FAQs and Key Information

‘Moving on up!’

Year 6 into Year 7 Transition: Frequently Asked Questions

We asked your child’s Primary School to let us know of any questions our future Year 7 students would like to ask us! Here is what they asked…

Please click here to fill in our Year 6 Parents Survey

Students

Will Secondary School be in contact with us before September for transition? 

We have already made contact with each Primary School regarding your child to ensure we are informed with any additional information that may help with their transition process. Our transition portal is regularly updated with key information. 

Parents are encouraged to complete our Parent Survey which gives the opportunity to share additional information to further support your child’s transition to Miltoncross. 

Parents will also receive a ‘Parent Pack’ in the post in due course with further information we require. If you haven't received a Parent Pack by Friday 9th June, please email transition@miltoncross-tkat.org

Will we still have transition week, or will we just go into school without transition week? 

Following the National Offer Day, you will shortly receive a Welcome Booklet and letter from the Headteacher, Mr Giles, and our Year 7 Team following your allocation to Miltoncross Academy by Portsmouth City Council. 

Our Year 7 Transition Experience Days will run over 3 days between Monday 3rd and Wednesday 5th July 2023 for all prospective Miltoncross students.

Details of our Transition Days will also be included in your Parent Pack - please contact us if you have not received this by Friday 9th June via transition@miltoncross-tkat.org.

How long is the school day? 

The school day starts at 8:45 and finishes at 15:00

You can also ‘click here’ for more information about what your school day will look like.

Which way do I come in to school? 

There is a main gate to the right side of the building that you can enter school from where you will be greeted by members of the Senior Leadership Team each morning as you arrive. 

Pedestrians cannot use the vehicular entrance.

Can I ride my bike to school? 

You can ride your bike to school. There are bike stands and a bike shed to put them in but the school will not accept responsibility for your bike. Cycle helmets must be worn when cycling to and from school. We highly recommend using a bike lock and having lights on your bike. 

How long are lessons? 

All lessons are one hour long. 

You can also ‘Click here’ for more information about what your school day will look like.

How many lessons are there? 

There are five lessons in each day, Miltoncross Academy has a two-week timetable so you might not have the same lessons both days in the cycle but you will get used to the timetable. You will receive a timetable from your Tutor on your first day with us. 

Do I need my PE Kit on my first day? 

Due to not getting your timetable until the first day with us, you will not be required to bring your PE Kit. However if you would like to bring trainers in your bag to change into to ensure you can take part in all activities to the extent you wish to, I recommend bringing them. 

Click here to find out more about Uniform.

How will I find my way around Miltoncross Academy? 

When starting at the school all young people are given a map and timetable, however you will find very quickly that you start to remember your way around. Please take a look at our Year 6/7 Transition Virtual Tour which will guide you around the school. You will notice we have different colour doors for each subject to help our students make their way around the school building.

What lessons will I have at Miltoncross Academy? 

Many of the lessons that you’ve had at primary school will be continued, such as Maths, English and Science. You will also do Humanities, which is Geography, History and Religious Studies. You will do Physical Education, Art, Drama, Music, Computer Science and Technology - all students also study a language, which is Spanish. 

Click here to find out more about our Curriculum.

What are the older students like? 

Many of our older students are very supportive of our younger students and will approach to help them find their way.  A number of older students are Senior Students who are our ambassadors for the school who will always be able to help you, they are identified wearing a black tie, however any member of the school community will be happy to help you.

Click here to find out what our Year 7 students think.

How long is lunchtime? 

Students have two 25 minute breaks during the day.

1st break is at 11.05am and 2nd break is at 1.30pm. Year 7 will be given time to learn how to access the school canteen so they know how to use the system. More information will be sent to parents regarding our online paying system. 

What kind of food is there in the canteen? 

If you asked many students they will say that the best thing about Miltoncross Academy is the food. Our canteen serves a wide variety of food catering for everyone, including pizzas, paninis and pasta bowls, and there is also a salad bar, baguettes, sandwiches, a daily main meal and many desserts such as muffins and biscuits. We have two Canteens to ensure all students have the time to buy and eat their lunch. 

