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Year 7
Welcome to the Year 7 Hub
This page contains all the essential information, updates, and resources needed to support your child's journey into Year 7.
The Transition Timeline
Please make sure these key dates are in your diary. They are designed to help students get familiar with the campus, meet their new form tutors, and make friends before September.
Induction Day
Tuesday 7th July 2026
Our new students spend a full day at the school! They will meet their form groups, experience taster lessons, navigate the hallways, and try out our school lunch options.
New Parents’ Information Evening
Tuesday 30th June 2026 from 5 pm to 6 pm
While the students have their day, we invite parents in for an evening presentation. You will meet the Head of Year 7, learn about our home-school communication platforms, and get tips on supporting your child's transition.
First Day of Autumn Term
Tuesday 1st September 2026
Year 7 will have the school entirely to themselves for the morning to settle in quietly, set up their planners, and get their timetables before the older year groups return.
Practical Preparation Checklist
To make the summer completely stress-free, here is everything you need to organise before the first day of term:
| Category | What You Need to Do | Where to Find It |
|---|---|---|
| Uniform | Purchase the mandatory blazer, tie, and PE kit. Ensure footwear adheres to our plain black leather shoe policy. | Available via our official supplier, Graduates Schoolwear |
| Equipment | Pack a pencil case with black/blue pens, HB pencils, a ruler, a sharpener, an eraser, a glue stick, and a scientific calculator (we recommend the Casio fx-83GTX). | Standard stationery stores |
| Catering | Set up your online school dinner account. We use a biometric cashless system; instructions to link your bank account will be in your June pack. | ParentPay |
| Transport | Discuss the journey to school. If using public buses, apply for student travel passes early to avoid August processing delays. |
Times of the Day
To help your child practice time management over the summer, here is how a standard day is structured:
- 08:20 – 08:45 | Gates Open
- 08:45 – 08:50 | Line-Ups
- 08:50 – 09:05 | Form Time / Assembly
- 09:05 – 10:20 | Period 1
- 10:20 – 11:35 | Period 2
- 11:35 – 11:55 | Break
- 11:55 – 12:00 | Line-Ups
- 12:00 - 13:15 | Period 3
- 13:15 - 13:45 | Lunch
- 13:45 - 13:50 | Line-Ups
- 13:50 - 15:05 | Period 4
Line Ups
Transition times - the five minutes when hundreds of students move between classrooms - are the highest-energy moments of the school day. Without structure, crowded corridors can quickly lead to accidental bumps, running, lateness, or anxiety for quieter students. To ensure our school remains a safe, calm, and predictable environment, we use a mandatory Line-Up Routine across all year groups.
By establishing calm before students step into the room, we maximise learning time and eliminate behavioural friction during transitions.
How It Works: The Step-by-Step Routine
We explicitly teach and practice this routine with our Year 7 students during their first week, so it becomes an automatic habit.
- Travel with Purpose: When the bell rings at 8:45 am, students should be at the basketball courts.
- Form a Single, Quiet Line: Students line up in a neat, single-file line by their teacher at Voice Level 0.
- The 'Ready to Learn' Check: Before entering, students must be in full, correct uniform (blazer and tie on, shirts tucked in) and silent. This is also when students have their planner and equipment ready in hand whilst the teacher takes the register.
- Orderly Entry: Once the line is perfectly calm and the register complete, at 8:50 am the teacher will walk the students to their classroom. Students enter and sit down quietly and place their equipment on the table.
Year 7 is a time of new friendships, new opportunities and growing independence, and our dedicated staff are committed to ensuring every student feels safe, supported and confident as they begin their journey with us.
Key Staff
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| To Be Confirmed | Head of Year 7 |
| Miss C Douglas | Pastoral for Year 7 |
| Mrs H Doran | Medical Needs Officer |
| Mrs S Murphy | Safeguarding Officer |
| Mrs K Brenson | SENDCO |
Letters HomeUniform & Equipment
Homework
Key Dates For The Diary 2026-27
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Tuesday 1 September | First Day of School |
| Thursday 24 September | School Photos - All Years |
| Thursday 8 October | Meet The Tutor Evening (4.30pm to 5.30pm) |
| Friday 27 November | INSET Day |
| Monday 7 December | Flu Vaccinations |
| Monday 4 January | INSET Day |
| Monday 12 April | INSET Day |
| Tuesday 6 July | Parents Evening |
Please note that these dates are subject to change. Should any adjustments be made, we will notify all parents immediately.
2026 Flu Vaccination Session
Main Date: Monday 7 December
Catch-Ups: Any catch-ups will be done at a Community Clinic by appointment only
The link for the electronic form and information about the vaccination will be found here closer to the date.
The Arbor Parent Portal & App
We will use the Arbor Parent App to help you track your child's attendance, view report cards, manage payments, and sign up for clubs or trips. Your login details will be sent to you automatically via email at the start of the September term.
How to Get Ready & Sign Up
To ensure a smooth setup when your welcome email arrives, please follow these steps:
- Check your contact details: Make sure the school has your current, correct email address on file. This email address acts as your secure username. If you share an email address with another guardian or a staff member, please provide the school office with a unique one to avoid login conflicts.
- Look for your welcome email: At the start of term, you will receive a welcome email from the school containing a unique activation link. (If you cannot find it, please check your spam folder).
- Set your password via a web browser: Click the link in your welcome email using a laptop, tablet, or phone web browser (Google Chrome is highly recommended). You cannot set your password for the first time inside the mobile app. Follow the prompts to create your password and accept the terms.
- Verify your child's identity: As a security precaution, the system will ask you to input the date of birth of one of your children. Once verified, your account is fully active.
