Year 7 is organised into eight mixed ability tutor groups each with their own Form Tutor. The Form Tutor should always be your first point of contact for any issues.

The tutor team and year group is looked after by:

Deputy Headteacher, Pastoral

Head of Lower School (Key Stage 3 /Year 7, 8 & 9)

Head of Year 7 

Year 7 Form tutors

Pastoral Support Team

You are given the opportunity to virtually meet with staff who teach your child each year at the Consultation Evenings but please do not hesitate to get in touch with your child’s Form Tutor if you have problems or worries concerning your child.

In addition, the Head of Year and the Head of Lower School would be happy to discuss your child’s progress with you.

The school day is as follows: 

8.40am: EVERYONE is expected to be in the Year 7 playground by this time having got what they need from their locker and be ready to start their day 

8.45am Registration

9.10am Period 1 

10.10am Period 2 

11.10am Break 

11.30am Period 3 

12.30pm Lunch time 

1.30pm Period 4 

2.30pm Period 5 

3.30pm School ends 

Students in Year 7 must remain on site at lunchtime.

Students may purchase food from the canteen or from the ‘Pod’ where a wide range of dishes are available. The canteen offers a 'Meal of the Day', which includes a vegetarian option, available at a fixed price of £2.70 which provides excellent value. Alternatively, they can choose from a varied range of hot and cold dishes. Please note that payment for food is via our cashless biometric system and all students are encouraged to use this method. 

Each student will have a biometric account and parents can ‘load’ money on to this either by WisePay, cheque or cash at regular intervals. All canteen transactions can then be performed without money changing hands. Students may bring a packed lunch. No notice is required for this and arrangements may be changed from day to day. 

Free School Meals - there is an automated renewals process for those already receiving free school meals in a Hertfordshire school and there is therefore no need to inform Hertfordshire County Council that your child is moving to a new school. New applicants can apply either online at www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals or by phoning the Customer Service Centre on 0300 123 4048 (8am-8pm Monday to Friday, 9am-4pm Saturday).

Students in receipt of Free School Meals will have £2.70 automatically loaded on to their biometric account each morning; any money not spent that day will not be carried forward.

The school library is open throughout the lunch hour. Many extra-curricular activities take place during lunch hour such as Homework Club.

School policies can be found on the school website by clicking here

The School Rules are designed to make everyone’s working day safe, happy and productive.  They help to create a feeling of calm and order and support the school’s primary purpose: to provide a place in which people can learn and excel.  

The school takes its responsibilities regarding the prevention of bullying, equality of opportunity and inclusion very seriously. These policies and more are all published on the school website.

Much valuable work is done outside the classroom.  Students are encouraged to participate in clubs and societies which meet during the lunch hour and after school. A Homework Club is open every day of the week in N4 and is supervised by a member of staff.

Instrumental music lessons are taught to a large number of students and evening concerts take place every term.

School trips are organised by many Departments. Those enrichment trips that are outside the curriculum run entirely on the goodwill of staff who give up their time, unpaid, to organise and supervise the trip. Demand will likely always outstrip what can be supplied, but affordability, travel logistics and ultimately volunteers are the limitations.

The School is keen to support the Duke of Edinburgh Award with students from year 10 able to work towards their Bronze award and Gold award from Year 12.

Drama productions involving large numbers of pupils from all years have included “Hot Mikado”, “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”, “Cabaret”, “The Wedding Singer”, “Sweeney Todd”, "Young Dracula", "Lucky Stiff" & most recently "Spamalot"

Students are entered for national and local competitions, including Youth Speaks, Maths Challenges, FI in Schools Competition, Cipher Challenge, Young Enterprise, Race for the Line, Quadcopter Challenge.

Staff are always looking to recognise, praise and reward good work or outstanding effort made by our students. This is done in the following ways:

• Verbal praise given in the lesson.

• Positive comments written in the exercise book / Google Classroom. 

• Achievement points issued and put on your child’s electronic register. If you use the app version of EduLink One on your smartphone you will get immediate notification of these as they happen. Achievement Points contribute to the Inter-House Times Shield Competition. The results of the Inter-House Times Shield are announced on the last day of  the summer term. 

