Transition Information

At The WREN, we have a broad enrichment programme called Wren Extra. This programme aims to offer all students a range of extracurricular activities that cater to their interests and passions, alongside developing new skills and making new friends. Learn more about our enrichment programme here.
Teachers will be understanding in the early weeks of the term. Each form time tutors will do an equipment check to ensure students have the ‘Wren basics’: a pen, pencil, ruler, and student planner. You are bound to make mistakes in year 7, just try and learn from them! If you pack your bag the night before, this will help organise you and ensure you have everything for the next day.
No, we do not expect students to bring their PE kit on their first day.
It may vary a little, but on average, there will be a couple of pieces of homework set each day. These will be published on Microsoft Teams, where parents and students will be given logins at the start of term. You can access Microsoft Teams on the home page of the website and get an app for your mobile phone.
Your teacher and tutor are always there to help you. If you are stuck with something in class or with your extended learning you can speak to your teacher or tutor and ask them to explain it again. Your fellow students are also on hand so do not forget to ask them too. Please do not be scared to ask questions in lessons, as we can guarantee there will be other students wanting to ask the same question! The teacher will not necessarily know you need help unless you tell them. Top tip: do not leave your homework until the last possible day to complete it so if you have any questions or need help, you have time to find the teacher.
You will be given your student planner during morning registration on your first day of term. The planner is a communication tool between home and school. If a teacher sets homework, you expected to write what subject you have been set homework for in your planner. If your guardian wishes to update us about any absence or other information, you can use the planner to write in a note.
There are a set of student toilets on each floor. You will not be allowed to go to the toilet during lessons, unless for known medical reasons, so make sure you go before form time, at break or lunchtime.
In September, we know that you will not know your way round and if you are a bit late, your teachers will understand. After a couple of weeks, however, we will expect you to be on time for lessons in the same way as the older year groups. Students have up to 5 minutes for movement time in-between lessons.
It should not take too long for you to find your way around. You will be given a map outlining the subjects on each floor and there will be a tour on your first day. If you are lost around, the school feel free to ask anyone in the corridors and they will be happy to help. We fully appreciate it will take a couple of weeks to find your bearings around the school.
Of course, you will make new friends! Everyone will be in the same boat. If you are the only student from a primary/junior school coming here, we will make sure you have a chance to meet new people in the same situation as you. All the tutor groups are mixed up so there will be many students who do not know others in their tutor group.
Losing things at school is unfortunately, part of school life. Chances of reuniting students with their belongings increase dramatically if they are clearly labelled. In a large school it can be hard to differentiate individual’s property especially when all students wear the same uniform! a clear name tag makes returning items much easier. If your child has lost something, they should check to see if it has been handed in to lost property by seeing Mrs Herbert in student reception. They should also retrace their steps and return to the classrooms/ changing rooms they have been to that day to see if they have left it there. They should do this on the day that they discover the loss. If this proves unsuccessful, it is sometimes worth checking with lost property again, after a few days. This is why we recommend students getting a locker, so they can keep their valuables safe.
Our school caterers are Harrison. We have a café and restaurant on site. They serve free breakfast between 8:15-8:30am, hot and cold snacks during break, and serve nutritious food during lunchtime, there is something for everyone’s taste. The cashless biometric system means that students do not need to worry about carrying loose change, as they just need their fingerprint to pay for food. Biometrics will be taken on their first day at The Wren School, if not sooner when they come in for their transition day. Please ensure you have filled in the Biometric agreement form on Arbor so we can ensure any dietary needs are identified and catered for. Please use the online service Arbor to add more money on their account. If you have any queries, please contact the [email protected].
Yes. We encourage students to walk or cycle to school to stay healthy. Students must bring a bike lock to secure their bike at school using the bike racks available. Students may not cycle on the school premises and must wear a helmet. They should observe safe cycling rules on the roads as they approach and leave school.
  • Please provide your child with a copy of the appointment letter, or card (ideally before the date of the appointment)
  • Your child must take the appointment letter or card to main reception.
  •  You should write a note in your child’s planner to show their class teacher that they have permission to leave the lesson.
  •  Your child must go to main reception to sign out.
  •  Upon arrival back at school, your child must sign in at main reception.
Please contact the school via phone or email and the pastoral admin staff will pass the information on to them. We do not allow students to have their phone on during the school day, and if they are seen with it out at school, they will have it confiscated. Please support us with this rule.
