Useful Information

Dates for the Diary

Policies, Documents and Support

Help Your Child to Read

It is important to show you are engaged from the outset, hearing reading should be interactive.

Ask your child what the title of their book is, then either ask for predictions about what the text will be about or if they have already started then ask what has happened so far. You may suggest what you think of the cover illustration.

For weaker readers you can share the reading, taking a page at a time or read at the same time when they flounder and pull back when they seem more confident. Don’t be afraid to stop and comment on the book.

Questions you may be able to ask:

What do you think that character feels about what has just happened?
What will happen next?
Ask the to explain why an event was important in the story.
Ask them to describe the setting.
Ask them if they would be friends with one of the characters and why.

There are many more. You may need to model the answers and get a conversation going if children struggle to answer. Sometimes “hearing a reader” may be more about the discussion and enjoyment of the book than actually hearing them read the text.

Take time to discuss the pictures. This is a good chance to reinforce tricky vocabulary that you can see may appear in the text below the picture for younger readers.

If children are lacking in expression model this for them by reading a page or two.

Please use their reading journal section of their student planners to record what you have read. Write what they did well and record and pointers you may have given them for
improvement. If there is a particular word or two they have struggled with record these too so the next person can pick up on these.

Chapter House Suggested Reading List

Learning at Home

Websites and Apps

There are many websites and apps that can be used at home to practise literacy and numeracy skills:

Websites for Keeping Brains Active at Home

Espresso

Providing more than 23,000 digital media resources for all subjects across Foundation to Key Stage 2, Discovery Education Espresso is a weekly updating, curated learning service that can be used flexibly within lessons, to suit any teaching style. Children can access Espresso at home using the following link (the username and password is written in their planner):

Discovery Education Espresso Website

Supporting Your Child's Writing

Reading in Chapter House has flourished over the last few year and it is due to the hard work by the children, teachers and parents as a combined unit. When we all work together we achieve great results. So now it’s the turn of writing. Here are some ways you might consider helping your child develop their writing.

Build a climate of words at home. Go places and see things with your child, then talk about what has been seen, heard, smelled, tasted, touched. The basis of good writing is good talk, and younger children especially grow into stronger control of language when adults share experiences and rich talk about those experiences.

Let children see you write often. You’re both a model and a teacher. If children never see adults write, they gain an impression that writing occurs only at school. What you do is as important as what you say. Have children see you writing notes to friends, letters to business firms, perhaps stories to share with them. From time to time, read aloud what you have written and ask your children their opinion of what you’ve said. If it’s not perfect, so much the better. Making changes in what you write confirms for the child that revision is a natural part of writing — which it is.

Be as helpful as you can in helping children write. Talk through their ideas with them; help them discover what they want to say. When they ask for help with spelling, punctuation, and usage, supply that help. Your most effective role is not as a critic but as a helper. Rejoice in effort, delight in ideas, and resist the temptation to be critical.

Provide a suitable place for children to write. A quiet corner is best, the child’s own place, if possible. If not, any flat surface with elbow room, a comfortable chair, and a good light will do.

Give the child, and encourage others to give, the gifts associated with writing:

pens of several kinds
pencils of appropriate size and hardness
a desk lamp
pads of paper, stationery, envelopes — even stamps
a booklet for a diary or daily journal (Make sure that the booklet is the child’s private property; when children want to share, they will.)
a dictionary appropriate to the child’s age and needs. Most dictionary use is for checking spelling, but a good dictionary contains fascinating information on word origins, synonyms, pronunciation, and so forth.
a thesaurus for older children. This will help in the search for the “right” word.

Encourage (but do not demand) frequent writing. Be patient with reluctance to write. “I have nothing to say” is a perfect excuse. There will be times when a child “burns” to write; others, when the need is cool. But frequency of writing is important to develop the habit of writing.

Praise the child’s efforts at writing. Resist the tendency to focus on errors of spelling, punctuation, and other mechanical aspects of writing. Emphasize the child’s successes. For every error the child makes, there are dozens of things he or she has done well.

Share letters from friends and relatives. Treat such letters as special events. Urge relatives and friends to write notes and letters to the child, no matter how brief. Writing is especially rewarding when the child gets a response. When thank-you notes are in order, after a holiday especially, sit with your child and write your own notes at the same time. Writing ten letters (for ten gifts) is a heavy burden for the child; space the work and be supportive.

