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Message Vijay Internaonal School Praslin SeychellesParent & Pupil Handbook 2024/2025
Contents Principal’s WelcomeIntroducon Aims, Ethos & ValuesAdmissionsStaff InformaonEarly Childhood Primary Secondary Sixth Form Pastoral Care and Respect Charter Rights & ResponsibiliesSafeguarding Learning Support The House SystemStructures of the DayRegistraonBehaviour for LearningUniformsHomeworkReports & Assessments Aer School ClubsUseful Informaon School CalendarsSchool Map Contacng the School 123457891011121415161718192022242526283031
It is a great privilege to be the Head Teacher at this wonderful school. I look forward to working with our students, families and the community to connue to develop our school in the years to come, building on the strong foundaons already in place since it opened in 2008.Throughout my career in educaon, I have placed a great emphasis on creang a school environment that is first and foremost a safe and happy place to be in. I am passionate about geng to know our students and understanding them as individuals.To be able to reach their full potenal, every child deserves to learn in their own unique way, which in turn will provide the foundaons for successful learning and development.I, along with my colleagues, will always put the child at the heart of everything we do.Vijay Internaonal School is a school in which every child maers and where the whole child maers. Together, we provide our students with an environment where they feel valued, they feel welcome, where they are inspired and can in turn inspire, and where they feel cared for and develop care for others.Through this approach, we are confident that we can unleash the maximum potenal of all our students by developing well-rounded, movated members of society with the desire to achieve.The happiness, well-being, and success of all our VISP family members is our ulmate goal.We look forward to welcoming you into our school and hope that you feel as inspired by the VISP community as the staff who make it the amazing place that it is.LESLEY THOMPSON PRINCIPALPrincipal's Welcome 1
Welcome to Vijay Internaonal School Praslin, Seychelles. This handbook has been designed for both parents and students to give you as much informaon about our school as possible. If you cannot find what you are looking for, we will always make ourselves available to answer any queries. The school office is a great place to start as they have a wealth of informaon available. They will pass any queries on to the relevant staff member to support you.All school policies are available on request, and a paper copy is available to read in the school office. Introducon Kathryn Cooper Sharon D’Unienville Corina FasslerDesignated Safeguarding Lead Office Administrator Financial Controllerkcooper@visp-sey.com sduninenville@visp-sey.com finance@visp-sey.com +248 4236116 +248 42361162
VISP strives to develop every student's full potenal, empowering each child to become a creave, crical and independent thinker. We encourage students to become confident individuals and conscienous cizens of the world, who pursue a lifelong commitment to personal development and service to others.We strive to create an environment in which every member of the school community can say, We Are… Aims, Ethos and ValuesWe are VALUEDWe aim to provide our students, families, and staff with an environment in which they feel valued. We show care and interest in all of our students meaning that they have a posive experience throughout their journey with us. We will strive to understand each student so that they know that they are valued as part of our school team.We are SUCCESSFULRegardless of ability, we want all our students learning journeys to be successful at VISP. We ensure that we offer quality first teaching with a broad and balanced curriculum, as well as varied learning opportunies in order to movate our students. We extend our most capable learners and offer support to those who need it so that all students can reach their full potenal.We are INCLUSIVEAt VISP, we believe that all children, no maer what their background or capabilies should have access and an equal opportunity to educaon and learning at our school. We believe that uniqueness should be celebrated without discriminaon. We understand children as individuals and strive to meet their learning needs wherever possible.We are PROUDWe want all our students to be able to confidently say, 'I feel proud of myself, I feel proud of my achievements, I feel proud of my school.' We want our families to share that sense of pride in their child and school. We understand that it is a team effort and together, we will strive to create a school that we are all proud to be a part of.3
