FAQs

FAQs

If I live out of catchment, what chance do I have of getting a place?

We do not know precisely how many in-catchment families there are who are eligible for a place here. In 2019 and 2020 many of the out of catchment applications who put Robert May’s School as first choice were given places. Having a sibling in the school and being in a linked junior school put children further up the list of priorities. If we are over-subscribed then places are assigned by the over-subscription criteria, and in the event of a tie, the straight-line distance from reception to the front door of the child’s home. Further detailed information is available in the Information evening presentation by Mrs West. The current Admissions Policy is available on our web-site.

How will my child get to Robert May’s?

We encourage students who can walk or cycle to school safely, to do so.

Hampshire County Council school transport provides the bus service for all students who are in catchment and cannot walk safely to school. Approximately 850 students travel on Hampshire County Council contracts every day.

There is an additional double decker that serves the north end of Basingstoke - Chineham, Old Basing etc This is a service organised and paid for by parents.

There is a paid for late bus service for students who wish to enjoy extra-curricular activities and sports.

My child has a special educational need, what support will they get?

The exact answer to this question will depend on the specific needs of your child.

Learning Support Assistants are available in the classroom and beyond to students with an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP), and we meet the needs identified on the EHCP. If a child does not already have an EHCP, then it is unlikely that they will be awarded one in Year 6.

Students on the learning support register but who do not have an EHCP will be supported through Quality Inclusive Teaching. This is where subject teachers differentiate their teaching to enable students with differing needs to access the curriculum at an appropriate level. We provide 1 page profiles to all of our teachers about these students and these contain advice and strategies about each child which are produced in conjunction with the child.

The school’s learning support department based in the HUBL provides support and nurture for students on the SEND register when they come to Robert May’s School. They also organise additional transition activities at the end of Year 6 to help them to familiarise themselves with the school.

My child has an Autistic Spectrum Disorder special need, will they get into the resourced provision?

Hampshire County Council allocates places in the Resourced Provision according to the severity of needs and through a separate admissions process. If there is no current EHCP, then the child will not get into the resource. Hampshire County Council SEND department will already know which students are likely to take up the places that will become available in September 2021. Teachers in the school are however used to planning for children with ASD and differentiate their lessons as a routine. If in doubt a parent should contact Mrs M Hobson (SENDCO) directly or look on our website where the admissions process is explained.

My child is an able student who is talented in a particular subject; what will be done to support him/her?

All teachers are aware of students who are able/gifted and talented through their online registers and plan lessons to challenge them through a variety of tasks and activities. Talented students are frequently encouraged to take part in extracurricular activities and events such as district sports events, maths challenge, Formula 1 in schools, concerts, performances etc.

Our more able students do exceptionally well in their GCSEs as the exam results demonstrate each year.

Currently in the school there are many star performers in sports and the Arts. The school always allows time out for students to attend regional, national and international events provided that their families guarantee that homework and additional work set will be completed. There are also a number of students who have joined football academies with Premier and Championship sides. They attend offsite training and lessons too.

But we celebrate all of our students’ successes and encourage all students to get involved in the rich extra curricular programme and to try new activities during their time with us.

What extracurricular activities are there for my child to join?

We have a full programme of sporting, musical and theatrical activities. Many departments also run extra curricular clubs after school e.g. Science club, Geography Club, History Club. Departments also run support surgeries and revision sessions after school. There is a Homework Club where students can stay and do Homework in the library where there are teachers on hand to support. The Library is a hub of reading and literature based activities.

Most extra curricular clubs run until 3.30pm so students can catch the part-subsidised late buses home. Sometimes sports fixtures do go on longer than this.

Will my child be able to continue with music lessons or take up a new instrument?

Hampshire Music Service works with us to provide tuition in school. This is done on a rolling timetable so students do not always miss the same lesson each week. Parents pay for this service.

What trips and study visits are there?

Obviously this has been impacted by COVID19 but in the past few years there have been department trips to the USA, Iceland, Barcelona, Germany, France, Belgium as well as many other trips in the UK to theatres, museums and sites of interest. There is an annual Ski Trip and we work with Camps International to give the opportunity to our older students to experience life and work in places such as Borneo and Peru.

We also enter teams into the Magistrates Mock Trial and Bar Mock Trial competitions as well as many other design and engineering competitions.

What pastoral support is in place for students?

Each year group has a Head of Year, Assistant Head of Year and a team of tutors. Each tutor group in Year 7 will be on average 27 students. The school has an ELSA worker, mentors and 2 school counsellors, as well as a Student Support team who work with students and their families.

What happens after GCSE’s?

We have excellent relationships with Farnborough Sixth Form College, Alton College, Peter Symonds and QMC in Basingstoke. Robert May’s School students are a highly sought after commodity by the sixth form colleges because they have developed a mature approach to study. The majority of our students go to these institutions and do very well afterwards, attending Russell Group Universities. We are also very proud of those who work hard, achieve well through vocational routes and go into work and or apprenticeships. These courses are available through Alton College, Farnborough College of Technology and Basingstoke College of Technology. Our most recent cohort is 99% enrolled at places of further education/sixth form colleges. We’re right to be proud of this.

Which foreign language will my child study? Will I be able to choose my preference?

The Modern Foreign Languages department delivers lessons in French, German and Spanish. The proportion of classes in each subject is determined in the lower school by the particular expertise of each of the teachers. Each tutor group studies one language Year 7 so that they can immerse themselves in this language. Unfortunately, it is not possible for us to meet parental preferences for the particular language studied in Year 7. For talented linguists, there are opportunities to study a second language from Year 9. German, French and Spanish are currently offered to GCSE level in Years 10 and 11. The school also offers the opportunity for native speakers and bilingual students to sit exams in these languages.

Are students placed in ability sets for subjects? And if so, when does this occur?

Students are placed in mixed ability tutor groups of, on average, 27 students when they join the school. They are taught in mixed ability groups for the majority of subjects throughout their time at the school. The only exceptions are PE and Maths. In Maths, students are set following baseline assessments early in Year 7. These sets are fluid and are regularly reviewed throughout the next 5 years to ensure that each student is in a set that matches their ability and progress.