****This content is being updated as and when more information is available from other parents or the school itself****
[Please treat information below as an interpretation of various information available from varied sources such as discussion in this thread, school website, information pack sent by RHS, meeting with other parents/students etc.. The list below doesn't replace any information available from school.]

Hello,
A new thread to discuss new class 7 entry in Sep 2019 and all the readiness requirements

Important dates so far...

- Bus registration starting 3rd June until 12th July
- 27th June is induction day
- 4th Sep, first day of year 7

***please add/suggest other important dates***

Things to buy or arrange for-

- school uniform -

Blazer with Logo (recycled one by David Luke - http://www.webb-ellis.co.uk/product/rug ... ls-blazer/) - It looks grey to me but apparently it's navy blue!
Jumper with Logo (Jumper optional)
Blue blouse with open collar (I have got the short sleeve ones)
Navy blue Skirt - only one style (see Webb Ellis for reference, its a pleated one. Not sure if box pleats or the one with broader waist panel from Asda George or Sainsbury’s Tu will be acceptable or not
Tights (black/navy) - planning to get the 40 denier S/M tights, DD is tall for her age
Black school shoes - DD will use her existing brogues
Socks (Black or Navy) - ankle length or knee length (no trainer socks)

- school bag (decided on reusing the existing Backpack for first few weeks; Trolley bags or messenger bags considered not practical by other parents/students)
- All PE kit with Logo

Skort and Leggings are preferred (I am not buying shorts or joggers)
football boots (with round studs) will be required for regular use.
dance pumps (occasional use)
buy hoodies etc once the house is finalised
- DD wants phone as she will be travelling by bus- reusing an older phone with new cover - check school policy nearer the time
- DD asked for a watch (not a smart watch just plain simple one for time keeping while doing work)
- Textbooks are provided by school so nothing to buy in advance
- laptop: can buy or lease laptops (awaiting more information at the meeting for parents at the end of the school induction day)
- Art kits and textiles kits (sold at school once they start)
- Padlock for the school locker (?)
- DD is looking to switch to big girls lingerie, I support that but no idea where to start from
- Hair cut

***please suggest any other item, DDs might need before starting RHS***

Not in your area and admittedly I haven't actually looked at the school regulations, but trolley bags? Does the school really allow / endorse these? They would be an absolute nightmare at movement times.

_________________
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx

Ditto with TM - no - not a trolley bag.

My advice is and always will be - get a cheapo backpack for the start of term and within a couple of weeks your DD will probably have a very fixed idea of the type of bag that is acceptable! A friend of mine was very clear that her son was going with a very expensive messenger bag - a well done for getting in the school gift - very in vogue at the time - he used it for 2 days and was mortified as he was the only one to have one and it was completely impractical - and they bought him a rucksack that first weekend. Kids don't usually want to stand out - trolley bags, although "sensible" will cause havoc round corridors and will have to be left outside classrooms all the time, in a way that small rucksacks aren't.

Or, rather, not left outside classrooms, one hopes, unless each one has a 'luggage room'?! Schools are (rightly) under pressure to keep their evacuation times down to the absolute minimum in the event of a fire. Although when DS2 and I went to look round a local(ish) boys' grammar school when he was in year 5 - just to see whether it lived up to the hype on this forum, really - I was horrified to see the number of items left randomly in 'ways of passage'. Especially in the sixth form area, which apparently had not been provided with lockers.

I did wonder whether any of my fellow visiting parents was employed by the Fire Service...

_________________
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx

DS's school used to dump all the bags outside the refectory at lunchtime - I gather it helped if the one you were trying to find at the end had a bit of colour on it!

Another no to trolley bags. Backpacks better than messenger bags

Thank you all.
Trolley bags are out of my list then. DD has agreed to use her current backpack to start with and she said she will inform me if anything new required (she's more sensible than I am perhaps)

I have struggled with my back in the past so naturally I get overwhelmed with the thought of big backpack being carried around...

Has anyone noticed the blazer description in the list of uniforms sent by RHS is very different to what Webb Ellis are selling under RHS. RHS describes a navy blue blazer whereas Webb Ellis are selling a grey blazer (made from recycled plastics).

Anyone with DD in RHS with some clarity on Blazers?

DD is currently in year 8 at RHS.
Jumper has to be logo as well as blazer although it isn’t compulsory to wear one. Skirt is one style only. Incorrect uniform gets pink slips which add up to detentions so don’t buy a different style.
All PE kit is logo, no need for shorts or joggers for just the skort and leggings. They do use football boots regularly. Not so much dance pumps but they are occasionally.
Art kits and textiles kits are sold at school once they start.
Almost all the girls have backpacks, only a couple in her year have other styles and nobody has a trolley bag. They get a locker so shouldn’t be carrying much at any time.
Laptop or tablet was compulsory for her year, they used it a lot in year7 but barely ever this year.
Textbooks are supplied, some are very well used, I back them in clear plastic when she gets them to help prolong them.
Phones are currently allowed in form room however that might change in September as they did a parent survey and I am yet to see what came if it.
Hope some of that help.

Very definitely navy at the school.

It is a recycled one by David Luke that DD has. Grey sounds very odd. Maybe call the school when they go back next week to check?

Thank you Rugbymumto2!
This is very good information especially regarding the jumpers (I was thinking of buying some Tu ones). I will change my list accordingly for the benefit of all other parents.

Do the parents need to buy the laptop or do they have lease option from school?
DD had a leased netbook from her current primary school however it was so old that it never charged even if left whole night for charging.
She ended up sharing the netbook with her friends at the same table but I kept paying the lease fees. Unnecessary information, but with this experience I will rather buy something new than lease.