Admission to the school is made according to the age of the child on the 1st September of the year of entry.This policy is not normally negoable, however, in exceponal circumstances a child may, at the discreon of the head teacher, be placed in a class different to that determined by age. This may be because the child joins the school from a different educaonal system and may havemissed some schooling, or it may be the case that a child with a low standard of English is inially placed in a lower class.In all cases, the needs of each child are considered carefully and the final decision regarding placement is made in his or her best educaonal interests.The Sibling Rule:Children move up the list in strict order, as places become available, however a priority is given to families who already have children in the school (brothers or sisters to the child waing).This is known as the “sibling rule”.Waing Lists:Children are placed on a waing list if there is no space available at the me of registraon, i.e. deposit of completed enrolment forms, secures the place on the list.AdmissionsEnrolment and fee informaon can be found on the website or at the school office.4Early Childhood Early ChildhoodEC1 3 - 4 yearsEC2 4 - 5 yearsPrimaryKey Stage 1Year 1 5 - 6 yearsYear 2 6 - 7 yearsKey Stage 2Year 3 7 - 8 yearsYear 4 8 - 9 yearsYear 5 9 - 10 yearsYear 6 10 - 11 yearsSecondaryKey Stage 3Year 7 11 - 12 yearsYear 8 12 - 13 yearsYear 9 13 - 14 yearsKey Stage 4Year 10 14 - 15 yearsYear 11 15 - 16 yearsSixth Form Key Stage 5Year 12 16 - 17 yearsYear 13 17 - 18 yearsAges are as of the 1st September
Leadership TeamStaff InformaonEarly Childhood Staff TeamPrimary Staff Team5Gina PuergillYear 1 teacher gpuergill@visp-sey.comAsami CarthewYear 1 keyworker acarthew@visp-sey.comJohn CarthewYear 2 teacher jcarthew@visp-sey.comKena d'UnienvilleYear 2 teaching assistant kdunienville@visp-sey.comAbby JonesYear 3 teacher ajones@visp-sey.comM-Annee JohnsonYear 3 teaching assistant mjohnson@visp-sey.comM-Noella AlfredYear 4 teacher mpriame@visp-sey.comMaryse LewisYear 4 teaching assistant mlewis@visp-sey.comMarn ThompsonHead of PrimaryYear 5 teachermthompson@visp-sey.comDoris RabatYear 5 keyworker drabat@visp-sey.comDanielle BrownYear 5 English teacher dbrown@visp-sey.comZoey GordonYear 6 teacherYear 1 English teacherzgordon@visp-sey.comLindy CesarYear 6 keyworker & French lcesar@visp-sey.comSophie AinscoughYear 6 English teacher sainscough@visp-sey.comSarah MarieLearning support keyworker smarie@visp-sey.comRachel MirfinArt teacher rmirfin@visp-sey.comEwan DavidsonP.E. teacher edavidson@visp-sey.comKyla van der HeijdenHead od Early ChildhoodEC2 teacherkvdheijden@visp-sey.comJenifer PayetEC1 teacher jpayet@visp-sey.comDanielle PayetEarly Childwood keyworker danpayet@visp-sey.comForsythia Hoareau (Ging)Early Childwood keyworker oareau@visp-sey.comAnjali GrandcourtTeaching assistant agrandcourt@visp-sey.comKelly ConstanceTeaching assistant kconstance@visp-sey.comLesley ThompsonPrincipal lthompson@visp-sey.comKathryn CooperSENCO & Designated Safeguarding Leadkcooper@visp-sey.comHeads of Secons:Rob FellHead of Sixth form Year 12 & Year 13 rfell@visp-sey.comCara ScaergoodHead of Key stage 4 Year 10 & 11 cscaergood@visp-sey.comAdam VictorHead of Key stage 3 Years 7, 8, 9 avictor@visp-sey.comMarn ThompsonHead of Primary Years 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 mthompson@visp-sey.comKyla van der HeijdenHead of Early Childhood EC1 & EC2 kvdheijden@visp-sey.com
Secondary Staff TeamStaff InformaonSecondary Form TutorsSixth Form Staff TeamFirst AidersAll staff will be required to complete basic online First Aid training. Selected staff also aend face-to-face training and hold a valid first aid cerficate which must be refreshed every 2 years.6Rob FellY12 Travel & TourismY12 & Y13 Businessrfell@visp-sey.comCara ScaergoodY13 Travel & TourismY13 Sociologycscaergood@visp-sey.comAdam VictorY12 & Y13 Frenchavictor@visp-sey.comClaire DredgeY12 AccounngY13 Mathscdredge@visp-sey.comAndrew SchreiberY12 Geographyaschreiber@visp-sey.comKevin ChampionY12 & Y13 BiologyY12 & Y13 Chemistrykchampion@visp-sey.comSteve CursY13 Physicsscurs@visp-sey.comDanielle BrownY12 Englishdbrown@visp-sey.comMr DredgeYear 7 French roomMrs DredgeYear 8 Maths roomMrs AinscoughYear 9 English roomMrs MirfinYear 10 Art roomMr SchreiberYear 11 Humanies roomRachel MirfinArt teacherY7 Science & Y7 Mathsrmirfin@visp-sey.comKathryn CooperSENCOY10 Business & PSHE kcooper@visp-sey.comClaire DredgeY11 (Extended) & Y10 Mathscdredge@visp-sey.comRosco DredgeY11 (Core), Y7,8,9 Maths rdredge@visp-sey.comAdam VictorY7 to Y11 French avictor@visp-sey.comCara ScaergoodY9 to Y11 History cscaergood@visp-sey.comSteve CursY9 to Y11 Science scurs@visp-sey.comKevin ChampionY8 Science kchampion@visp-sey.comEwan DavidsonP.E. teacherY7 Historyedavidson@visp-sey.comAndrew SchreiberGeography teacherY8 History aschreiber@visp-sey.comLesley ThompsonICT teacher lthompson@visp-sey.comRob FellY11 Business rfell@visp-sey.comDanielle BrownY7 & Y8 English dbrown@visp-sey.comSophie AinscoughY9 to Y11 English sainscough@visp-sey.comRebika FellLearning support keyworker rebikafell@visp-sey.com
