Information for New Joiners

You will find more information about the uniform requirements here.

New uniform items can be purchased from our uniform outfitters, Billings & Edmonds. You can make an appointment to visit their shop in Eton or order online.

We also have a Nearly New Uniform Shop located at school which has an excellent range of pre-loved but good quality stock. You can visit on Friday mornings during term time from drop-off to around 10am. Read more here.

Your child will have been allocated an Animal House which is important for the colour of their PE t’shirt. If you do not know your child’s Animal, please contact Admissions.

School shoes should be plain black leather school shoes. Children in Upper School (Year 6 and above) should all be wearing school shoes with laces. Sports shoes should be plain white and non-marking.

At St John’s, the House System is called the Animal System. There are three Animals : Tigers (red), Yaks (green), Emus (yellow). When a pupil first enters the School, they are placed in an Animal. Children who had family members attend the school, or those with older siblings, will be placed in the same Animal.

From Berchmans (Year 2), every pupil attends a weekly Animal Meeting. Pupils are also given a TYE card (T – Tiger, Y – Yak, E – Emu). This is a crucial card which a pupil carries with them at all times and is their responsibility. The card is an indication of a pupil’s behaviour, support and diligence. The aim of each pupil is to gain as many TYEs (points) as possible. Each TYE gained is marked on a pupil’s card. For example, if a pupil is particularly polite or helpful, played well in a match or worked hard, they could gain a TYE.

All TYES are added up on a weekly basis and go towards the final points tally for each Animal at the end of each term. This is called the Animal Count-up. At the Animal Count-up, the Animal with the highest total is announced as winner for the term. All pupils in the winning Animal are given a prize called the Animal Tea.

The Animal System is also used for competitions. During the term, there may be the Inter-Animal sport, music, performing arts or academic competitions.

Additionally, the Animal System is a way of underpinning pastoral matters. At Animal meeting each week, a pupil might be helped to overcome a difficulty, supported and encouraged, or shown a potentially better way of doing things. Pupils should do all they can to promote the good name of their Animal by taking an active part in any Inter-Animal activity and, in particular, by attempting to gain TYEs.

Your child will have a weekly timetabled music lesson. There are also private practice rooms available for individual practice. If you would like your child to have private tuition in their chosen instrument, or singing lessons, please complete the form below.

Music Tuition Form

LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) lessons are also available. Children have individual lessons and can choose from a range of qualifications including Acting, Miming, Shakespeare, Musical Theatre. For more information about LAMDA lessons, please email Mrs Von Sachsen-Altenburg.

Prior to your child’s commencement, the Admissions Office will send you the activities schedule for the upcoming term. This will give you the opportunity to have first choice of activities for your child’s first term.

In following terms, the activity schedule will be emailed, usually during the school holidays, and you can log on to the Parent Portal to select and book activities.

Paid activities are billed by the provider and you will be contacted by them directly, they are usually not added to your termly invoice.

You can read more about the co-curricular programme here.

You will be emailed your Parent Portal Login prior to your child’s start date.

The Parent Portal (School Base) can be accessed by clicking on the ‘PORTALS’ button at the bottom of the Main Burger Menu on the website.

As soon as your child is on the register (i.e. from the  first morning) your Parent Portal will start to populate.   Please check the Parent Portal regularly for letters, announcements and your child’s school reports.  You will also find useful links to other forms, parent resources and policies. This is also where you can book termly co-curricular activities and parent-teacher information nights.

If you have any problems accessing your child’s account please contact the school office.

All urgent communications will be sent via text alert.

There is also a weekly newsletter which will arrive in your inbox on a Friday afternoon, and for other updates about what is happening around the school we encourage you to join your class WhatsApp group and follow our social media channels. Photos of school events are regularly uploaded to Flickr.

During term time, the School Office is open from 8:00am to 5:00pm and Reception is open until 6:00pm after which the phone will divert to Night Service.

When school commences, please feel free to call Reception on 01784 432428 or to contact the School Office on schooloffice@sjb.email.