Top Tip: If there is ever a reason why you can't wear the right uniform one day, make sure your parent or carer writes a note to your Form Tutor to explain why.
Starting a new school can feel like a bit of a maze on your first day, but don't worry—everyone is in the same boat! Here is exactly what you can do when you arrive at school in the morning:
You don't have to just stand around! Between arriving and the start of the day, you have three great options:
The Canteen (Breakfast Club): If you’re hungry or just want to hang out with friends, head to the canteen. Thanks to the Leathersellers’ Company, there is free breakfast available for students. It’s a great way to fuel up for your lessons.
The Computer Room: If you need to finish off some homework, check your school emails, or just want a quiet place to start your day, the computer room is open for you to use.
Outside areas: You can always start your day with some basketball in the playground or table tennis up in the courtyard, or why not just sit for a while under the trees and mentally prepare for the day ahead?
Your Form Room: You can head straight to your Form Room Corridor to get settled, chat with your classmates, and get your bag organised for the day.
No matter which of the three spots you choose, there is one very important time to remember: 8:25 AM.
By 8:25 AM, you must be in your Form Room standing behind your chair. This is when your Form Tutor will take the register and give you any important news for the day.
Pro Tip: Try to get to school by 8:15 AM. This gives you ten minutes to take off your coat, say hi to your friends, and make sure you aren't rushing!
Here is a simple breakdown of how your day will look at Prendergast Ladywell. It's a bit different from primary school, but you'll get the hang of it in no time!
Start: You should be at school by 8:15 am.
Finish: The school day ends at 3:00 pm.
Your day is split into five "Periods" (that's just a fancy word for lessons). Each lesson lasts exactly one hour.
Don’t worry about getting lost! Our school building is designed to be easy to navigate once you know the secret.
The heart of our school is a large, open middle atrium. Think of this as your "home base." If you ever feel confused about where you are, just head back to the atrium and start again from there.
To make things even easier, our corridors are usually allocated to particular subjects. This means you won’t have to search the whole school for your next class; once you find the "Science wing" or the "English corridor," you’ll find all those classrooms right next to each other!
Remember, everyone was new once—even the teachers!
Staff and Students: If you find yourself staring at your timetable with a puzzled look, just ask anyone nearby. All our staff and older students are happy to point you in the right direction.
Don't Panic: It’s perfectly okay to be a few minutes late in your first week while you’re learning the layout. We even have maps to help you out!