Early Childhood: Recepon 1 & 2KYLA VAN DER HEIJDEN HEAD OF EARLY CHILDHOODAt VISP, we support all children in making progress from their own starng points. Within the Early Childhood Secon, staff and children are aspiraonal and seek to ensure that all children develop to the best of their individual ability. This progress supports the development of a foundaon for learning that aspires to meet the expectaon for a Good Level of Development (GLD) at the end of the Early Childhood stage.Children demonstrate the characteriscs of effecve learning and are able to apply their knowledge to a range of situaons, making links and explaining their ideas and understanding. Children develop the confidence to seek challenge, take risks and explore new experiences. They understand that mistakes are a valuable part of their learning and an opportunity for personal growth!Educaon is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.Early Childhood 7
Primary: Year 1 to Year 6 MARTIN THOMPSON HEAD OF PRIMARYAs Head of Primary, I am proud to say that our school is a magical place for our students to be! We aim to make learning fun, and provide an environment where the care for our students’ is at the forefront of our minds at all mes. By providing the highest quality care and educaon for all our pupils,we know we are giving our children the strongest foundaons fortheir future.We follow the English Naonal Curriculum, which we are constantlyadapng to meet our unique community's needs, whilst also ensuring that our students are prepared for an internaonal life.Be a pineapple. Stand tall, wear a crown and be sweet on the inside.Primary8At Vijay Internaonal School we believe in nurturing the 'whole child' and aim to develop self-movated children who love to learn and are not afraid to take risks or make mistakes. Our 'Weekly Values' are designed to help raise awareness of, and develop the skills children need to become effecve learners as well as becoming thoughul, respecul and confident individuals. New values are introduced in our Monday morning assemblies and one child is selected from each class to receive our 'Value Hero Award' in our Achievement Assemblies on Friday aernoons. 'Star of the Week' awards are also given to the children who have set an excellent example or have achieved something special. Children also receive House Points as rewards for excellent work or behaviour.Showing respect to one another at all mes is a pillar to our teaching. Our KS2 ‘Respect Rangers’ are appointed to support this message amongst their peers by modelling kind and inclusive behaviour consistently.
Secondary: Year 7 to 11ADAM VICTORHEAD OF KS3 (Year 7 to 9)The Secondary Secon is composed of 5 classes (Year 7 – Year 11), catering for approximately 100 students.Our growing team of staff ensure all students succeed in the secondary secon. We hope to create an engaging and inclusive learning environment that allows all students to not only leave with IGCSEs but to also be prepared for life aer school and to ensure their future studies and professional lives are successful.We have had some fantasc results from students that reflect the hard work of all our students and staff.The Lower Secondary is designed for the unique needs of children ages eleven to sixteen (Year 7 through Year 9), at a me when they need to develop exceponal learning habits, self-confidence and a thorough understanding of their academic subjects. We aim to encourages students to make praccal connecons between their studies and the real world, preparing them for success in further study and in life. The Lower Secondary approach empowers students to inquire into a wide range of issues and ideas of significance locally, naonally and globally. The result is young people who are creave, crical and reflecve thinkers.CARA SCATTERGOODHEAD OF KS4 (Year 10 & 11)Secondary 9
Sixth Form: Year 12 & 13 ROB FELLHEAD OF SIXTH FORMSuccessful A-Level studies is seen as the gold standard of post-secondary academic educaon in the Seychelles and it does allow students to study a wide range of university courses, either at UniSey or overseas. A-Level results at VISP are excellent and well above global averages. We had a 100% pass rate in June 23 and (CIE global average is 58%) and 62% A-C grades in June 23. In June 24, we had a 96% pass rate.Our small sixth form centre provides a posive, inclusive environment in which students are valued and encouraged to always do their best for themselves and for the world. Students starng A-Level with us begin in June, with the course lasng for 2 years.Students sit their AS-Levels aer the first year in May/June, and their final A-Level exams at the end of the second year in the May/June. Students work towards the Cambridge Internaonal AS and A-Levels and our syllabuses prepare learners for university study, which is why universies worldwide value and recognise Cambridge Internaonal AS & A Level qualificaons. We now proudly work with the Seychelles Ministry of Educaon to offer Government Funded Scholarships to all Local students from Praslin and La Digue who meet the entry criteria. Students from Praslin and La Digue Secondary Schools should apply for a place through the post-secondary applicaon process in October/November, and places are confirmed aer thier exam results in January.We also welcome non-Seychellois students - these places are subject to the termly school fees set out on our website or available at the school office.Entry Requirements: Our A-Level programme we requires 5 A*-C grades at GCSE level in any subjects. We would also ask that you achieve at least a B grade in the Science subjects and in Maths and in French a B1/B at IGCSE.Sixth Form A-Levels10