Encourage the child to write for information, free samples, and travel brochures. Perhaps a sports report on a weekend match? Writing can just be for fun too. An image or piece of music might get some ideas going. Writing for real purposes is rewarding, and the daily activities of families present many opportunities for purposeful writing. Involving your child may take some coaxing, but it will be worth your patient effort.

Be alert to occasions when the child can be involved in writing, for example, helping with grocery lists, sending holiday and birthday cards, taking down telephone messages, writing notes to friends, helping plan trips.

You can use reading time to identify strategies that the author has used. This can be from simple punctuation to more complex sentence structure and the use of commas or speech marks. Can your child explain and use the correct terminology? Note it down in the planner so their teacher can make a comment too – they might earn vivos!

Share their writing – celebrate it!

Pastoral Support at Chapter House

Within Chapter House, the children are aware of who they can speak to if they have any worries. Here are some of the people the children can turn to for support:

Form Tutor
Miss Wise – LD & Pastoral Senior teacher
Mrs Young – Deputy Head of Chapter House
Mrs Kilkenny – Head of Chapter House
Child Protection Officers
Independent Listener
Peer Mentors
House Tutor
Buddies
Pastoral and Welfare Team

Thrive@CH is all about making sure that everyone who comes to school here is happy. Every week, two classes from Chapter House get the opportunity to visit Student Welfare in Wimbledon. Here they get to join in fun games and activities and meet with peer mentors and Student Welfare staff so that. If the children are feeling worried, lonely, upset or just need a friendly face, they know where to go and who to speak to!

If children feel they need to visit Student Welfare at any point, all they have to do is ask their teacher and a visit will be arranged. Some students in Chapter House may feel a senior school peer mentor would really benefit them; this could be a teacher’s suggestion or the child requesting specific support themselves. These senior students are trained to support the younger children as effectively as possible whilst being overseen by the Welfare team.

Chapter House Enrichment

Our Enrichment Categories

At Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate we pride ourselves on the breadth of the Co-Curricular provision we offer to students to enrich their experience beyond the classroom. This provision runs alongside the academic curriculum to facilitate the holistic development of our students and their involvement in the Collegiate community.

This year in Chapter House we are offering students our broadest range of free activities to date. The activities are divided into four enrichment categories; Community & Teamwork, Creativity, Health & Exercise and Leadership, which are colour-coded below.

Our Enrichment Categories

Category	Description
Community & Teamwork	CONTRIBUTE to the school community, organising fundraising for charity, volunteering for conservation and community work. E.g. regularly representing the school or competitive house, helping at open days as an Ambassador, attending Boarding/Food/School Council Meetings, being a Buddy etc.
Creativity	EXPRESS creativity through artistic design, performance, higher order thinking e.g. STEM, Drama, Debating, Gymnastics, Dance and related Colours etc.
Health & Exercise	PARTICIPATE in weekly activities beneficial to physical, social and mental well-being, showing dedication and improvement. E.g. the gym, swim, team games, meditation, yoga, THRIVE, achieving sports colours etc.
Leadership	LEAD others so they follow your example E.g. Mentoring a new student, motivating and inspiring the team you captain, player of the match if it relates to you influencing others, chairing a committee/council, being a prep buddy, debating and gaining support for your opinion, helping someone to improve or change their actions/behaviour etc.

All clubs in black are academic.

Co-curricular Timetables

Autumn Term Activities

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Lunchtime

KS2 Performance Club

EYFS and KS1 Mindfulness Colouring

KS2 Puzzle Club

KS2 Football

KS2 Poetry Club

KS1 Choir

Y1-3 Fun Fitness

Squad swimming (invite only)

EYFS and KS1 Parachute club

KS2 Choir

KS2 Accelerated Science (invite only)

KS2 Gymnastics

Y2 & 3 Recorder Club

CH Music Ensemble

Rec, Y1 & Y2 Playground games

Violin for those wanting to continue to play

KS2 Choral speaking

Squad and development swimming (invite only)

KS2 Board games

Y4 & 5 Cross Stitch

KS1 Multi sports

Photography club

Trampolining (10 students only with Y5 priority)

After School

15.40 to 16.10 Booster session – literacy (invite only)

15.45 to 16.40 KS2 Homework

15.40 to 16.10 Booster session – KS1 Maths KS1 (invite only)

15.45 to 16.40 KS2 Homework

16.15- 17.30 Brownies

15.45 to 16.40 Prep KS2

16.15 – 17.00 Y3-5 Rugby and Hockey

16.15 – 17.30 Rainbows

15.40 to 16.10 Booster session – KS2 Maths (invite only)

