Frequently Asked Questions
We understand that as you move into secondary education you may have a lot of questions. To help with this, we've asked a lot of our Year 7 students what they wish they know on their first day of school and collated them into our frequently asked questions guide, which you can see below. Remember, if you do have any other questions you can always speak to your Head of Year or Form tutor.
What do I do if I get lost?
We know that this is a big fear for many Year 7’s, and we work hard to help you know your way.
Things to help you:
- Check out the virtual tour online — get to know some of the main buildings and corridors before you come.
- On your first day, you will be given a map of the school and a tour
- If you get lost, please ask - everyone will be happy to show you around (they all remember their first day)
- Look out for signs on the staircases to show which way to go
- Don’t worry - we know that it takes time to find your way around – you won’t get in trouble if you are late to lessons because you are lost.
How can I make friends?
Making friends can be daunting in a new school, especially if you do not know anyone from your previous school, but there are a number of ways you can make new friends at Gladesmore, including:
- Attending the Stepping Stones sessions in the gallery every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings 8:15am,
- Attending the Transition Saturday School,
- Getting involved in extracurricular P.E clubs,
If you do find that you are struggling to make friends, make sure to talk to your form tutor or head of year who are more than happy to help.
What do I do if I am struggling in a lesson?
Learning can’t always be easy – sometimes you should find the work difficult as this is part of learning. However, if you always find the work very difficult or are struggling to know how to complete a task, looking for help is the right thing to do.
A few tips if you are struggling in a lesson:
- Look again at the task or the board to see if there are instructions on what to do
- If it is suitable, ask the person next to you for help
- Put up your hand and ask the teacher
If you are struggling with Own Your Learning, you can:
- Go and find the teacher to ask for further support
- Speak to your friends (but don’t copy as that’s not learning)
- Show the work to your parents / carers
- Try doing some independent research e.g. BBC Bitesize (but again don’t copy, that’s plagiarism which is a fancy word for stealing someone’s else’s work as your own)
- Email or put a comment on Google Classroom to ask for help
If you ALWAYS find the work difficult:
In this situation, it is probably best to try to talk to the teacher on their own. Depending on when you see them, you might be able to see them before the lesson or after the lesson. We promise – Gladesmore teachers want to help you, so they will do their best if you are struggling.
What do I do if I feel unwell?
If you feel unwell outside of lesson time then you should seek the learning mentors or the school office.
If you feel unwell during or just before lesson time, talk to your teacher. It's important to let your teacher know that you aren't feeling well before deciding to go to the mentors / office yourself so that they are aware of where you are and are not marked absent by mistake.
What happens if I lose my timetable?
You should let your form tutor / the school office know and they will be able to print a new one for you.
What happens if I forget my lunch or have no lunch money?
Speak to your Head of Year or your Tutor who will help organise provisions for you.
What happens if I forget my PE kit?
You should speak to your tutor and let them know and they will help you to resolve this problem.
What if I lose any of my belongings? (Pencil case, coats/bag)
Gladesmore has a lost property area, which is situated by the clock outside of the main hall. You should always check here first.
If your belonging is not in the lost property, you should then inform the mentors / head of year / tutors / reception to see if your item has been handed in to them directly.
Is there a place to secure my bike?
Gladesmore does have an allocated area for students to store their bikes, however if you are travelling into school with bike, please ensure you bring your pad/chain lock to secure your bike.
I plan on travelling by bus to school, what should I do?
Travel on buses is free using Oyster card. Applications can be made online and will take about 3 weeks to process, so it would be wise to apply for your card as early as possible
Applications can be made here: https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/free-and-discounted-travel/11-15-zip-oyster-photocard
Useful Links
Starting secondary school, BBC Bitesize