Pastoral Care VISP Respect CharterThe School’s posion is very clear. We celebrate and we do not discriminate. We are fair and we care. We have systems in place to reward posive behaviour, as well as warning systems in place for those who engage in behaviour that challenges the ethos of our community.Our place is a safe place to be - every student, parent and staff member deserves the right to feel safe whilst in our community. Any persons who cause offence by going against the ethos of this charter, will face a consequence as detailed in our policy documents.If anyone hears or sees anything that goes against this charter, they should speak to a trusted member of staff.We have a Zero tolerance approach to bullying. We work to prevent bullying through our ongoing educang about treang people with respect, and through the reinforcing of our core principles. If bullying does take place, it is dealt with immediately using our Whole School Approach to Discipline Policy.Respect for SELF• Uniform• Punctuality• Aendance• Homework• Being a role modelRespect for OTHERS• Challenge negave behaviour• Accepng people's differences• Being kind• No bullying• Being helpful• Being polite• Welcoming all visitors• Speak up about unacceptable behaviour and language• Work together to ensure that every member of the community feels safe, welcome and valued at all mesRespect for LEARNING• Listen to the teacher• Celebrate successes• Support others• Listen to the ideas of others without judgement• Understand different support is needed for different studentsRespect for the ENVIRONMENT• Pick up lier• Tidy up aer yourself• No graffi• Look aer your books• Respect equipment• Turn off sockets/fans/AC when not in use• No loud music/sounds disturbing othersAt VISP, we recognize and celebrate diversity of race, ethnicity, naonality, religion, sex, gender, neurodiversity, ability and disability. This charter was created with students.We communicate our respect in FOUR areas:11
RIGHTS:To be treated with courtesy, kindness and respect. To express feelings and opinions asservely.To work and play in an atmosphere of harmony and cooperaon.To feel secure and to be safe in a caring and supporve environment.To expect that school rules are fair, consistently implemented and respect the rights of all involved.To be valued for their individuality, including that of race, gender, cultural, physical or intellectual diversity. To learn in a supporve atmosphere.Rights & ResponsibiliesRESPONSIBILITIES:To treat others with courtesy, kindness and respect. To listen to others with mutual respect.To maintain a safe and secure school environment. To model and support school rules.To develop responsibility for their own acons. To value others, for their individual differences. To work to achieve personal best whilst allowing others to do the same.STUDENTS:RIGHTS:I have the right to teach without interrupon.I have the right to be respected and shown courtesy.I have the right to communicate with parents in an atmosphere of mutual respect.I have the right to feel secure as a member of a team. I have the right to receive professional support and to seek assistance or advice if necessary.RESPONSIBILITIES:I have the responsibility to make class work interesng and at an appropriate level of difficulty.I have the responsibility to provide a safe learning environment by ensuring equipment and procedures for its use are safe.I have the responsibility to communicate effecvely with parents and other staff.I have the responsibility to provide posive feedback to children.I have the responsibility to support the school’s policies.TEACHERS:12
RIGHTS:I have the right to be respected and shown courtesy. I have the right to be kept informed and to receive feedback in regard to my children.I have the right to expect that my children will be provided with appropriate curriculum.I have the right to communicate with teachers in an atmosphere of mutual respect.Rights & ResponsibiliesRESPONSIBILITIES:I have the responsibility to send my children to school punctually, clean, fed and rested.I have the responsibility to send my children to school in school uniform (see Uniform Policy). I have the responsibility to equip my children with the necessary equipment.I have the responsibility to support the staff and the school policies.I have the responsibility in accordance with school policy, to ensure my child is provided with all necessary medicaons for their health and well-being. I have the responsibility to communicate with teachers when a problem arises impacng my child’s educaon. I have the responsibility to be involved with my children’s educaon.I have the responsibility to encourage posive audes.I have the responsibility to show respect & courtesy to all staff & members of the school community.PARENTS & VISITORS:13
