New Arrivals
Essential Information for Parents / Guardians
Welcome to St Paul's
We are so excited to have you join our Catholic community.
We know starting at a new school can feel daunting, but we are here to support you with the transition.
We have designed this page to provide as much practical information, help and support to make your introduction to St Paul’s as easy as possible. If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact us. We’re only too happy to help.
A Good Place to Start
We know that getting everything ready for September can feel like a lot. Here are three simple things you can do now to help your child feel confident and prepared for starting at St Paul’s.
Arrange Transport
You will need to make travel arrangements for your child. Full information is available on our transportation page, including details about coach services and safe drop-off. Please note for safety reasons, students arriving by car must be dropped off and picked up from the Triangle Leisure Centre and walk through the underpass.
Buy Uniform
Uniform can be purchased online, by phone, or from our on-site shop. You will find all the details you need on our uniform page. Our uniform supplier will also attend the Information Evening in July, where students can try on items for size and get support with fittings.
Learn More About St Paul’s
Between now and September, we’ll send you regular email updates and reminders. Our website is also packed with helpful information to guide you through uniform, devices, pastoral care and life at St Paul’s. If you’re unsure about anything at all, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
A Look Around St Paul’s
Starting secondary school can feel like a big step, especially when moving from the familiarity of one classroom to navigating multiple lessons across a much larger site. Although students settle in quickly, it can really help to see what some of our school spaces look like in advance.
Below, you will find short video clips showing key areas around St Paul’s to help students feel familiar and confident from day one. You can also explore our school maps to see how the different areas connect.
St Paul's Locations
What Students Will Need
Please support your child in preparing for each school day by helping them get everything ready the night before.
Over time, they’ll become more independent but at first, it is important to check they have the right equipment for the lessons on their timetable.
Uniform
Wearing the correct uniform helps students feel prepared for the day ahead. On certain days, they will also need to bring their PE kit.
Stationery
Students should come equipped with the following: pens, pencils, ruler, eraser, colouring pencils, sharpener, a pair of compasses, a protractor, and a scientific calculator (e.g. Casio FX-83GT Plus, approx. £7).
iPad (optional)
If your child is part of our e-learning scheme, they should bring their iPad to school each day in its protective case. This can be kept in their bag if preferred.
Many students find it helpful to hire a locker to store their PE kit and other belongings. Lockers are available to rent for £25 (for 5 years), and payment can be made via our online system.
Breaktime & Lunchtime Options
We at St Paul’s, along with our catering partners Innovate Foods, are committed to providing an exceptional catering experience, with exciting menus packed with goodness, variety and attitude.
For those students wishing to eat a packed lunch, we encourage families and students to make healthy choices. To protect those with severe nut allergies, St Paul’s is a ‘nuts free’ school.
What's On Offer
The Innovate kitchen offer a wide variety of freshly made hot meals, sandwiches, snacks and salads:
- A huge selection of grab-and-go items including baguettes, paninis, burritos and salads to name a few, all using our barcode system to help speed up the queues.
- A variety of healthy, tasty main meals prepared fresh every day from carefully selected ingredients, following a weekly pattern. Discounts are available when purchased as a ‘meal deal’.
- Our tasty, vegetarian and vegan ‘V’ range including the V Burger, Falafel & Houmous Market Wrap & Vegan Fresh Fruit Smoothies.
- Deli-style range of snacks for Sixth Form students available all day.
- Theme days including Chinese New Year, American Independence Day and St George’s Day to name a few.
Paying for Food
St Paul’s operates a cashless catering system to reduce the needs for students to carry cash, speed up service, and allow families to monitor spending.
Online Payments
Families can pre-load funds onto their child’s lunch account via SCOPay.com (instructions are provided before September). Students then use their fingerprint (biometrics) to pay at the tills.
- The default daily spend limit is £4. To request an increase or decrease, please contact Innovate Services directly.
- Online payments made by debit or credit card are processed by Cunninghams, so your bank statement will show ‘Cunninghams’ for these transactions.
Paying by Cash or Cheque
If online payment isn’t possible, you may top up your child’s account with cash or cheque at the Innovate office, located in the canteen.
- Payments must be made at the very start of the school day — there is no facility to top up at break or lunch.
- Cheques should be made payable to:
Innovate Services Ltd
Please ensure your child’s account has sufficient funds in advance to avoid disruption at lunchtime.
The College Day
Term starts for our new Year 7 joiners earlier than the rest of the school part of a staggered start; for more information view our Term Dates. Your child will follow an induction programme for their first few days.
The College Day
Students are expected to arrive at college by 8:20am each school day and usually assemble outside the designated entrance for their year group. The external door for Year 7 is the student entrance opposite the underpass (adjacent to Food Technology and near Geography).
Form Time or Assembly
Most mornings from 8:30am to 9:00am, students will be in form time. On designated days, they will attend assembly in either the Bailey Hall or the Sports Hall.