- Download the Arbor App: Search for "Arbor" in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Download the app, log in using your newly created password, and enable Face ID/biometrics for quick future access.
Have children at multiple schools? As long as all schools use Arbor and have the exact same email address on file for you, you will be able to seamlessly switch between your children's profiles within the single app dashboard without needing multiple accounts.
The Classcharts App
Class Charts is an online platform used by schools to track student behaviour, homework, and attendance in real time. For parents, it acts as a direct window into the school day, showing everything from positive praise points to set detentions.
| Feature | What You Can See |
|---|---|
| Behaviour Timeline | A live feed of Positive Points (e.g., excellent effort, teamwork) and Negative Points (e.g., missing equipment, off-task behaviour). |
| Attendance | A colour-coded calendar showing lesson-by-lesson attendance, alongside their child’s daily subject schedule. |
| Detentions & Announcements | Real-time notifications if a detention has been issued (including date, time, and reason), alongside general school notices. |
How To Sign Up and Log In
To log in, you will need a Parent Access Code, which is unique to them and generated securely by the school.
Step 1: Get your access code: The school will issue you a unique Parent Access Code (usually a mixture of letters and numbers, sent via email or letter).
Step 2: Download or open the platform: Download the Class Charts Parents app from the iOS App Store or Google Play Store, or visit:
Step 3: Select 'I don't have an account yet': If using the platform for the first time, click the sign-up option. Enter your unique Access Code, your name, your email address, and choose a secure password.
Step 4: Log in in future: Once registered, you will no longer need that initial access code. You will simply log in using your email address and password.
Tip for families with multiple children: Parents do not need separate accounts for each child. Once logged into the parent portal, they can simply click "Add Pupil" and enter the unique access code for their other children to view all of them from a single dashboard.
Year 7 Accelerated Reading Quizzes
Below is the link for the Year 7 Accelerated Reading Quizzes:
Renaissance Accelerated Reading Quizzes
The Username & Password for these quizzes can be found in the student's planner.
You can also find free age-appropriate audiobooks on YouTube.
Digimaps
Kemnal Technology College Login Details
Username: DA145AA5
Password: vothed4362
If you have any issues with logging in or queries please email Mrs Luff at:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The school site is much larger than primary school, and getting turned around is totally normal. Line-Ups mean that students are walked to their current classroom by their Teacher. Also Teachers will stand outside their classroom doors between periods, and would be happy to help direct any lost students.
We operate a completely cashless cafeteria system. Students will have their biometric fingerprint scanned when they first join us. Parents must link their bank accounts to our ParentPay portal to top up dinner money balances online. We also have a top-up machine in the canteen for students bringing in cash.
To ensure an environment focused on learning, phones must be turned off and kept out of sight in students' school bags from the moment students enter the school gates until the end of the day. If a phone is seen or heard, it will be confiscated and kept in the main office for students to collect on their first offence a term and then any further confiscations will have to be parent collection.
Students' phones should be switched off and in bags prior to entering the school building.
If you need to speak with your child urgently, you should ring the school office and not your child. If your child needs to speak to you, they should speak to a member of staff and not ring you directly.
Please ensure that your child is aware of their after-school routine prior to leaving for school each day.
Your child's Form Tutor is always the first port of call for general queries, friendship issues, or minor worries. They see your child every single morning. For more serious academic or ongoing pastoral concerns, you can contact the Head of Year 7 or their Pastoral Lead.
Please contact the school attendance line via phone, email or the Arbor app by 8:30 AM on every morning of their absence. Please state your child's name, form group, and a specific reason for their absence.
More information on the Arbor app can be found here.
If the school has not been contacted, we will endeavour to phone home to find out the reason for absence, and/or a text message will be sent to parents/carers. It is the parent’s responsibility to inform the school of the reason for absence in order that it can be authorised. This must be completed each day that your child is absent, unless there is an ongoing medical condition that we are aware of.
There may be occasions where medical evidence is needed to support the reasons for your child’s absence from school, especially if their attendance has fallen below 96%. The school will not approach your doctor to obtain that evidence; it is your responsibility as a parent/carer to provide a medical certificate or doctor’s letter, as appropriate.
Year 7 students typically receive around 30 to 45 minutes of homework per subject each week, following a structured homework timetable so they aren't overwhelmed on a single night.
Sparx Reading & Numeracy homework is set each week, with the following structure:
- Start: Every Wednesday
- Deadline: The Following Wednesday
- Target: Earn 300 Sparx Reader Points (SRP) each week / 100% completion
- Estimated Time: Around 30 minutes
We understand that transitioning to secondary school can be a challenging time for both you and your child. In addition to the opportunities and support we provide at school, there are several excellent organisations offering resources to help make this process smoother.
BBC Bitesize - Parents' Toolkit
The Top 10 Tips for Parents guide provides simple, effective strategies to support your son emotionally and academically during this transition.
The Top 10 Tips for Parents Guide
For guidance on supporting homework at home, the ParentKind website offers practical tips to help you get involved in their learning journey.
If you're concerned about your son’s mental health, the Anna Freud Centre provides expert advice on discussing emotional well-being with young people.
This transition workbook has been produced by Islington CAMHS to help parents support conversations around transition. This helpful resource is designed to allow Year 6 children to think about both the practicalities and their emotions around moving to secondary school.
Transitions Activities Handout Bromely Wellbeing
We hope these resources, combined with our efforts, will help you feel more confident in supporting your child during this exciting new chapter.
It can feel overwhelming at first, but each app serves a specific purpose to keep data secure:
- Arbor: Your master student record (updates your address, tracks attendance, consents).
- ClassCharts: Your daily window (tracks daily behaviour points and detentions).
- ParentPay: Your digital wallet (pay for lunch top-ups, house badges and school trips).