Our TeamSafeguardingOur CommitmentThe safety and wellbeing of our children is paramount. We are commied to the safeguarding and welfare of our children and young people, and we require all staff to share this commitment. We strive to create an environment where staff and students feel able to raise concerns, where they are listened to with a readiness to support appropriately.The school aims to ensure that:• Appropriate acon is taken in a mely manner to safeguard and promote children’s welfare• All staff are aware of their statutory responsibilies with respect to safeguarding• Staff are properly trained in recognising and reporng safeguarding issuesFurther details can be found in our Safeguarding policy.14
Our Learning Support department holds a very special place within our school. Although the name suggests that this is a department for supporng students with their cognion and learning, it actually means so much more than that. In order for children to be able to learn in school each day, they need to be ready to learn. They need to be emoonally regulated, feel comfortable, and have the tools and support in place to make this possible. Our Learning Support department does just that. Time is invested into the building of relaonships with all students so that they have a safe place to go to if they are struggling, whether that be socially, emoonally, or academically. We have a number of students who receive specific support for their Special Educaonal Needs. These students have a Student Passport in place which is personalised to the individual - we strive to provide support that is right for them within the resources and provisions that we are able to offer. Detailed in these documents are any intervenons to support students with barriers to learning. For more informaon about our Learning Support Department, or if your child has addional needs that you would like to discuss, please contact the SENCO. Further informaon is also detailed in our Special Educaonal Needs Policy.Learning Support15
FREGATEDESROCHES ALDABRAAll children are allocated a House with siblings being placed together. There are three houses: Aldabra – Blue Tortoise, Desrosches – Yellow Parrot and Fregate – Green Shark and they compete academically and in compeve sport. Being part of a House promotes a sense of belonging and healthy compeon, through the collecon of House Points and with the weekly House Challenge compeons.In Primary, the staff are not assigned to run a House as a House Captain and remain neutral. Instead, they have student House Captains to promote responsibility. In KS2, the House compeon takes place during the school day on a Friday aernoon, aer the Primary Assembly. Every 2 weeks, one member of the KS2 staff organises two House acvies; one for Years 3/4 and another for Years 5/6. These acvies rotate the following week. In Secondary, each house has a staff member assigned as a House Captain and they will lead a House meeng once a week from 7.55am – 8.20am. The House compeon for Secondary/Sixth Form takes place aer school on a Friday. This is led by the PE Co-Ordinator and staff are encouraged to aend some of these when they can to support with the compeve atmosphere.Secondary/Sixth Form House CaptainsHouse System 16
The structure of the school day differs slightly throughout the lower and upper school secons.Structures of the Day 17
AbsenceIf your child is absent from school for any reason, please inform the school by calling the office on 4236116 when it opens at 7:30am. Please inform of any absences before 8:30am. Sixth Form students need to email the Head of Sixth Form if they are absent from school.The Start of the DayStudents can arrive on site from 7:30am in the morning. There is no staff member on duty before 7:30am so students if children do enter the site, they do so at their own risk, hence we do not encourage children on site before 7:30am. For safety reasons, Primary children MUST NOT be on site before 7:30am.Early Childhood students make their way directly to their classrooms and should be in school by 8:05am.Secondary Bell - At 7:55am the first morning bell is rung for the Secondary students. On hearing the bell, Secondary students make their way to their form rooms independently to be registered.Primary Bell - At 8:05am a second bell is rung for Primary students. Primary students line up on the yard and are collected by their teacher. When it is wet, Year 1 and 2 line up outside their classrooms Years 3/4/5/6 line up in the corridors by the pillars in front of the primary library.It is important that your child is on me to school. Lateness in the morning means they miss out on key messages and oen creates a stressful start to the day for your child if they enter later than their peers.Leaving throughout the day/coming to school aer the registerIf your child has an appointment and needs to come to school late, they must go to the school office and sign in using the ‘Sign-in’ book.If your child needs to leave during the school day for medical (or any other reason), they must sign out at the school office using the ‘Sign-out’ book, and a parent (or person collecng) must sign them out to show that this has been authorised. End of the dayAt 2pm the school day ends for EC and Primary. Students in EC and Primary are kept in their classrooms and need to be collected by a known adult. It is the parents’ responsibility to inform staff if someone is collecng their child that is not a parent. Year 6 may walk home alone IF wrien consent is given to the school by the parent.For safety reasons, students are not permied to play on the Jungle Gym or on the school grounds aer 2pm, even with parent supervision. Seeing some children playing encourages other children to join in and in the absence of staff supervision, this is not safe.At 2:20pm, the school day ends for Secondary. Secondary students leave site independently.Registraon 18