15.40 to 16.30 KS1 Gardening Club

15.45 to 16.40 KS2 Homework

16:10 -17.00 Y3-5Basketball

Summer Term Activities

Lunchtime

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Ballet (EYFS & Years 1-2)	Recorder (Years 1-3)	KS1 Choir (Years 1-2)	Parachute Club (EYFS & Years 1-2)	Nature Club (Years 2-3)
French (Years 3-5)	Mindfulness Colouring (Years 1-5)	Fun Fitness Years 2-4	Mini Enterprise Club (Years 3-5)	Philosophy for Children P4C (Years 3-5)
KS2 Choir (Years 3-5)	First Aid for Beginners (Years 2-5)	KS2 Instrumental Ensemble (Years 3-5)	Dance Club (Years 3-5)	Coding (Years 3-5)
Swimming Development (Years 3-5)	Athletics (Years 3-5)	Tennis (Years 3-5)	Photography Club (Years 3-5)	Gymnastics (Years 3-5)
		Invite-only Swim Squad (Years 3-5)	Invite-only Accelerated Science (Years 3-5)	Latin (Years 4-5)

After School

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
3.30 - 4.00 pm	British Sign Language 4 Week Taster (Year 5, max 25 children)			Gardening Club (Years 1-2)
4.00 - 5.00 pm		Boys’ Cricket (Years 3-5)			Basketball (Years 3-5)
4.00 - 5.00 pm		Girls’ Rounders (Years 3-5)			Invite-only Cheerleading
4.10 - 5.00 pm	Homework Club (Years 3-5	Homework Club (Years 3-5)	Homework Club (Years 3-5)	Homework Club (Years 3-5)
4.15 - 5.30 pm		Brownies & Rainbows

Co-curricular Activities

Foundation Stage Clubs (Nursery and Reception)

Foundation Stage Clubs

Lunchtime

Ballet
The children will get the chance to learn creative and imaginative dances to music.

Parachute Club
Children are welcome to join in this fun club using the parachute to play a variety of games. Parachute games encourage cooperative, non-competitive play and reinforce turn-taking and sharing. Playing with the parachute also strengthens shoulder, arm and hand muscles. (This club can accommodate a maximum of 12 children, so it may be split into 2 groups.)

Mindfulness Colouring
All children within Chapter House are welcome to gather once a week to take part in mindfulness colouring activities. The children can mix socially as well as enjoying some relaxation time. Relaxing music is played whilst the children think and talk to their peers.

Key Stage 1 Clubs (Y1-2)

Key Stage 1 Clubs

Lunchtime

Ballet
The children will get the chance to learn creative and imaginative dances to music.

Mindfulness Colouring
All children within Chapter House are welcome to gather once a week to take part in mindfulness colouring activities. The children can mix socially as well as enjoying some relaxation time. Relaxing music is played whilst the children think and talk to their peers.

KS1 Choir
A choir for all KS1 students in which students learn to sing a variety of fun songs which can be performed in assembly.

Nature Club (Year 2 and 3)
Year 2 and 3 children are invited to join Nature Club. The children will explore the different areas around school and learn about the different plants and animals that live there while using their knowledge and skills in Art and Science.

Parachute Club
Children are welcome to join in this fun club using the parachute to play a variety of games. Parachute games encourage cooperative, non-competitive play and reinforce turn-taking and sharing. Playing with the parachute also strengthens shoulder, arm and hand muscles. (This club can accommodate a maximum of 12 children, so it may be split into 2 groups.)

Recorder (Year 2 and 3)
This club is to enable those children that enjoy learning to play the recorder some dedicated fun time to explore different pieces of music.

Fun Fitness
A cross key stage fitness club. Children will be doing a range of fast paced cardio exercises and some sessions of longer distance running.

Multi Sports

A fun-filled club for all-round sport enthusiasts wanting to try a lot of different sports.

Music Ensemble
The Chapter House Instrumental Ensemble helps develop skills in ensemble performance, using simple arrangements in a variety of musical styles.

Performance Club
A great club for those students who like to perform. This club provides the opportunity to have fun whilst practicing and learning key performance skills.

Photography Club
A fun and creative class for those wishing to improve their photography skills.

Squad Swimming (invitation only)
A development club for good-level swimmers.

Trampolining Club (limited to 10 students with priority given to Year 5)
A small-group class for those wishing to have fun and develop their trampolining skills.

Violin (for improvers)
Continuing on from beginner and improver courses, this group is for developing violin playing skills.

