Hello and Welcome
We are looking forward to your daughter joining the Prep School. Please take the time to read the information and complete the forms for the pre-admissions phase.
We know your daughter's first day will be a mixture of nerves and excitement (for you and her) but her teacher and her buddy will be very welcoming and, before you know it, she will be a Howell's girl.
Please do not hesitate to contact Chrissie Hall-Davis in the first instance if you have any questions. Once your daughter starts at Howell's, Sally Hatcher is the Administrator dedicated to the Prep School.
The Handbook
The handbook is a useful booklet that tells you how we do things at Howell’s. You will want to keep it to hand over the next year as it will answer many of your questions about our procedures.
Uniform
School uniform can be purchased from Schoolblazer. The website will ensure you purchase the correct uniform for your daughter but further details can be found in the Prep School Handbook.
From time to time, a second hand uniform sale is held in school and we notify parents via email.
Here is the policy for non-school uniform days.
Our school policy is that jewellery, including earrings, may not be worn by the students from Nursery to Year 11 for safety purposes. If your daughter does wish to have her ears pierced, we do ask that this is done at the very beginning of the summer holidays; clear, plastic post earrings are not permitted. If a watch is worn it should not be internet enabled and must be removed for swimming and PE lessons and given to the teacher. Requests to wear jewellery for religious purposes should be made to the Principal.
The Crocodile Club (wrap around care)
Click here for information. To book your daughter into wrap around care, you should complete the on-line form that is emailed, on a weekly basis, to all parents.
IT Systems
You will be able to access all our IT systems once your daughter has started with us.
Firefly is a portal used to communicate to both students and parents. You will find information about what your daughter has been doing in school, photography and videos as well as resources you can use at home.
We use SIMS to store your daughter’s personal information, including absence and school reports. You will be given access to the database and be able to up-date your daughter’s personal information securely.
Evolve is used for administration of trips, from booking your daughter’s place to payment. It is also used for paying after school care fees, school transport and music lessons. Again, you will not be able to use this until your daughter has started with us.
Absence
Holidays and appointments, e.g. dental appointments should be arranged for outside of term time as any absences during term time will not be authorised. If there is an unavoidable absence please write to Mrs A Matthews, Head of Prep School, giving details of such leave.
In the case of unavoidable absence, due to illness or urgent necessity for which it is not possible to obtain previous leave, please email absences@how.gdst.net or telephone the School Office.
Extracurricular Offering
We will send out the timetable for all the clubs at the beginning of term as they usually start by the third week of term.
Information on the music lesson provision and the booking form can be found here including Our Director of Music's contact details.
Chris George, Howell's tennis coach, delivers a Tennis Academy before school, at lunch times and after school (the timetable will be available at the start of term). As well as teaching tennis as part of the curriculum to Years 5 and 6, parents can book and pay for group or individual coaching sessions.
Please email cgtennis86@gmail.com to book your child's slot. Chris will be able to confirm the price for the session and his timetable will be available at the start of term.
School Transport
We have an extensive bus network covering the central and surrounding areas of Cardiff. Bookings can be made here and questions should be directed to Chrissie Hall-Davis. Students from Year 4 upwards can use transport.
News from Howell’s
Every Friday you will receive a newsletter, The Prep School Round Up, via email so do make sure we have the correct email address for you. We are also very active on Twitter (@howellsschool), Facebook (@officialhowells) and Instagram (@howellsschoolgdst)
The School remains open during the Summer holiday between 9am and 12pm so if you have any questions do get in touch.
I look forward to seeing all the students back at Howell's for the first day of term, Thursday 7th September.
Best wishes,
Mrs Abby Matthews, Head of Prep