Students must behave courteously and appropriately at all mes. Their behaviour must bring credit upon themselves and the school. These standards must be maintained in lessons, at breaks / lunch and during the journey to and from school. Students must always show RESPECT towards all members of the school community.We expect all pupils to work hard in their lessons and always try their very best, and contribute to group acvies where they can. It is important that students acvely engage and make the most of the learning opportunies we offer.Pupils should never disrupt the learning of others.We expect that all pupils:• Arrive for lessons on me and wait quietly outside the classroom.• Acknowledge the teacher on entering the classroom with a respecul greeng.• Get equipment out and be ready to learn straight away.• Respect others and allow them to feel safe in their learning environment.• Be engaged and challenge themselves throughout the lesson.• Listen to the teacher and their peers.• Leave the classroom in a quiet and sensible manner when dismissed.• Ask quesons respecully if they do not understand.• Follow the teacher’s instrucons.• Record down key notes and any homework set in their planners.• Ensure that mobile phones are switched off and in bags.Mobile phone use is NOT PERMITTED in school. Any child with a mobile phone at school must ensure it is turned off and in their bag. Note: there are mes when a teacher will allow a mobile phone to be used in a lesson to assist their learning - this is under the supervision of a teacher and only when permission is granted. Photos or videos must not be taken of staff or students at any me in school – we treat this seriously and follow our Discipline Policy.Behaviour for Learning19
IntroduconThe purpose of a policy on school uniform is to provide for parents and students, a clear and common understanding of what is required in the wearing of a school uniform. Having a uniform in school can play a key role in:• promong the ethos of our school• providing a sense of belonging and identy• seng an appropriate tone for educaon• safety at schoolAimsStudents will:• Wear their correct school uniform to school, every day.• Wear only the jewellery that is permied within this policyParents are expected to:• Support the school in the maer of correct uniform.VISP School/Staff will:• Encourage students to wear the correct uniform at all mes.• Provide a uniform shop for key items of the school uniform.Early Childhood & KS1 uniform comprises: • Green T-shirt.• Navy blue shorts or skirt (not denim).• Sensible footwear that children can remove and put on by themselves.• Y1 & Y2 require a house T-Shirt and sensible (not denim) shorts for PE and games.Upper Primary secon uniform comprises: • Pale blue polo shirt.•Navy blue shorts or skirt (not denim) of an appropriate length (when standing with arms by your side, the skirt/short length should be the length or longer than your fingers).• Leggings may be worn underneath a skirt.• Sensible footwear.• A house T-shirt, sensible sports shorts and trainers are required for PE and games.Uniforms20
Secondary secon uniform comprises: • White polo shirt.• Navy blue shorts or skirt (not denim) of an appropriate length (when standing with arms by your side, the skirt/short length should be the length or longer than your fingers). • Sensible footwear.• A house T-Shirt and sensible sports shorts are required for PE and games.Note: there are occasions in the year when the seamstresses on the island run out of blue material. Black skirts are permied if this is the case if permission is sought first from a HOS, but they must revert to blue as per the uniform policy as soon as they can.Sixth Form:There is no uniform in the Sixth Form but students must dress according to a smart casual dress code, adhering to the same length of skirt/short policy as above. Sun hats are strongly encouraged across the whole school.Jewellery Policy• 1 pair of stud earings restricted to the earlobe• 1 necklace inside shirt• 1 bracelet• no rings or anklets• no other piercings allowed• natural nails of an appropriate length with 1 - 2 coats of neutral varnishUniforms21
The tasks and amount of homework allocated to students is dependent on the year level.Lower Primary - Students in KS1 will receive:• Spelling homework on a weekly basis.• Two books to take home, which are expected to be read each week. • Oponal literacy and numeracy homework.Upper Primary - Students in KS2 will usually receive:• Daily reading.• Weekly spellings and mulplicaon tests.• Weekly homework set in either Mathemacs or English.• Oponal mini projects that relate to a key class topic.Secondary - For students in the secondary secon, homework will usually be set once per week in each subject. The volume of homework will generally increase from Year 7 to Year 11. Across Key Stage 3 and 4 (Years 7-11), homework follows a specific metable for students: Homework22
