Swimming Trunks Hockey Stick (January Term) Shin Pads (January Term and for Football)Blue School Swimming Cap Mouth Guard (January Term)(optional but needed for swimming teammembers) Green School Kit Bag House T Shirt (1 only)Blue School Swimming Towel (optional but Lenana - Redneeded for swimming team members) Nelion - Blue Batian - YellowHockey Stick (January Term) Pupils will be allocated houses by Admissions Dept.Shin Pads (January Term and for Football) Black School Tracksuit (optional)Mouth Guards (January and April Term)Rugby Boots (April Term)Green School Kit BagHouse T Shirt (1 only)Lenana - RedNelion - BlueBatian - YellowPupils will be allocated houses by AdmissionsDept.Black School Tracksuit (optional)Cricket Trousers(U11 and U13 Team Members only)ESSENTIAL - Please note all items of clothing must be clearly identified with asewn in label (iron on ones tend to wash off). The label should be clearly visible onthe inside of the garment. They are available from Animet.Shoes: The School is sympathetic to those pupils whose feet require non-standard schoolshoes. That said, the permitted options are broad. Fashion shoes and fashion trainersfor sport are not permitted. Trainers should not be worn with the school uniform. Studs(football/rugby boots) are only allowed on the sports fields. 25 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015Vegetarians – Please inform your child’s Form Tutor and School office if yourchild is a vegetarian or has special dietary requirements.Website - The School website, www.hillcrest.ac.ke is a great source of referenceand information.Weekly Bulletin - The weekly bulletin is sent out via e-mail each Friday andposted on the website. It contains important information about the week ahead anda celebration of pupil achievements during the previous week. It is the main resourcefor regular communication with parents, so please do read it carefully. 26 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015APPENDICESSCHOOL RULESNO HAT, NO PLAY!Hats must be worn at all times when you areoutside the classrooms. No exceptions.Tie long hair up.Wear uniform with pride, inside and outside ofschool.Jewellery to be worn only for religious reasons,girls can wear small gold/silver studs.Keep nails clear of polish.Dining room - Line up quietly and sensibly.Remember to say please and thank you.Eat politely.Tuck in the chairs after lunch and stack the plates neatly.Remove your hats at the table.Around school - Smile and greet any adult - move to one side if necessary.Ball games – only on games fields.Walk on concrete.Chewing gum stays at home.Respect our environment.Talk in a quiet, sensible manner;Areas that are OUT OF BOUNDS mean you do not go there, ever.Stay out of the classroom during break or lunch unless with a teacher.Keep lockers, changing rooms, desks and classrooms tidy.Be kind and considerate to others - treat others as you would like to be treatedyourself.Take care of all your belongings and those of other people.Keep shoes on around school.Mobile phones stay at home. 27 www.hillcrest.ac.ke

Parents Guide 2015 TERM DATES 2014 -2015 APRIL 2015 Term Begins: Monday 27th April, 2015 First Half Ends: Thursday 28th May, 2015 Term Re-Starts: Tuesday 2nd June, 2015 (CE Monday 1st June, 2015 – Y8’s only) Term Ends: Friday 3rd July, 2015Please visit our website to sync your device with ourschool Google calendar for weekly updated events. 28 www.hillcrest.ac.ke