The beginning of a new academic year represents an excellent opportunity for expectations to be communicated and for good habits to be adopted. This is especially true of Year 7. Hence it is the purpose of this notice to offer guidance to parents regarding your son and the bag that he will use to transport his books, PE/Games kit and other equipment between home and School.

First, there is no reason for any Year 7 pupil to bring more than one reasonably sized bag to School (even on such occasions when PE/Games is a timetabled lesson). The sight of Year 7 pupils struggling to navigate the School under the weight of multiple bags is unwelcome. Indeed, it is extremely important that boys learn quickly to organise themselves - this includes packing a School bag effectively. We would ask that you study the following instructions with your son and help him to understand fully our position:

1. Even when PE/Games is a timetabled lesson, it is not desirable to bring to School one bag containing schoolbooks and a second (often larger) holdall for kit. Such extensive baggage only increases the likelihood of pupils misplacing their own property.
2. Instead, when your son is packing his bag (preferably the night before) he must note whether or not he has PE/Games the next day and (if he does) should pack his kit and schoolbooks together in one large bag if possible (the kit bag available in the School Uniform Shop would be sensible). Two or three plastic bags should also be packed so that muddy boots can be stored without soiling exercise books.
3. Upon arrival at School, your son should then deposit into his locker any items (i.e. heavy textbooks) that are not needed until later in the day. These can then be retrieved at either break time or lunchtime prior to the lesson in question. Pupils should not return to lockers between lessons. If it has not been possible to pack all kit in one bag, PE/ Games kit should be stored in the locker when it is not needed.
4. For all other occasions when PE/Games is not a timetabled lesson, your son should use a smaller bag to transport all necessary items from home to School. Larger bags require considerable storage space and are unhelpful.

We are sure you will recognise that by adopting sensible arrangements for the management of books and equipment will endeavour to limit the possibility of pupils causing themselves injury. These arrangements should also facilitate increased pupil mobility and safeguard personal property. In support of our arrangements, we would be grateful if you would check that ALL of your son’s belongings (bags, PE/Games kit, stationery etc.) are clearly labelled using either permanent marker or stitched labels. Items that are not labelled frequently appear in Lost Property with little prospect of being returned to their rightful owner. In addition, you should expect your son to bring his kit home with him following each PE/Games lesson. Too often pupils leave dirty kit at School and are then surprised when it goes missing.

We shall be informing all Year 7 pupils about the proper and responsible management of their equipment when they join us in September. We shall be emphasising that under no circumstances are Year 7 pupils to leave bags in the reception area of the Mathematics and Music building (adjacent to their Form Rooms). This is a busy area of the School and bags left in this area are a safety hazard. Similarly, pupils should not leave any bags in Form Rooms. Pupils must remember that every Year 7 Form Room is also a classroom and that bags left in corners or at the front of classrooms are a potential safety hazard but are also insecure.

If your son must store his bag at any point during the School day, he can use either his own locker or one of the specially constructed bag racks situated at various points around the School.