Dear Parents and Carers

We hope you are all having a fantastic summer recharging ready for an exciting year ahead at Alder. All year groups return to school on Thursday 3rd September 2026 at 8:20am.

On arrival pupils should go to their line up area to meet their form tutor. Year 11 have been sent a Class Charts announcement to confirm their Key to Success form tutor. There will be plenty of staff to help pupils with this so do not worry if they are not sure where to go. During form time your child’s form tutor will outline the plan for the day, provide your child with their timetable and discuss expectations for the year ahead. Pupils will also have an assembly with Mrs Critchlow and Mr White to outline plans for the year ahead. Year 7 and Year 10 will have their photograph taken by the school photographer on their first day back in school. These will be available for parents and carers to purchase if they wish. 

 

Uniform expectations 

Our winter uniform expectations will return in September 2026, when socks will not be permitted with skirts and instead black tights must be worn. Over time we will be reverting to traditional, tied ties for all pupils, we will continue to work with our uniform supplier to sell all clip ties in their stock before making the change. We would also like to remind you that piercings, jewellery, false eyelashes and false/gel nails are not permitted. Pupils who continue to challenge our uniform expectations will receive correctives in line with our positive behaviour policy. It is essential that pupils are upholding our high standards and arriving to school in correct uniform with all items of their basic kit and ready to learn. 

Pupils who are missing items of their basic kit can 'purchase' these using their achievement points from the rewards shop on class charts. They then collect their items from the reward shop at brunch in the main hall. When a pupil 'spends' their points, they are not deducted from their overall points total but from their 'spendable points' so as not to impact those aiming for our bronze, silver and gold achievement badges. 

As always, if you are experiencing financial difficulties that make it challenging to provide uniform for your child, please speak to a member of our pastoral team. We are here to support families and will do everything we can to help, including exploring ways we may be able to assist with uniform costs including access to our pre-loved shop. 

Full details of the school uniform and equipment required can be found on our website:

Uniform and Equipment | Alder Community High School 

 

Equipment expectations 

Pupils must come to school with all the necessary equipment to take part in lessons. Pupils are expected to have the following for each lesson every day: 

  • A school bag (large enough to fit an A4 folder) 
  • A black pen (plus a spare) 
  • A red pen (plus a spare) 
  • A pencil (plus a spare) 
  • A ruler 
  • An eraser 
  • A scientific calculator (model Casio fx-83GTX or Casio fx-83GT CW). 
  • A water bottle 
  • A reading book 
  • Timetable 
  • Knowledge organisers 

We recommend pupils are also equipped with highlighters, a glue stick and a pencil sharpener stored safely in a pencil case ensuring they are ‘ready to learn’. 

 

The Alder Way and our Alder Values 

We expect all pupils to follow our Alder Way basic rules and demonstrate our Alder Values in all they do, a reminder pupils will be regularly rewarded for demonstrating the Alder Values. Both the Alder Way and Alder Values are pictured below for your reference and to discuss their importance with your child.  

The ALDER Way is a set of expectations for our school community.​

​  Respect everyone and our school environment.​

  •   Demonstrate our ALDER Values in all we do.​
  •   No mobile phones/personal ICT at any time. ​
  •   Correct uniform and equipment always [which includes no jewellery, no hoodies]. ​
  •   No chewing gum.   ​
  •   No eating or drinking on corridors. ​

​We do this gate to gate.​ Together, we can all be outstanding in all we do!

We encourage our students to live by our ALDER Values in all that they do.

  • Altruism – having a genuine and selfless concern for others.
  • Leadership – inspiring and empowering a community to achieve a shared vision by leading by example.
  • Diversity – celebrating, accepting and respecting that everyone is different both in school and in our community.
  • Excellence – striving to achieve your best in all that you do.
  • Resilience – turning challenges into something positive and never giving up.

 

Mobile Phones 

In line with current statutory expectations for all schools, pupils are not permitted to use mobile phones or other personal smart devices during the school day. This approach is intended to support learning, improve behaviour and engagement, reduce distractions, promote positive social interaction, and help safeguard pupils. The guidance includes smartphones and any personal smart device capable of communication, internet access, photography, audio or video recording, or messaging. Pupils must ensure that mobile phones and personal smart devices are switched off (not on silent mode) and kept out of sight throughout the school day, placed either in the inside blazer pocket or inside their school bag. Devices must not be seen or heard during lessons, lesson changeovers, brunch, lunch, or while moving around the school site unless a specific exception has been authorised by the Headteacher. 

Structure of the school day 

We will continue with the structure of the school day with two breaks of equal length.  Brunch and lunch are both 30 minutes long and allow pupils to choose when they eat their main meal of the day. There is a full canteen service available at both brunch and lunch, and pupils who are eligible for a free school meal will be able to spend their entitlement at either time of the day. The cost of a meal deal will be £3.02 from September. 

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Entry to School 

Pupils are able to access school from ‘Back Gate’ (Grange Road) or ‘Front Gate’ (located on the left of the main building). Staff will be on duty to greet pupils and ensure uniform standards are being met. Any pupil not in correct Alder uniform will be directed around to the front gate and into the dance studio to correct uniform.  

 

ParentPay  

All payments need to be made through ParentPay Activation letters for Year 7 were included in the pack of information provided on Transition Evening.   

  

Class Charts Communication   

If you haven't done so already, you will need to activate Class Charts to keep track of all things Alder! You can access Class Charts from your phone, tablet or computer.    

Activation codes for Year 7 were included in the pack of information provided on Transition Evening. Any parents and carers who haven't activated their account will be sent an invitation email on Wednesday 3rd September, which will include the activation code.  

Class Charts allows parents and carers to:    

  • See your child's Alder achievement points so that you can share and celebrate their success.     
  • See your child's behaviour incidents so that you can discuss their behaviour choices.    
  • See any correctives your child has been set including whether these have been attended.     
  • See your child's timetable to help them plan their equipment and ensure they are ready to learn.    
  • See any independent learning that your child has been set to help them manage their workload and work to deadlines.    
  • See your child's attendance to support them with working towards attendance targets.    
  • Receive announcements with important communications from your child's teachers and other school staff.     
  • Report any reasons why your child is absent from school and provide supporting evidence.   

It is important that you allow notifications from Class Charts and check it regularly so that you don’t miss any communications from us.  

 

We look forward to welcoming pupils back for a successful year ahead at Alder, if you have any questions please contact admin@alderchs.uk.  

Yours sincerely,  

Mr White 

Deputy Headteacher