If your child feels unwell during the day they should see Mrs Herbert who is a trained first aider, in student reception at break or lunch. Students should not be going to student reception during lesson time. Sometimes a child just needs a quiet sit down after which they may be able to return to lessons. On certain occasions, Mrs Herbert may not be available, if this is the case students should go to main reception where a first aid trained member of staff can attend and assist them. We do not allow students to contact parents within school time on their own mobile phone.
The parental agreement to administer medicine form will need completing and can be requested from [email protected] and returned asap. This information will be added to the school database. Medication must be dropped at main reception, clearly labelled and this will be passed to student reception, Mrs Herbert will administer it to your child when they come to student reception at the specified times.
Students should arrive at school by 8.30 at the latest. The school gates are locked by staff on duty a few minutes before 8:30. Students who arrive late (once the gates are locked at 8.30) must enter via main reception at the Southcote Lane entrance, and sign in. They will be issued a late consequence unless students have medical proof why they were late. Please encourage your child to be on time.
  • To report your child being late or absent, please use the Arbor app to contact the school before 7:30am, or as soon as possible after that on 0118 9591868, extension 241.
  • Please remember to notify the school on each day of your child’s absence. You can also contact the school via email at: [email protected]
  • If your child takes more than three days off school in a row, we advise that you seek medical advice and also provide us with evidence of the prolonged absence. The Education Welfare Service accepts the following as medical proof: *GP appointment card *A text message from the health care provider, e.g., dentist, doctor, orthodontist * Sight of medication, named and dated appropriately *Sight or photocopy of prescription, named and dated appropriately.
Please contact your child’s subject teacher or Head of Department via email. If you would like to see a teacher, please email to arrange a date and convenient time.
They can talk to any member of staff, their tutor, or go to the Progress Leader’s office where their Progress Leader will be based. If this has happened in a lesson, your child must speak to the class teacher so they can speak and action any consequences. Your child’s tutor should be the first port of call, as they have the most contact with your child throughout the week. Please encourage your child to speak to their tutor in the first instance. Tutors are also available to be contacted via email. If you would like to see a tutor, please email to arrange a date and convenient time. Contact details for teaching staff can be found here.
Assessments will be completed by students in term 1 and students will be set in Maths, Science and MFL.
The Wren teaches Spanish to all students in Year 7. There are 2 sides in each year group and students will be timetabled with other students from their half of the year.
Please head to main reception, where staff will meet you and your child, and direct them where to go.
On average there are around 28 students in each tutor group.
The formation of the tutor groups is critical as we want to ensure an even number of boys and girls, a mixed academic ability, and a range of students from all our main linked schools. Mr Marsh, Year 7 Progress Leader, is informed of any information from all primary schools and taken this into account when arranging the tutor groups. Whilst wishing to engage with families to ensure students make a positive start at The Wren and are not put with students they do not work well with, we cannot unfortunately accommodate individual requests for specific students to be together.
Using the knowledge of the students that has been collated from their Year 6 teachers, we do our best to place each student in the tutor group that is right for them. The Year 7 tutor groups are carefully constructed to allow the possibility for new friendships to develop and students to be supported in an effective way. There will usually be at least one other member of the tutor group from a student’s link primary/junior school, but it should be noted that this is unlikely to always be a ‘best friend.’
You can order a locker from the Arbor Shop. Lockers are allocated on a first come, first served basis. Year 7 students will have the opportunity to have a locker for a one-year period. At the end of the year, they will need to empty their locker and return the key. The cost of a locker is £5 for one year with the £5 deposit for the key. If the key is returned at the end of the year, you will receive a £5.00 refund. Please note that in the event of a lost key, there will be a charge for a replacement.
The website is regularly updated with key information, under the tab “Parents/students tab”. Term 1 = Settling in evening. To support your child at school we invite parents/carers and students to meet with their tutor to review how the first term has gone. Term 5 = Year 7 parents evening, where parent/carer can meet their child’s teachers and get academic feedback on their progress across the curriculum.
Arbor – This is our Student Information Management System. Arbor is used to pay for equipment for lessons (e.g., food technology ingredients), trips, add money on for school café and restaurant, and is also used to show achievement and behaviour points awarded to your child, and any detentions set. Families will receive a login for the Arbor Parent Portal before they start at The Wren. Learn more about using Arbor here. Teams – This is where homework will be set. Students will use their school email address and password to log in to teams.
We have one main school provider, Stevensons. Website: www.stevensons.co.uk Phone number: 01189 596462
Every child will receive a form to complete for Free School Meals. Even if your child has received Free School Meals at primary school, you should still complete the application form here.
You will have been sent a link to our parent portal called Arbor. This is where we ask you to add as much detail as possible about your child.