• Certificates are issued to individuals at the end of each full term for those students who achieve the benchmark for a Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum award. The number required can change each year and for different year groups but are awarded on a ‘conduct point’ basis (the sum of the achievement points minus any behaviour points). 

• Displaying work in the classroom/corridor/tutor rooms on noticeboards.

• Subject teacher contacts parents 

• Referral to Head of Year / Head of Lower/Upper School / Head Teacher. 

• Letters of commendation sent home to parents by Head of Year after each termly Progress Report.

• Department rewards such as certificates/prizes presented in lessons or assemblies.

Many Departments award certificates and end of year prizes/trophies to students who have produced the best work and projects or to those who have made the most progress throughout the year but most notably at the Founders day celebration. At the end of each term the PE Department have an extended sports assembly to celebrate the achievements of teams and individuals. On the last day of the summer term, there is a final assembly when the results of the inter-House Times Shield competition is announced and cups/shields/trophies are presented to the winning Houses. 

In the Summer term, there is a Founders’ Day Assembly for Key Stage 3 students where all kinds of work can be celebrated; extracts from stories and poems composed in English are read, there are musical items, artwork is displayed, modern language films are shown for example. 

Full details are available on the school website.

Homework is an essential part of schoolwork. Parents can best help not only by encouraging their children and stressing the value of homework but also by providing a quiet place to work, free of the distractions of mobile devices, television, music and games consoles.  Students may also choose to do homework before school or during lunchtime at Homework Club,

Year 7 will be set regular homework. The time spent on homework increases as students move up the school. If your child appears to be spending considerably more or less time than is intended or if the work seems regularly too hard or not very challenging, please notify the Head of Department if it is just a single subject or if it is a range of subjects then this should go through their Form Tutor. 

Departments distribute homework and other information via GoogleDrive and GoogleClassroom which is accessible to all students using unique logins and passwords at www.hitchinboys.co.uk.

In Year 7 every student will continue their journey to become a better learner that continues into adulthood. We especially want students to learn how to do this both as part of a team (form activities) and independently when needed (homework and revision for example).

We will be focusing on a wide variety of values within the school curriculum but two that especially stand out are those of TEAMWORK and RESILIENCE.

TEAMWORK

Is embedded into the very fabric of the form groups, as each form adopts a letter from TEAMWORK to be their name. This highlights consistently the need for the students to work as a team whether it is in small group activities in the classroom, to the playground, to form and house competitions. 

RESILIENCE

Students will be strongly encouraged to learn to be resilient. This takes many forms and is an essential life skill whether it is finding solutions to problems, supporting each other regardless of ability level or accepting our mistakes and how to learn from them. 

To easily understand this students will be introduced to and expected to follow the 3 Rs, to improve their learning both inside and outside of school.

The 3 Rs are:

1. Resilient: This is about having a GROWTH MINDSET, staying positive and keeping going when things get difficult.

2. Resourceful: This is about being able and willing to work in different ways, making good use of resources including other people. For example, if you don’t understand a piece of classwork or homework who can you ask to help you.

3. Reflective: This is about thinking what they have learnt or how they have learnt, using their previous experiences, including the mistakes and learning from them.

This begins with getting used to their new form group and with making new friendships that are essential for a healthy and successful time at Hitchin Boys’. We also encourage them to build on their existing friendships from primary schools and outside clubs.

Parents have a legal responsibility to make sure that their child attends school daily and that they arrive on time.

Should students be away for any reason, please either email to absence@hitchinboys.co.uk or use the 'report absence' function on the school website on the first and subsequent days of absence. 

Where possible dental, hospital or doctor's appointments should be made outside school hours. As the school is ‘in loco parentis' in matters of supervision, your child must have written permission to sign out when leaving school for an appointment and sign back in again when they return after the appointment. The Signing In/Out Book is located in Reception. 

As the school is ‘in loco parentis' in matters of supervision, your child must have written permission to sign out when leaving school for an appointment and sign back in again when they return after the appointment. The Signing In/Out Book is located in Reception. 

Full details of our Attendance Policy is available on the school website.

If your child is taken ill in school, they must report to Reception. If your child is not well enough to remain in school, the school will contact parents. Your child must not ring home. 

Please inform us of any special medical history for which your child needs particular treatment or medication. This information should be sent to PA to the Head Teacher at admin@hitchinboys.co.uk and in the case of complex or significant needs the school will draw up a health care plan for such pupils, involving the parents and the relevant health professionals. 