Assembly days will be confirmed to students in advance. On those days, students should go directly to the MUGA (multi-use games area), where they will line up in tutor groups before entering.
Timetable
We follow a two-week timetable: Week A and Week B. Students will receive their timetable during their first week, and it will be explained in full. Timetables will also be available on EduLink One (the student and parent app) and emailed to parents for convenience.
Breaks and Lunchtimes
We operate a staggered break and lunch system to reduce queues and support student wellbeing during social times:
- Years 7, 9, 11 and 12 have first break and lunch
- Years 8, 10 and 13 have second break and lunch
This helps manage the number of students in the canteen and shared spaces.
| Years 7, 9, 11, & 12 | Years 8, 10, & 13 | |
|---|---|---|
| 8:30 - 9:00 | Tutor Time & Assembly | |
| Period 1 9:00 - 9:50 |
Lesson 1 | |
| Period 2 9:50 - 10:40 |
Lesson 2 | |
| Period 3 10:40 - 11:50 |
Break 1 10:40 - 11:00 |
Lesson 3 10:40 - 11:30 |
| Lesson 3 11:00 - 11:50 |
Break 1 11:30 - 11:50 |
|
| Period 4 11:50 - 12:40 |
Lesson 4 | |
| Period 5 12:40 - 14:10 |
Break 2 12:40 - 13:20 |
Lesson 5 12:40 - 13:30 |
| Lesson 5 13:20 - 14:10 |
Break 2 13:30 - 14:10 |
|
| Period 6 14:10 - 15:00 |
Lesson 6 | |
| The College day ends at 15:00 | ||
Students typically spend 32.5 hours per week in college. This includes break times but does not include any after-school activities.
Communication
Keeping Up-to-Date
Most communication from the College is sent by email, so please let us know if your contact details change. The College website and Instagram page are also regularly updated with news, key reminders, and any urgent notices (such as unexpected closures or extreme weather).
EduLink One Website and App
EduLink One is our secure platform for staying informed about your child’s school life. Available as a website or free app (via the App Store or Google Play), it allows you to view your child’s:
- Timetable
- ILTs (homework)
- Progress reports
- Achievements and more
Reporting to Parents
You’ll receive regular updates on your child’s progress through our interim reporting system. Reports are emailed throughout the year in line with our Reporting to Parents schedule.
Open Door
Our Headteacher, Mr Carter, welcomes parents to drop in without an appointment on the first Wednesday of each month, between 4:30pm and 8:00pm, to discuss any concerns or questions.
Online Payments
You can make secure online payments for trips, lunch top-ups, locker hire and more via SCO Pay. Full instructions will be sent to you by email.
Independent Learning Tasks (ILT)
Students need to complete 1 to 1.5 hours of ILT per night during year 7, made up of ILTs that are set by their teachers and supplemented with reading, research and skills practice. The amount of time spent on ILTs will increase as students move up the school.
All ILTs are recorded on the app by teachers and are accessible to students and their parents. Students will be given a small notebook in case they need to jot anything down about ILTs in class.
Top Tips for a Smooth Start
Create a School Kit Zone
Set up a dedicated space at home (in the kitchen, hallway, or bedroom) with a copy of your child’s timetable clearly visible. Each evening, tip out the contents of their bag, check everything, and re-pack it together. Keep spare pens and supplies in this area ready to replace anything lost or broken.
Keep Keys Handy
Attach locker and house keys to an extendable key line fixed securely to the school bag: much harder to misplace!
Know Who to Contact
For general or pastoral concerns, contact your child’s form tutor. For subject-specific questions, get in touch with their class teacher. Staff can be emailed directly from EduLink One.
Check ILTs Daily
Use EduLink One to check for new ILTs (Independent Learning Tasks). Encourage your child to spend around 1 hour each weekday evening on their ILTs. Establish a calm, quiet workspace where they can focus without distractions.
No ILTs? No problem
If no tasks are set, use that time for reading, revision (Science, Geography, or History), learning new language verbs, or visiting the MyMaths website. Creative activities like writing, drawing, or exploring news articles and writing an opinion piece are also great ways to keep learning alive.
Stay Hydrated
Make it a habit to bring a refillable water bottle to school each day
Getting on Edulink One
What is EduLink One
EduLink One, the secure online portal for students, parents and staff is a powerful tool that enables our community to plan, track, monitor and organise like never before. It provides insight into each child’s personalised learning journey and promotes parental engagement.
For Students
In the first week of September, students will be given their personalised login for the EduLink One which will allow them to access their timetable, ILTs, courses and much more. Please reassure your child that they will be given plenty of support and training in their first 6 weeks to help them with all of this, including iPad training.
For Parents
We prioritise the preparation of student accounts and usually have updated records for parents by the end of the second week in September. You can still make online payments even if you don’t have access to the EduLink One App yet. Our finance team will send you an email in July with detailed instructions of how to make online payments.
Still Have Questions?
If there’s anything else you’d find helpful as a new arrival, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re here to help and always happy to hear from you