After School Clubs

Gardening Club
Gardening Club is a fantastic opportunity for the children to attend a weekly session in the QE community garden where they are joined by the kitchen staff who teach them all about how food gets from the ground to our plates! They tend to the gardening plots, see the chickens and plant produce ready for the harvest in the Autumn term.

Booster Session - Literacy (Invite-only)
Extra tutoring and time for those who need it in literacy.

Booster Session - Mathematics (Invite-only)
Extra tutoring and time for those who need it in mathematics.

Rainbows
The popular girl guiding group activity for girls aged 5 to 7 years of age.

Homework Club
An opportunity to complete homework with the help of onsite tutors.

Key Stage 2 Clubs (Y3-5)

Key Stage 2 Lunchtime Activity Clubs

Accelerated Science Club
A sequence of science enrichment activities that augment science curriculum objectives from Years 3-5 and encourage discussion, research, collaboration, use of scientific vocabulary, record, presenting and the skills of working scientifically.

Music Ensemble
The Chapter House Instrumental Ensemble helps develop skills in ensemble performance, using simple arrangements in a variety of musical styles.

Board Games
Strategy games providing an opportunity to develop friendships whilst having fun.

Choir
A fun singing ensemble that learns a variety of songs, rehearsing towards a number of exciting performances during the term and year.

Choral Speaking
A fun group for performing dramatic poetry and excerpts from scripts.

Coding (Summer Term)
Using a variety of online platforms to learn and develop the mysterious, challenging and rewarding art of programming.

Cross Stitch Club
The children will have the opportunity to design and make a cross stitch bookmark, refining their sewing techniques in a relaxed and sociable atmosphere

First Aid for Beginners (Summer Term)
In this club the children will have fun working towards the level 1 St John’s Ambulance First Aid for School Pupils certificate, or level 2 if they have already completed level 1. The course will enable the children to be confident in the following aspects of first aid: asthma, choking, communication and casualty care, coping in an emergency, fainting, primary survey and the recovery position. Those who completed Level 1 last term will move on to Level 2 discussing more advance first aid aspects including bleeding, scalds and diabetes.

Football
An enjoyable club for those who enjoy playing football and want to learn and develop their skills.

French (Summer Term)
Students will have the opportunity to practice their French by playing different games using different ICT software.

Fun Fitness
The children are invited to join a fun fast paced fitness club. The children will be doing short bursts of activity to get their heart rates increasing, therefore increasing fitness and stamina.

Gymnastics
An enjoyable club for those who love gymnastics.

Nature Club (Year 3, Summer Term)
Year 2 and 3 children are invited to join Nature Club. The children will explore the different areas around school and learn about the different plants and animals that live there while using their knowledge and skills in Art and Science.

Performance Club
A great club for those students who like to perform. This club provides the opportunity to have fun whilst practicing and learning key performance skills.

Photography Club
A fun and creative class for those wishing to improve their photography skills.

Poetry Club
Poetry club is for those who enjoy ‘playing with words’. Through fun writing games and exercises, students will develop their ability to control language.

Puzzle Club
This club is ideal for those who enjoy logic problem solving, word and number puzzles.

Recorder (Year 3)
This club is to enable those children that enjoy learning to play the recorder some dedicated fun time to explore different pieces of music.

Squad Swimming (invitation only)
A development club for good-level swimmers.

Trampolining Club (limited to 10 students with priority given to Year 5)
A small-group class for those wishing to have fun and develop their trampolining skills.

Violin (for improvers)
Continuing on from beginner and improver courses, this group is for developing violin playing skills.

Key Stage 2 After School Activities

Basketball
An energetic club for basketball enthusiasts.

Booster Session - Literacy (Invite-only)
Extra tutoring and time for those who need it in literacy.

Booster Session - Mathematics (Invite-only)
Extra tutoring and time for those who need it in mathematics.

British Sign Language (Year 5)
This 4-week taster is a fantastic introduction to BSL. Children will learn and practice some of the basics.

Boy's Cricket
A fun cricket club for all abilities within Years 3-5 to learn new skills and play matches.

Brownies
The popular girl guiding group for 7 - 10 year olds.

Gardening Club
Green fingers at the ready for this eco-friendly club where students learn about gardening and growing vegetables.

Girl's Rounders
An enjoyable rounders club for all abilities within Years 3-5 to learn new skills and to enjoy playing as a team.

Health and Exercise clubs
All the other sporting clubs are run by QE staff and coaches, unless otherwise stated.

Homework Club
An opportunity to complete homework with the help of onsite tutors.

