Useful Information

Please find useful information about the school within the pages below

Accessing Edulink

We communicate school information with parents in a number of ways, letters and messages relevant to school are sent through our email system and via an App. We also communicate school news through a bi-weekly newsletter and through the school website and social media. Please ensure we have your most up-to-date contact and email address in order to ensure email correspondence can reach you.

We send information out electronically in order to facilitate timely communication and to try and reduce the environmental impact of using large volumes of paper resources. However, we are able to print letters and literature for you. Please contact Mrs Deer if you require a printed version of information.

Should you wish to contact a member of staff please visit /525/staff-email-list for their email contact details. Please be aware that staff will be teaching and may not respond to your message immediately.

EduLink One communication system.

This is an App/Website for parents, carers and students. The Edulink One system has an easy to use interface. Please see a Guide to Logging in. 

If you require any help accessing EduLink One please contact Mrs C Deer, cdeer@forest.academy

Bad Weather Procedures

Possible Bad Weather

Any school closure information, due to bad weather, will be posted online. Updates will also be available on local radio stations, and via the 'Borough Alert' on Wokingham Borough Council's website.

Local radio stations include: Berkshire Radio, Reading 107 and Heart FM.

Cashless Catering Information

Our Cashless Catering System was purpose designed to meet the ever evolving needs and demands of the catering provision that is required by today’s Schools and Academies. This allows us to be better able to provide our students with a faster, more efficient and more appealing meal service. Please read the following document for more information

121 Chromebook Scheme

We are pleased to offer details of The Forest School’s 121 Chromebook Scheme. The Forest School successfully introduced the Chromebook into the classroom developing the use of the Google suite as well as enhancing the use of digital learning resources to support rapid progress for all our students.

The expectation is that all students have a school approved Chromebook to support their classroom learning every day in school.  It is therefore essential that every student, in this year group, is equipped with the device.  

We have worked with our students to select a device that will be used across the school. This has been selected on the basis of cost and durability. The selected device is the Lenovo 300e, click here to view, and the following purchase options are available:

1 A one off payment £406.12
2 Monthly payments over 5 months £85.89
3 Monthly payments over 17 months £26.75
4 Monthly payments over 29 months £16.43

Orders should be placed via The Freedom Technology portal: https://www.tech4learners.co.uk with the login Username; Forest2023 and Password: S3cure02! which will be open from Monday 18 March 2024 until Saturday 10 June 2024.  Direct Debit payments will be taken 26 June 2024. The device will then be available for collection on Thursday 26 June 2024.

If you have any further queries regarding the scheme please use the contact us section on The Freedom Tech website or sallen@forest.academy.

Equipment available to purchase at school

Finance Office

The school Finance Office sells:

A4 book cover £0.25p
A5 book cover £0.30p
Calculator £15.00
Drawstring bag £3.00
House ties £7.50
Stationery sets in a clear case (include: 2 x set squares, 1 x 30cm rule, 1 x compass, 1 x protractor, 2 pencils, 2 black biro pens, 1 x purple pen, 1 x eraser, 1 x highlighter pen, 1 x glue stick) £4.50
Water bottle £2.00

Lesson Times

Times of the School Day  
08:40 - 10:20 Period 1
10:20 - 10:50 Break
10:50 - 12.30 Period 2
12:30 - 13:00 Break
13:00 - 13:30 PSHE/Registration
13:30 - 15:10 Period 3

How do I book my son/daughter onto a school trip

HOW WILL I HEAR ABOUT SCHOOL TRIPS?

The school will write to you when a trip is first advertised - by email if we have your address, otherwise a paper copy will be given to your son to bring home to you. If insufficient monies are received, the trip may be cancelled.

HOW DO I BOOK MY SON'S PLACE?

Your son's place can be booked by completing the Parental Consent form (an EV2), and returning it with the payment/deposit if requested. The EV2 ensures we have your emergency contact details and any health issues your son may have that we should be aware of - your son cannot go  on a trip without having a completed EV2.  Download the EV2 form by clicking the link below.

We prefer you to pay on-line, but  you can pay by cash or cheque (payable to The Forest School). To make a payment click this link: https://www.scopay.com/forest.

ONLINE PAYMENTS

If possible please pay on-line for your child's school trips

Paying on-line for the first time

Step 1 - You need your email address and your child’s name & form e.g. Paul Smith - 9 Langdale. Email this info to onlinepayments@forest.wokingham.sch.uk or click here, to request your personal Online Link Code specific to your child.

Step 2 - You will then receive info which shows you how to register.

Make a payment

To make a payment click this link: https://www.scopay.com/forest

If you have a query contact the school’s Finance team at finance@forest.academy or click here. Your bank statement will show 'The Forest School' when you make an on-line payment.

Pupil Absence/ Attendance

  • What happens if my son is late?  Punctuality is very important. If your son arrives at school after morning registration has finished, he must sign in at the Reception sign In screen and choose the appropriate reason for his late arrival.