The expectaon is that homework is completed. Failure to do so will result in the discipline policy being followed. Further details are in the Homework policy.Students are encouraged to complete their homework independently; however homework support clubs are available:• Monday-Friday lunchme with Miss Cooper in Learning Support;• Tuesday aer school with Miss Cooper in Learning Support;• Wednesday aer school with Mr Victor in the French room for French;• Thursday aer school with Ms Ainscough in the IT room.Sixth FormStudents in Sixth Form should expect a considerable amount of homework and personal study tasks. These will increase in duraon, frequency and complexity throughout the 2 years. Students should also be expected to keep up with current affairs in the subject and the set text. This should be directed by the subject teacher. On a weekly basis, Year 12 and 13 students work independently out of the classroom for a number of hours. The raonale behind this is that aending Sixth Form is Sixth Formers’ full-me job and in the vast majority of cases, it is preparing them for professional life. Independent study is very much part of the course me in Sixth Form – it is essenal to meet the recommended hours by Cambridge to ensure course coverage. Course content homework will also be supplemented with exam skills pracce and directed revision.Homework23
Primary• Term 1 - Assessment data is given to parents and discussed at Parent - Teacher meengs.• Term 2 - Assessment data is given to parents and discussed at Parent - Teacher meengs.• Term 3 - Full reports for all classes. Grades and comments based upon examinaon performance in end-of-year examinaons in June with reference to overall achievement from September – July.SecondaryReports & AssessmentsSixth Form• Term 1 Informaon meengs for each class. End of T1 - Parents Evening • Term 2 Mock Exam results. Detailed staff report alongside students’ self-evaluaon. • Term 3 New Y12 Suitability meengs (with parents). New Y13 subject choice meengs Assessment and Internal Examinaons• Phonics screening is conducted in June in Year 1, and connued through Year 2 where needed.• Internal examinaons run each term for Years 1 – 6 and for Years 7 - 10.• Year 11, 12 and 13 will have mock exams in January.• Addionally, Year 12 and 13 will have in class assessments throughout the year.External Assessment• For our Year 10, 11, 12 & 13 students, external exams take place twice a year.• IGCSE and A-Level exams are taken in October/November and May/June every year. 24
We run metabled aer school acvies for students in Years 3 - Year 13. These oen change each term, reflecng student preference, a balance of acvies offered, as well as staff availability and skill set.Primary - Years 3 - 6:Aer school clubs run from 2pm - 3pm. Collecon for Primary children is at 3pm from the thatched gazebo. For children aending a primary club, who have a sibling in a secondary club on the same day only, there is staffed provision unl 3:20pm, at which point they are collected by and fall under the care of their older sibling. All other children must be collected at 3pm.ColleconBeing on me to collect your child is imperave to your child being offered a place at the club. Please note that clubs run beyond the staff’s set working hours so they are only feasible to be run if children are collected. What happens if I am late to collect my child from a club?First late collecon Polite reminderSecond late collecon Leer issued by the Head of SeconThird late collecon Child will lose the place at the clubSecondary/Sixth Form - Years 7 - 13:Aer school clubs run from 2:30pm - 3:20pm. There are some clubs that run later, for example Cooking Club. This will be clearly communicated to the students that this affects.Aer School Clubs25
Useful InformaonLibraryWe have a Primary and Secondary Library on site which we try to keep as up-to-date and well stocked as possible, and welcome any book donaons! The EC and Primary secons have a dedicated library day every Thursday where they swap their books. The Secondary library follows a more fluid structure and is open to students on selected lunch mes for quiet me and to loan books.Special EventsWe have several Mui-days throughout the year. You might want to think ahead about costumes! Amongst some others, we usually have the following themes: Halloween, Christmas Shirt Day, Valenne's Day (red/white/pink), World Book Day, Internaonal Day of Happiness (wear yellow), Creole Day.We also have school trips throughout the year, a primary producon, bake sales, and much more!Snack and Lunch at VISPWe have a small canteen on-site, run by an external company. They sell small snacks at break-me where students can line up and pay for with cash on the day. The queue can get quite long so some children opt to bring in snacks from home.For lunch me, the canteen does provide hot school lunches that can be pre-ordered on a Monday morning. A menu is available for the week and you can select which opon you would like, and these are paid for in advance.Lunch can also be dropped off at school from take-away providers (parents must organise these independently of the school). Many students opt to bring in lunch from home. We encourage healthy eang and ask parents to be mindful of this when providing their child with a packed-lunch. No fizzy drinks are permied on site. In the classroom, only water is allowed. At snack and lunch mes, fruit juice, flavoured water or flavoured milk is allowed .26