KS2 Choir
It is a very exciting term for KS2 choir! They will be performing a variety of songs as part of the Queen Ethelburga’s Choir Festival in May, as well as performances in the Creative Arts Celebration Assembly and Speech Day.

Mini Enterprise club
Key Stage 2 children are invited to join our Mini enterprise club. The children will research, investigate, design and evaluate their very own business considering elements such as finances, advertising and premises.

Mindfulness Colouring
All children within Chapter House are welcome to gather once a week to take part in mindfulness colouring activities. The children can mix socially as well as enjoying some relaxation time. Relaxing music is played whilst the children think and talk to their peers

Photography club
Key Stage 2 children are invited to join photography club. We will be looking at photographs taken by professional photographs and using the ipads to take pictures and explore different aspects of the site. We will be focusing a different aspect each week including looking at objects from unusual angles, candid shots, architectural, seeking out lines, the most interesting framing within the shot, emotions, texture

P4C - Philosophy for Children
Key stage 2 children will follow a structured session of enquiry-based approach to open up children’s learning through the exploration of ideas. The session Starts with a stimulus and children are encouraged to draw on their imagination to ask a question based on wonderment (I wonder why…?). Children make a collective decision on the question they are most interested in and the discussion starts but is then not contained. It follows its own path guided by the children’s thoughts and ideas, agreeing and disagreeing, but always giving a reason for their point of view.

Rugby and Hockey
A fun, sporty club for those wishing to develop and play more rugby and hockey.

All of the other sporting clubs are run by QE staff and coaches, unless otherwise stated.

Enrichment Days Brochure

Contact Information

For more information regarding co-curricular activities at Chapter House, phone our School Head Office on 01423 333300 or email: chapterhouse@qe.org.

You can also follow and interact with the Chapter House Twitter account.

Chapter House Blogs

Keep up-to-date with everything that is happening at Chapter House. Click below to read all Chapter House news or to browse by class.

All Chapter House News

Queen's Kindergarten

Chapter House Year 3

Nursery and Reception

Chapter House Year 4

Chapter House Year 1

Chapter House Year 5

Chapter House Year 2

Boarding and Activities

Featured News

Queen Ethelburga’s Catering Team Win Prestigious ‘In House Caterer of the Year Award’

Michelle Hatfield

Jul 15 2019 4:15 PM

On Friday, the QE Kitchen Team were thrilled to learn that they had won a 2019 LACA Award for Excellence in the Self Delivered/In House Catering Option category at this year’s LACA Annual Main Event in Birmingham.

Queen Ethelburga's Celebrates Awards Double

Leona Marshall

Jun 28 2019 5:17 PM

Queen Ethelburga's Collegiate is celebrating after being shortlisted in two categories for the prestigious Independent Schools of the Year Awards 2019.

Queen Ethelburga’s Celebrates York's Winning Bid for Rugby League World Cup 2021

Leona Marshall

May 6 2019 10:00 AM

Queen Ethelburga’s is celebrating after it was announced today (Monday 6 May) that York has been named as a Rugby League World Cup 2021 host city, following a city-wide bid involving the Collegiate.

King's Magna talk to BBC Radio York about their head chef

Head Chef Nominated a Regional Finalist in National School Chef of the Year Competition

Michelle Hatfield

Jan 9 2019 12:13 PM

Our Head Chef, James Brown, has been selected as a Regional Finalist in the Lead Association for Catering in Education School Chef of the Year competition.

Chapter House Shortlisted for the Independent Prep School of the Year Award

Michelle Hatfield

Jan 7 2019 11:39 AM

Queen Ethelburga's is celebrating after being shortlisted in two categories for the prestigious Independent Schools of the Year Awards 2018.

About the School

Dates for the Diary

Policies, Documents and Support

Calculation Policy

Useful Documents

Help Your Child to Read

Learning at Home

Supporting Your Child's Writing

Pastoral Support at Chapter House

Chapter House Enrichment

Our Enrichment Categories

Co-curricular Timetables

Autumn Term Activities

Summer Term Activities

Co-curricular Activities

Foundation Stage Clubs (Nursery and Reception)

Key Stage 1 Clubs (Y1-2)

Key Stage 2 Clubs (Y3-5)

Enrichment Days Brochure

Contact Information

Chapter House Blogs

Queen's Kindergarten

Chapter House Year 3

Nursery and Reception

Chapter House Year 4

Chapter House Year 1

Chapter House Year 5

Chapter House Year 2

Boarding and Activities

Featured News

Chapter House Social Feed