Your child is not allowed to carry medication etc. in school; these must be handed in to reception for staff to administer when needed throughout the day. The only exception is a student who is asthmatic or has a severe allergic reaction, who may keep their inhaler or Epipen with them. We would also highly recommend that we hold a spare in the school reception. 

The school policy on the administration of medicines is based on guidance provided by the Department for Education and is available on our website or from the school reception. If a parent wishes the school to administer a medicine, they will need to complete a ‘Request to Administer Medication’ form that is available from reception. No medication will be administered without prior written permission from the parents. The school can only accept medicines which are in the original container as dispensed and include the prescriber’s instructions for administration. 

Please note that work is not usually sent home if your child has a period of prolonged absence due to illness. This is to allow them to rest and help return to school as soon as possible. Arrangements can be made to assist any child in catching up with missed work on their return. However, parents are encouraged to keep the school informed of all medical progress and discuss their child's educational needs with the Form Tutor.

A punctual start to the morning is expected. Your child must be in their playground by 8.40am at the latest, ready to be registered and to start the day's activities. 

If students arrive after this time they will be marked as late and should sign in at Reception and enter their name in the Signing In/Out Book. 

Parents will be informed if their child persistently arrives late to school without good reason and they will receive a detention. Please encourage your child to leave home in good time in order to be prompt for registration and ensure that you call school if you know that they are going to arrive late.

If there is a change in family circumstances, or if there are any other problems that may affect your child, please do not hesitate to notify your child’s Form Tutor via email or please pass on your concerns to our Reception or Pastoral team.

Parents receive progress reports detailing their child’s progress and attitude to learning. These are communicated via our Edulink app and are found in the ‘Reports’ tab. In addition, students are actively involved in assessing their own progress and setting realistic and achievable targets for improvement. 

Year 7 Parents/Carers will be invited to meet virtually with your child’s teachers at the Parent Consultation Evening during the Spring term to discuss their academic work and progress. We are, however, always pleased to discuss concerns and your child’s academic progress at any time. Should you feel there is an issue with a subject please contact your child’s class teacher in the first instance, or Head of Department if needed. They will be in the best position to deal with any concerns you may have and will be very happy to discuss them with you. 

Appointments are booked through TES Parents Meeting (School Cloud). 

In Year 7 all students follow the same broad curriculum. All study French. Most teaching is in tutor groups, where setting by ability begins after the first half term. 

From Year 8, the majority of students are offered the chance to study a second language, either German or Spanish. For those who would benefit from extra support in English, they will follow a literacy course taught by the English department.

For more information on the Curriculum followed by individual departments please click here.

At Hitchin Boys’ School we firmly believe that students should study a breadth of subjects that develop them into well-rounded individuals. Each curriculum area has comprehensive schemes of work in place that ensure students acquire substantial knowledge and understanding within each subject. We also provide opportunities for students to read around the subject, conduct research into key areas of study and be creative. However, we recognise that there is only a finite amount of time in the school day and we do not want this to restrict the extent to which students can deepen and further enrich their learning.

To ensure students continue to develop their learning outside of the classroom, we have created a Super Curriculum that provides inspirational tasks, activities and opportunities for students to engage with outside of school. These activities can take many forms including reading, watching videos online, downloading podcasts, attending lectures, visiting museums or entering academic competitions. These are created by subject teachers and designed to complement the curriculum students’ study in school. It provides students with the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and understanding of a subject, field or discipline that they may have an existing passion with or a curiosity about. Whilst the completion of Super Curriculum tasks is not compulsory, we highly recommend that every student should engage with an area that interests them.

As students work from Year 7 to 13, they will have the opportunity to build up a strong portfolio of Super Curriculum tasks. In an ever more competitive world, it is key for students to be able to demonstrate the opportunities and independent study they have taken outside of their academic studies. For further information, please click here.

Please click here to see our recommended reading list for year 7s

Your child’s personal belongings must be clearly named and expensive items should be left at home. Your child is responsible for their belongings and is expected to make a thorough search as soon as it is realised that something is lost. Items found in school are put in the lost property collection in the school reception with the exception of items of PE kit that are kept in the PE changing rooms. 

