Tiffin Girls' School (TGS) - Sept. 2015 starters

[ToadMum]

As per school website, clothing items of uniform can be ordered at John Lewis online or at their Kingston store.

Perhaps TGS TPA could run a tuck shop on weekly basis to arrange for embroidery work and sale of stuff like stationery, DT holder etc.

Tuck shop was available last year, don't understand why they closed down. It was easier to get everything from the school shop

Perhaps we are just lucky here, but DD's school insists on names being embroidered on various items of uniform and this is included in the price by both suppliers of the main uniform and by the company which supplies the tracksuit. The local company keeps names on a database linked to their super-whizzy embroidery apparatus (I assume the 'remote' one does as well) and so personalised items can be produced on the spot if one finds oneself in need of a new polo shirt or whatever. I assume that ordering a whole new uniform in the last week of August might involve a bit more of a wait, but not actually traipsing round looking for someone else to do the work.

[hina]

local dry cleaners do the embroidery for cheaper price

[tiffinboys]

Good tip.

[Stroller]

...but too late for us Still, I'm glad that they're done.

[Matrix]

I still can't get hold of the uniform skirt and jumper as JL is out of stock and has been out of stock for weeks.

I must say I the embroidery was VERY expensive at Fast Stitch

[Stroller]

Alright, please remind me about the TGS locker situation. Anyone recall their shape and size? Small rucksack (only)? Larger? And is there a separate locker for PE / sports kit? Should they exist, is one assigned for the whole year or do they just grab one on PE day? Photos of lockers or links to similar ones would be particularly helpful.

Can hockey kit remain at school? Is it used all year round or just for a term now and again?

I'd also love a more specific shopping list e.g. by "sketch pad", are they looking for A4? Spiral bound? A particular brand or weight of paper? Will the girls need their own art equipment e.g. pencils, colouring pencils (which ones?), paints (what kind?), brushes, other? I remember bringing my own paints, brushes and palette at secondary, because the communal ones always carried the muddy residue of other people's masterpieces.

Does the "DT polyholdall" travel regularly (in which case a reasonably substantial one with a strap might be better) or is it mainly to store artwork in at school?

I promise to help answer these questions for next year's intake once the fog has cleared.

Matrix, I hope the uniform is coming together for you? We have nearly everything now except the tracksuit. Its sizing looked all wrong when DD tried it on (sleeves a bit too short, legs ridiculously baggy), so I thought I'd wait a few months to see if anything changed. Given the teething issues with John Lewis as the uniform supplier this year, perhaps that wasn't my wisest move . In other news, labelling clothes just goes on and on. I'd have considered outsourcing it, if I knew someone who would do it properly for a fair price. But in our experience alteration places often machine sew in a way that unravels all too quickly, so the effort continues. Sigh...

[tiffinboys]

School's PTA or some enterprising local shop could take this opportunity and help TGS parents too.

[Snowdaddy]

[quote="Stroller"]Alright, please remind me about the TGS locker situation. Anyone recall their shape and size? Small rucksack (only)? Larger? And is there a separate locker for PE / sports kit? Should they exist, is one assigned for the whole year or do they just grab one on PE day? Photos of lockers or links to similar ones would be particularly helpful.

Can hockey kit remain at school? Is it used all year round or just for a term now and again?

I'd also love a more specific shopping list e.g. by "sketch pad", are they looking for A4? Spiral bound? A particular brand or weight of paper? Will the girls need their own art equipment e.g. pencils, colouring pencils (which ones?), paints (what kind?), brushes, other? I remember bringing my own paints, brushes and palette at secondary, because the communal ones always carried the muddy residue of other people's masterpieces.

Does the "DT polyholdall" travel regularly (in which case a reasonably substantial one with a strap might be better) or is it mainly to store artwork in at school?

I promise to help answer these questions for next year's intake once the fog has cleared.

quote]

Lockers are in the form rooms, some are a newer than others, think they are generally 3 doors tall so only about 60cm tall each.
They need a padlock, but I understand many stay unlocked. Keys can get lost so combination padlock recommended (there was a problem 2 years ago where the padlocks (which were from old uniform shop) were faulty), so make sure you pick one that is reliable and doesn't click when you turn it to correct number.

PE kit generally stays at school, comes home at end of each half term, 2 different sports each half term anyway.
First PE lesson is usually a running race to give a baseline ranking.

Sketch pad is the sort you get from art shops, A4 size, but with much thicker paper than you would use in a printer (eg approx. 150g per sq m) Most are Flip chart style (bound at top, not side) There is an Art shop in Fife Road in Kingston, or order from Amazon etc

Get a set of colouring pencils (no particular brand, but set of 20-30 ish), don't bother with paints or brushes initially. Do remember to get a couple of pencil sharpeners and other basic stationary stuff.

Polyholdall rarely comes home unless there is a drawing / colouring homework. Normally stays in locker.

You will probably find many parents drop off their daughters by car first day as they have multiple bags. (note some years start following day). Book rucksac, PE kis, boot bags, Art folder, and even more to carry if you choose to bring packed lunch.

Hope this helps.

One unknown this year is the buses. There is a new secondary opening next door (on the old Tiffin Girls site, in recent years called North Kingston Centre) and on a recent planning application they have declared half of 180 pupils expected to travel by bus, based on actual accepted applications. Could make 65 very busy.

[Stroller]

Snowdaddy, you are a wonderful human being - thank you SO much for taking the time to answer all those questions! I'm sure you've helped dozens of lurkers too and I, for one, am really grateful.

Edited to add that our Year 7 Induction Booklet says, "You do not have to bring your PE kit on the first day. Once you have your timetable, you will know when you have PE lessons, and should bring it then." The timetable will be distributed on the second day.

[YoungSuccess]

There is a new secondary opening next door (on the old Tiffin Girls site, in recent years called North Kingston Centre) and on a recent planning application they have declared half of 180 pupils expected to travel by bus, based on actual accepted applications. Could make 65 very busy.

Its called The Kingston Academy Starting Monday the 7th.

http://www.thekingstonacademy.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;