How do I pay for my lunch? 

All students are given a pin number which they use in the Canteen. Our canteen is a cashless outlet and students can either bring money into school or put it on their account via the two machines that we have. Letters will be distributed to parents within the first 2 weeks of your child starting at Miltoncross to guide you on how to do this with account details.

When you get up to the till you choose your food, enter your pin or thumb print. Both areas are sanitised each time it is used by a student/staff. The amount is then deducted from your account. 

When do I find out who my tutor is? 

Organising the groups is a very complex job but we hope to let you know who your tutor is as soon as we have this information. However, we endeavour to inform students in their Transition Experience Days prior to starting with us in September. 

When do I find out who is going to be in my tutor group? 

On your first day at Miltoncross Academy you will spend time with the other people in your tutor group. You will also meet with your tutor and spend time getting to know them. 

Am I allowed to wear jewellery? 

The only jewellery permitted at Miltoncross Academy is a watch and one earring in the bottom lobe of each ear. These must be small and discreet studs only. One discreet/plain ring per hand is permitted (i.e. no large stones etc.) 

Am I allowed to wear my hair down? 

You may wear your hair down at Miltoncross Academy but you must always have a hair tie with you for when you have practical lessons such as PE, Technology and Science. 

Can girls wear trousers? 

Our uniform Miltoncross Academy is unisex and therefore girls can choose to wear trousers or our school skirt which can be seen here.

For further information regarding uniform concerns, please click here.

What do I need to bring on my first day? 

On your first day you will need to bring equipment from the equipment list and packed lunch or money to buy food at the canteen. You will NOT need your PE kit on the first day. 

Click here to find our more about equipment. 

What if I get lost on my way to lessons? 

Just ask someone. Whether that is a student or member of staff there are always many people to ask- They will help you. All staff can be identified by their Miltoncross Academy lanyard that they wear around their neck. Students can go to the Year Team office to ask for support. There are also members of the Senior Leadership team who are positioned in the corridors during lesson change over, who can be identified wearing a yellow lanyard. 

What if I get bullied at school? 

In the unlikely event of a member of our community behaving in an inappropriate way towards you, it is really important that you tell somebody, whether that is a friend, parents/carers, your tutor, the Medical team, your Pastoral and Welfare Officer or your Head of Year.

What do I do if I’m not feeling very well? 

If you start to feel unwell during the School day, it may pass. Ask your teacher politely (and raising your hand) if you can remove your blazer, have a drink and to have a window open.

If it doesn't go away, speak to your class teacher and they will ask Mrs Romain & Miss Parsons, our First Aiders, to see you. They may call your parents/guardians.

The medical room is open at break times for headaches, stomach-aches and any non-emergencies.

You must not carry your own medication on you unless permission has already been given by the school. It should be handed into Reception at the beginning of the day.

Click here to read our Medical Guide.

Where do I go if I need help during school? 

The Year Office is a central point in our school and you can go there if you need any help.

How many students are at Miltoncross Academy? 

In your year group there will be approximately 180 students. There are around 900 students across the school in Years 7 – 11. 

Do you have a Behaviour policy? 

At Miltoncross Academy we believe in rewarding those who work hard and behave respectfully as well as having consequences for those who choose to break the rules. We have a commitment to developing and building an inclusive school and to ensuring that the values of our school are based on equal opportunities for all. We have fair rules and we believe that every member of our learning community has a part to play in making sure that they are adhered to. 

Please click here for our Behaviour policy. This is a working document which lays out the different parts of the policy. We are aware that its success depends on students, parents, and staff working together to achieve the behaviour we all want from all of our children. 

Do you have a positive points system? 

Yes, we have ‘achievement points’ which students gain through being a positive member of the Miltoncross Community both inside and outside of school. These points add up to prizes throughout the school year given by their Year Team. Parents will be able to track their child’s points system as well as attendance and homework on Insight once they have received their log in details from Miltoncross. 

