Message from the Head of Middle School

The Middle School consists of the Lower 4 (Year 7), Upper 4 (Year 8) and Lower 5 (Year 9).  The girls are put into forms according to where they live as far as numbers allow.  This means that they are likely to have girls in their form who live nearby, making socialising easier.  In addition, we actively encourage them to mix with girls in other forms in order to broaden their friendship circle. The girls in each form have a form teacher, deputy form teacher and two Sixth Form prefects to support and encourage them throughout the rest of the year.  With this support, the girls in the Middle School can feel secure and comfortable, belonging to a smaller community within the larger Habs family. At least once a fortnight there is a Middle School Assembly in which Middle School girls are encouraged to take part.  

An induction programme to help new girls settle smoothly into Habs begins in the Summer Term of their last year at primary school when they visit the school with their parents to meet their form teacher and the other girls who will be in their form. Just before the Autumn Term begins, there is a special induction day in school when only a small number of girls are present. Most popular of all, a few weeks into term, there is a trip to an activity centre with the specific aim of ‘getting to know you’.  Each girl in the Lower 4 will have an Upper 4 (Year 8) girl as her ‘Amiga’ whose responsibility during the first weeks is to help them settle into life at Habs.

The Middle School has its own play, sports competitions, debating, drama festival, and verse speaking competition. The girls are also encouraged to take part in extra curricular activities by joining some of the many clubs and societies that are on offer. It is generally more of a challenge choosing from such a range of activities, rather than finding something that interests a girl and the Sixth Form run a very popular Freshers’ Fair at the start of the academic year to help the girls decide what they would like to do at lunchtimes and after school.  By the time the girls reach the end of Lower 5 they are ready to move onto the Upper School and the exciting start of their GCSE courses.

Lorraine Winton
Head of Middle School