Information for New Year 7

Welcome to The Leeds Jewish Free School

Preparing for your child’s transition to secondary school Key Information for Parents

A message from the Executive Headteacher: Mrs. Charlie Kelsey

I’d like to take this opportunity to officially welcome you to the Leeds Jewish Free School (LJFS) and into our school community.

At LJFS, pupils will have the opportunity to study a wide curriculum of subjects, taught by specialists, in specialist facilities; to take part in extra-curricular activities and have the opportunity to grow and develop as young people and also add something to the school community. We want our students to have fun at LJFS while engaged in their learning, as well as following our create principles of community; resilience, empowerment, aspiration, trust and excellence.

We want everyone to experience success and to feel a sense of pride at belonging to our school community. This doesn’t just happen by setting foot through the door – success and achievement come from hard work, resilience and commitment from our young people, coupled with the high-quality teaching, encouragement, nurture and pastoral care they will receive from staff. We also want our students to develop as individuals and to establish the character traits that will enable them to make positive contributions to society in later life. Our aim at the Leeds Jewish Free School is simple – we want all our young people to be all that they can be and all that they are meant to be, in learning and in life. We make an absolute commitment to doing our best for all young people. We can’t achieve our aims on our own and firmly believe that educating and bringing up young people is a partnership. At the heart of the partnership is the relationship between school and parents and carers. It is vital that we work together to promote the values that will make our young people happy, successful and good people: good friends, neighbours, citizens and the sort of people we are proud to know.

Joining LJFS will feel very different to primary school. The number of adults who will work with your son/daughter will significantly increase, which means relationships change as a result. It’s also different because the children are growing into young people, which involves a lot of change, most of it delightful, but some quite challenging for parents and teachers.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs. Charlie Kelsey

Executive Headteacher

The Year 7 Team

The pastoral care students receive at LJFS is truly first class. No young person goes unnoticed and the needs of each individual young person lies at the heart of everything that we do. The Year 7 pastoral team will work to ensure that your child makes friends, enjoys school and achieves their full potential. You will have the opportunity to meet the team during the information evening.

Mrs Aibi – Inclusion Manager & KS3 Student Liaison

Mrs Aibi is your point of call for any queries or concerns that are not academic. Mrs Aibi will answer questions or will arrange for the relevant member of staff to give you a call. She can be contacted on 0113 2930578. Mrs Aibi coordinates support to ensure high levels of attendance and punctuality are maintained across the school.

First Day of Term

New Year 7 students should arrive by 8.10am. Please do not drive onto the school site. All students should be smartly dressed in their new school uniform, with no jewellery etc. They will need their pencil case and writing equipment. They will not need PE equipment on the first day. (please refer to the other booklet for equipment and the website for uniform).

Lunch

We expect all students to either to use the school restaurant or buy their own lunch from the Zone. (the Zone is independent of LJFS). Students can also bring their own Kosher packed lunch (see Kosher Code of Conduct). In addition, students have access to free water from our water cooler located in the school.

The cost of school meals

We provide a variety of Kosher meal deals which are priced at £4.25

Free school meals

We encourage all families to check if they are eligible for free school meals. Your Local Authority will be able to help you with information on whether you are entitled and will be able to provide you with an application form. Please note: contact the Local Authority in the area that you live.

School Equipment

Students must have the correct equipment for all lessons. They must bring a pencil case with pens, purple pen, pencils, a sharpener, rubber and a dictionary. In addition, students should bring a protractor, a calculator, a ruler, and a mathematical compass. All Equipment can be purchased from the School Equipment shop on SCOPAY.

How Parents Can Work to Encourage Excellent Attendance

Working Together for Excellent Attendance

At Leeds Jewish Free School, we believe that excellent attendance is a shared responsibility between school, pupils, and families. The Department for Education states that“attendance is everyone’s business” and recognises that strong partnerships between schools and parents are key to helping children attend regularly and thrive. Regular attendance supports academic achievement, wellbeing, social development, and a strong sense of belonging within the school community. We ask parents and carers to ensure their child attends school every day, arrives punctually, and work closely with us if any barriers to attendance arise. By maintaining open communication and a shared commitment to attendance, we can ensure every pupil benefits fully from the opportunities, learning, and experiences that Leeds Jewish Free School provides. [assets.pub...ice.gov.uk], [gov.uk]

Practical ways parents can support excellent attendance include:

Establishing consistent morning and evening routines.
Ensuring your child gets enough sleep and arrives at school on time each day.
Booking routine medical and dental appointments outside school hours wherever possible.
Avoiding holidays during term time.
Encouraging a positive attitude towards school and learning.
Informing the school promptly of any absence and staying in contact if difficulties arise.
Speaking to the school at an early stage if there are concerns about attendance, wellbeing, friendships, or learning.
We are committed to working in partnership with families, providing support where needed, and ensuring that every pupil is able to attend, achieve, and flourish. When schools and families work together, pupils are best placed to succeed both academically and personally.

Mishpat