Please click here for more information on rewards.

How do I find out what my homework is? 

Login to ClassCharts/Google Classrooms using the link on the school website. Login details will be given out in September. Parents also have login details. 

How long do I get to complete my homework? 

Most departments set one piece of homework per week, although some departments may set longer project based homework which last longer than one week. 

What happens if I don’t do my homework? 

Your teacher will set you an after school homework catch up session to support you. 

Who do I speak to if I can’t do my homework? 

You should speak to the class teacher you set the homework. Or you could speak to your tutor. 

What clubs are there? 

There are many different clubs and activities on offer at Miltoncross Academy, including a wide range of sports, such as Football, Rugby, Netball, Basketball, and others, such as Dodgeball and Trampolining. The Physical Education extra-curricular timetable changes each term to suite different seasonal sports. 

At Miltoncross Academy we provide enrichment activities for everyone with; after school study club, Technology Club, Art Club, Science Club, English Club, Drama Club, 5 different music clubs and 8 different sports clubs to choose from! When you eventually come towards the end of your Miltoncross journey, our Year 11 students also benefit from a wide range of enrichment and revision clubs and drop in sessions, enabling them to achieve the best possible results in their forthcoming exams. 

Mrs C Mason also runs our Connecting Forces Group which aims to provide support for Service Children and families at Miltoncross Academy during times of deployment, weekending and general military life.

Frequently Asked Questions by Year 6/7 Parents:

Will I be informed if my son/daughter is kept behind for detention? 

Yes, after school detentions are highlighted on student and parent ‘Insight’ and you will also be notified by text message the day before the detention is due to take place. 

If your child for any reason receives a B2 - 15 minute detention, they will serve this on the day they receive this. Our school policy states that we can keep students after school for 15 minutes without parental notification, however we do endeavour to let you know.

What platforms of communication does the school use?

At the start of 2023, Miltoncross Academy phased out the usage of texts to contact parents about such subjects as events and absences. In place of our old system, Insight, we now use an online system called ClassCharts.

ClassCharts is our primary source of information. You will be able to see your child's attendance throughout the day, see announcements from the school, message teachers regarding your child, and report any potential absence. 

You will receive a parents code when your child first starts with us to connect to your child's profile.

How do I contact my son/daughter's teacher? 

Please email staff via info@miltoncross-tkat.org (FAO staff member). 

Miltoncross Academy respects the privacy and work/life balance of its staff. We do not expect our staff to check or respond to email when they are not at work, weekends or during holidays. 

Teaching staff will prioritise teaching activities and we cannot guarantee your email will be read the same day you send it. Office staff emails will only be read on working days and if an email has been sent after 3.30pm on any working day, then it will most likely be processed the following working day. Please allow 48 hours for a member of staff to contact you.

I am not sure who to contact? 

Please click here for our ‘who do I contact?’ page for further guidance and support. 

What should I do if I have not received a return telephone call? 

Please allow staff 48 hours to return your call. Teachers will be involved in lessons and some will have 5 period days and duties to cover. Pastoral staff also have commitments during the day. Anything urgent that affects your child's welfare, please contact your child's Pastoral and Welfare Officer who are non-teaching members of staff, and may be able to get back to you quicker. Their details can be found on this page.

Who does my son/daughter see if they have lost property? 

Students need to see their Tutor or go to the Student Support office. Students are accountable for their own items and we are not responsible for any missing items. Unclaimed items are sent to a charity shop at the end of term. 

Where do I find the school holiday dates? 

Key Dates and Term Dates can be found on the school website under the Parents heading or by clicking here

Where can I find my son/daughter's timetable? 

Timetables can be found in your son/daughter's Insight. All students will have a printed version on their first day at Miltoncross. Click here to view the School Day page and example student timetable.

What is the school uniform and where can I purchase it? 

Details of the school uniform can be found here on the school's website.

Uniform can be purchased from two providers. Please click here for more information. 

Please contact Mrs H Burrows transition@miltoncross-tkat.org with any further questions.