  • Persistent lateness. We sanction students who are persistently late. Students will receive a series of detentions if they are late twice or more in a term. If persistent lateness occurs, the Head of Year or Attendance Supervisor will be in contact with you.
  • What if my son is ill?  Do not send your son to school if he is ill before school starts; please notify the school by phone 0118 978 1626 select option 1, this will put you through to the Attendance phone. Please leave a message on the answerphone.  You will also need to notify the school on each subsequent morning of his absence. 
  • A written note detailing the reason for absence must be provided to your son’s Year Tutor on the day he returns to school. If your child becomes sick during the school day, his subject teacher, Tutor or Head of Year will send him to the Medical Room, where he will be assessed by a First Aider and receive treatment if appropriate. If your son is deemed too ill to remain at school, you will be contacted and arrangements made to send him home. Please ensure that your emergency contact details are correct and kept up to date - any changes can be sent to the school via office@forest.academy

  • For information regarding COVID please read this letter.

  • What if my son needs a medical appointment?  Medical appointments for your son to see a doctor, dentist etc should be made outside school hours. If this is not possible, please contact the school office as soon as possible by phone or email PupilAbsence@forest.academy  with the appointment time and date to ensure your son’s Tutor is made aware of it.

Standard Forms

School Menu

Where can my son get his lunch or a snack?

Our cafeteria supplies a range of healthy hot and cold food, snacks and drinks, and is situated near the main entrance. It is open before school and during break and lunchtimes. 

We encourage students to bring in refillable water bottles; as a school we try and limit the use of one use plastic. We have several water fountains in school.  

Catering services in the main school are provided by Aspens.

23/24 New Autumn & Winter Menu

23/24 Break Menu

We don't accept cash at the canteen tills as we operate a cashless catering system.

 

Entitled to free school meals?

Applying is very easy. To find out more click the links below or contact the Finance Team by email or ring 0118 978 1626. 

ScoPay

The School uses the ScoPay system to enable you to make payments for lunches, trips, subject contributions such as Art, Food Tech etc.  Here are some useful guides to help you navigate the system:

Sports Website

Welcome to the The Forest School Sports Website.  Here you will be able to view:

  • A calendar of current and forthcoming fixtures
  • Venues
  • Results
  • Match stats
  • School contacts...

...and much more!  The site is developing gradually and will include match photos, team sheets and Inter-House competitions. 

Travelling to School

Travelling to & from school

The school actively encourages pupils to walk to school, or travel by bike and public transport. See below for more details on this.

For travel advice and information in and around Wokingham Borough please visit My Journey Wokingham 

  • School Transport is run via Wokingham Borough Council. They provide a school bus service, which is run by White Bus Company and Horseman Coaches.
  • There are three school bus services, the M12, M13 and M14. For more details please click here 
  • There are several Public Bus Routes that students can also use.
  • The 128/9, 202, 204 and X4. More information is readily available by clicking here 

Please click here for the current routes the buses take. These lists are correct at the time of publishing, but please do check your journey details prior to travelling.

Uniform & PE Kit

Contact and Visit the Uniform Shop
Hawkins Sport

Hawkins Sport will be selling ALL uniform and PE/Games kit (excluding school ties which can be purchased from the Finance Office) from their store. 

Hawkins Sport Website

Email: sales@hawkinsport.co.uk

Tel: 01628 819242

Visit: Unit 10a Wessex Road Industrial Estate, Bourne End, Bucks, SL8 5DT.

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 9.00am - 5.30pm
 

*** PLEASE NOTE ***

Summer 2023 PE kit - white top, blue shorts, white socks, trainers. 
Students will be informed in advance to bring swimwear for swimming via Edulink 

Uniform List

School Blazer 

House tie (purchase from the Finance Office)

White shirt

Black V neck jumper

Black trousers

Black or grey socks

Black Shoes  (NO canvas shoes, trainers or shoes with logos).

OUTERWEAR A black coat or hooded jacket  (NOT hoodies).                        

No Jewellery is permitted apart from a  wristwatch and a single bangle. Earrings, studs, plugs or stretchers are not permitted in Years 7 – 11.                                                                                                                                          

Earrings are permitted in Sixth Form (Years 12 & 13). Festival style wristbands are not permitted.

Hair needs to be neat and tidy, and suitable for a business environment. No dyed hair and no patterns, lines or words shaved into hair.

Sports Kit

Rugby top

Blue rugby shorts

Blue school socks

Relevant football/rugby boots

Trainers - non marking sole

Games/PE top

Blue school shorts

Mouth guard/shin pads                                                                                            

Food Technology

We are looking forward to welcoming your son to the Design Technology and Food Department in September.

As part of the new regulations brought about by Covid-19, we are unable to provide aprons for practical food lessons. We have therefore added a chef’s jacket and apron to the compulsory uniform and equipment list needed by every student.

The items are available to order online from nisbets.co.uk and the links for the jacket and apron are as follows:

https://www.nisbets.co.uk/whites-boston-unisex-short-sleeve-jacket-white/p_b250

https://www.nisbets.co.uk/whites-regular-waist-apron-black/a968

The Forest School's Uniform Policy  
 

Uniform & PE Kit Donations and Purchasing Pre-loved Uniform & PE Kit

Pre-loved Uniform

We have a limited range of second hand uniform available for purchase. Please use Scopay to purchase items or contact the Finance Team for more information email  finance@forest.academy.  Second hand items for sale include: Blazers, White PE shirt, Rugby shirt, PE shorts.

Donations of Uniform

We appreciate donations of uniform and PE/games kits. Please drop your donations in at the school reception. Thank you.

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