Useful InformaonThe Govenors of Vijay Internaonal School PraslinThe Board of Governors is a group of school parents, elected by Associaon Members/Parents, which serves for one year to oversee the running of the school, working closely with the Head Teacher, who holds responsibility for the day-to-day management of the instuon, and the Senior Management Team of the school.It consists of four elected officers – Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, 4 Board Members and not more than 3 co-opted Members.PTA - Parent Teacher AssociaonThe PTA is a vital but fun way to bring parents, teachers and students together in support of a common goal, fundraising to benefit the students at our school., as VISP is a non-profit associaon.It provides closer links between parents, teachers and students while enhancing our students' school experience by holding social events for the students and VISP community to parcipate in.The funds raised by the PTA are all used to support our school and add to our students educaonal experiences.The PTA welcomes you to join our meengs to contribute your ideas and talents to beer our school. You can also follow us on our Facebook and Instagram page to see what events are happening.If you would like further informaon, feel free to contact the PTA through the school or email us.Your support is valuableIt is through the me volunteered by parents and teachers as well as the sponsors from the community, which create the successes behind the Vijay Internaonal School Praslin funcons and events. If you have a skill to share or can offer your me, we would love you to come and see us at school. We are always looking for parents to listen to children read and to help out with events at school.We welcome parents, guardians and teachers to join the PTA or the Board of Governors.email vijayint.pta.secr@gmail.com27
School Calendar2024 / 2025 CalendarTerm 1: September - December 2024• Monday 2nd September – Friday 6th September – Teacher Days• Monday 9th September – Term 1a starts for students• Monday 28th October – Friday 1st November - Half Term• Monday 4th November - School resumes for Term 1b• Friday 6th December – Term 1 ends at normal meTerm 2: January – April 2025• Friday 3rd January – Teacher Training Day• Monday 6th January - Term 2a starts for students• Monday 17th February – Provisional Sports Day and end of term at 12 noon• Tuesday 18th February - Friday 21st February - Half Term• Monday 24th February - School resumes for Term 2b• Friday 4th April - Term 2 ends at normal meTerm 3: April – July 2025• Monday 28th April - Term 3a starts for students• Thursday 1st May – Labour Day – Public Holiday• Monday 16th June – Thursday 19th June - Half Term• Friday 20th June – Teacher Training Day• Monday 23rd June - School resumes for Term 3b• Monday 30th June – Independence Day – Public Holiday• Friday 18th July - School ends at 12noon for studentsThe following academic year will begin for students on Monday 8th September 2025.28
School Calendar292025 / 2026 CalendarTerm 1: September - December 2025• Monday 1st September – Friday 5th September – Teacher Training Days• Monday 8th September – Term 1a starts for students• Monday 20th October – Friday 24th October - Half Term• Monday 27th October - School resumes for Term 1b• Friday 5th December – Term 1 ends at normal meTerm 2: January – April 2026• Monday 5th January – Teacher Training Day• Tuesday 6th January - Term 2a starts for students• Monday 16th February – Provisional Sports Day and end of term at 12:30pm• Tuesday 17th February - Friday 20th February - Half Term• Monday 23rd February - School resumes for Term 2b• Tuesday 31st March - Term 2 ends at normal meTerm 3: April – July 2026• Monday 20th April - Term 3a starts for students• Friday 1st May – Labour Day – Public Holiday• Monday 1st June – Thursday 4th June - Half Term• Friday 5th June – Teacher Training Day• Monday 8th June - School resumes for Term 3b• Thursday 18th June – Constuon Day - Public Holiday• Monday 29th June – Independence Day – Public Holiday• Friday 17th July - School ends at 12noon for studentsThe following academic year will begin for students on Monday 7th September 2026.
School Map30
ContactsWe welcome all enquiries and look forward to hearing from you.School office open hours: 7:30am - 3pm (closed for lunch 1pm - 1:30pm)Please feel free to contact us with any enquiries:Vijay Internaonal School, PraslinBaie St. AnnePraslin, Seychelles+248 423 6116admin@visp-sey.comThe School has a School WhatsApp broadcast group +2482644632Please note that this number is not manned during the school dayOur Locaon:31