Please note that the school cannot accept any responsibility for money or personal property brought on to the premises. 

Items unclaimed after 1 month are recycled. 

Please name all clothing and equipment.

Please click here for further information

Here at HBS, we are very proud to be able to celebrate and support a diverse community of both staff and students. We are committed to ensuring that anyone who identifies as LGBTQ+ is treated fairly and has the same opportunities and school experience as anyone else. For further information, please click here.

If your child is entitled to free school transport, the Transport Department of the County Council will notify you before the start of the Autumn Term.

Students may cycle to school. All bicycles must be marked to show ownership, padlocked during the day and left only in the cycle park. We would encourage students to wear safety helmets when cycling. Bicycles must be kept in good condition. They may not be ridden in any part of the school grounds. The School cannot accept any responsibility for loss of or damage to bicycles however caused.

Students must remember that when in school uniform they are representing the school and as such must behave in a manner inline with our school behavior policy.

Further information about home to school transport including savercards can be found on the Hertfordshire County Council website by clicking here.

Parents are asked, for reasons of safety, not to enter the school grounds when dropping off or collecting their children before or after school. When attending school functions in the evening, parents should use the car park in Grammar School Walk or public car parks. Parents are asked NOT to bring cars on site unless these car parks are full.

An exception to this restriction is made when parents are transporting sick, injured or disabled children or when delivering or collecting heavy or bulky equipment. At such times, parents are asked to obey the speed limit of 10 m.p.h. and to drive with utmost care. There are speed bumps in the main driveway and a pedestrian crossing five metres inside the main gates. Disabled parking is available for Parents near the main entrance.

Please be aware of the double yellow line parking restrictions in Grammar School Walk.

The School Fund supplies needs which cannot be met out of the finances provided by the Government. Parents are urged to contribute to this fund by completing a Standing Order Mandate to make regular contributions to the Hitchin Boys’ School Charitable Trust. The further information can be found here.

Free resources for Year 7 Students (Click on the link and then scroll down to this section)

BBC Bitesize: Starting Secondary School Campaign Trailer

BBC Bitesize: Starting Secondary School - Packed with videos, interactive games, tips and advice, Starting Secondary School will help your child during their last term in primary school and through their critical first weeks at secondary school.

Starting Secondary School has lots of content hosted on BBC Bitesize, including peer-to-peer advice from the stars of CBBC series Our School who have first-hand experience of making the move to secondary school.

It also has practical tips for you as a parent on how to prepare your child for secondary school, as well as resources to help start discussions around transition, produced in partnership with YoungMinds.

BBC Bitesize: Are you Secondary School ready?

Oxford University Press: A Parents guide to starting Secondary School

Young Minds: Top ten tips for Parents

Supporting Your Child When They're Starting a New School - Creative Education 

HAPpy: Holiday Activity Programme 

A copy of our Privacy Notices, which outline what information Hitchin Boys’ School collect or hold about pupils at the school and their parents/carers and how this information is used can be found on the School website by clicking here.

We are well aware that the cost of keeping a child in school is considerable but we want all students to be able to take part in the full range of opportunities the School can offer.  Financial assistance may be available for school meals, uniform, music fees and school trips and visits. 

Further information can be found on the school website.

HAPpy Camps provide a range of fun experiences, including physical activity, enrichment, a healthy meal and snacks for eligible children.

These camps are for children aged 4-16 (reception to year 11) who are registered to receive benefits-related free school meals.

Click here for further information.

Please click here to view a poster from Families poster from HCC.

Familes First is the name of the Early Help servies run by Hertfordshire LA. Families can access help and suport for all sorts of issues e.g. parenting advice and courses, school attendance and anxiety, money advice, domestic abuse, SEND Local offer and much more.

HertsLynx is an on-demand bus service that operates in North and East Hertfordshire, meaning they don’t have any set routes or timetables and users must book a journey either in real time, or up to 30 days in advance using our smartphone app or website.

Further information on how to book, including the list of stops we service can be found here: https://www.intalink.org.uk/hertslynx

HertsLynx are trying to encourage younger people and their parents to try the service as, while they are not able to provide transport to and from school, the service can offer young people a sense of freedom outside of school, particularly during holidays and half terms. Parents are also able to track the journeys through the app, offering them peace of mind should their children travel alone.