Frequently Asked Questions

The school uses a number of methods to communicate with home. All parents are expected to download and use the ClassCharts App, which enables the school to pass on students achievements in school to parents in real time, for example when they receive an achievement point in a lesson. The school uses the ParentPay system to take payments for school lunches, school trips and the purchase of items through the school.

Students are able to purchase food at school through the school canteen, as well as the student cafe and Snack Shack. The canteen offers a variety of healthy food options at reasonable prices. We operate a cashless system where all students use a payment card to purchase food in school. Funds can be added to students' accounts through the ParentPay app.

Registration is at 8:30am. The school day finishes at 3:20pm on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and at 2.30pm on Wednesday and Friday.

The school offers a wide range of clubs after school, and we expect all our students to get involved in as many of these as they can. Many Year 11 students also benefit from Period 7 sessions where they can receive additional support in preparation for their GCSE assessments.

Parents do not need to come into school for their child’s first day. Parents are welcome to drop students off in the main car park located at the furthest end of the school building. Staff will be available outside during the first week to welcome and assist students.

Students leave by either the Top Gate or Tesco Gate at the end of the day. Parents may meet their children at the gate.

TPS is proud of its wide variety and large number of events throughout the year. Events are advertised through the school website and social media pages. TPS also benefits from its own on-site theatre known as The Studio. The Studio's website advertises many of our Performing Arts events.

TPS offers an unrivalled student experience and we are extremely proud of the wide range of clubs and extra curricular activities on offer. TPS students take advantage of as many extra-curricular activities as they can - in 2021 TPS was the largest centre for the Duke of Edinburgh Award in the South of England! More information about extra-curricular activities can be found on this microsite under the 'extra-curricular' menu.

Most of the clubs we offer are free of charge, however, there are some which are run by an external organisation that require payment. If an afterschool club needs to be paid for, there will be an indication on the club timetable. Payment for that club will need to be made through ParentPay.

All students are welcome to attend any of the clubs unless the club has a restriction on the number of participants. If a club is restricted to a certain number of participants then it will work on a first come first serve basis. If there are any other restrictions in place such as gender or year group then it will be indicated on the club timetable.

Yes, lots of our students cycle to school. We have a number of bike sheds located around the school for students to keep their bikes locked up safely during the school day. Please ensure they wear appropriate safety gear and use a lock.

Yes, many students walk to and from school by themselves. We encourage students to pair up with someone who lives near to them, wherever possible.

There is a full list of school uniform and what is required on our website: https://www.petersfieldschool.com/parents/uniform/

Students can bring a mobile phone into school but it must be switched off in their school bag until the end of the school day.

Students are expected to come to school ready to learn, with the following basic equipment for their lessons.

Pencil Case

Pens

Pencil

Rubber

Pencil Sharpener

Ruler

Scientific Calculator

Coloured Pencils

Compass

iPad (Fully Charged)

Protractor

Earphones (Standard Jack)

It is clear that homework is an important part of a secondary education and we are committed to supporting all students making the most of this opportunity at TPS.

We operate a homework timetable in Years 7 and 8 in order to ensure that homework is spread out as much as possible throughout the week, with students typically having two pieces of homework per evening.

Homework is set on Microsoft Teams and will follow a range of formats. Alongside traditional written homeworks, many departments at TPS use exciting online platforms for homework, for example Lexia in English and Hegarty Maths.

Your child will be getting feedback throughout the year based on their progress. This will take the form of termly reports and regular written and verbal feedback from teachers.

The support a child can receive based on their special educational need varies on a case by case basis. As a student-cantered provider, provision for special educational needs would be catered to overcome whatever obstacles might be in the way of learning for different students. Current provisions we offer are:

1-1 support in lessons, Lexia intervention for reading, spelling and literacy support and mentoring from our trained ELSA. This list is not comprehensive as provision can change year by year depending on the needs of the students at the time. If you would like more information regarding this, please contact our SENCO Miss Joyce.

We pride ourselves on the Learning and Teaching that takes place throughout all of our subjects. A core principle of this is the focus we put on challenging all of our students, including Gifted & Talented, to produce the best work they can every lesson and to push themselves beyond their comfort zone. Every year, Gifted & Talented students at TPS achieve fantastic results and go on to study at Oxbridge and other top universities.

Alongside the work to stretch and challenge students within the curriculum, we offer an engaging IGNITE programme for more able students. This is a range of speakers, trips and events designed to challenge Gifted & Talented students and enable them to make greater progress, both within the curriculum but also in terms of raising their aspirations. Please look at the 'IGNITE' page on this site to find out more.

Yes. The school has six houses inspired by famous performing and expressive artists. All students are in a house and are able to compete for achievement points and in sports competitions.

The school expects all students to be equipped with an iPad everyday. This is so that students can benefit from a blended learning approach, and so they are are more able to consolidate and extend their schoolwork at home; something we have all recognised the importance of during the coronavirus pandemic. The school has a scheme in place to support all families in purchasing an iPad, as well as providing ongoing technical support for students. Please see the 'iPad Scheme' page on this site for more details.

There are a range of sports clubs available for students to participate in. The PE department will select students to participate in sports fixtures.