Joining our School

Before your child joins the school, you will be invited to join us for a transition interview.

What does the transition process involve?

You will receive a Welcome letter from us, followed by an email with details on how to access and complete our application form.

Interviews are currently being conducted in person or over the telephone and parents/carers are being asked to take a photograph of the essential documents and attach them to the application form or email them to the Transition Team’s email address transitions@cumberlandcst.org. If you are unable to submit these online, you are welcome to bring these into school reception for us to take copies.

What shall I bring to the interview?

• ID of your child (Passport or birth certificate)
• Proof of parental responsibility (Full birth certificate of child, HMRC tax credits letter or child benefits letter)
• Proof of address (utility bill, driving licence)
• Proof of date of entry into the country (if applicable)

What if I don’t want the place or I have appealed to find a different school for my child?

You have been allocated a year 7 place at CCS and therefore you need to engage fully with the interview process. You can, alongside this, officially lodge an appeal with Newham but it is worth noting that decisions are often not reached until late July. 

What if I am not able to attend on the date offered?

Please inform us immediately by emailing Transitions@cumberlandcst.org or call 020 7474 0231, so we can discuss the best way forward for you and your child.

Who should be present at the  interview?

The person(s) who has/have parental responsibility for the child. If you need help with English, please bring a suitable friend or family member to help.

How long will the interview take?

Provided the information on the online admission form is complete and you have emailed photos of all the necessary evidence, the admission interview will last approximately 15 minutes. There will of course be additional time should you wish to ask further questions about your child’s future at CCS.

Personal presentation is important in the world of work and we want to make sure that every Cumberland student develops a sense of pride in how they look.

For full details of school uniform requirements, follow link below for our school uniform policy.

School Uniform Requirements

What should I do if there is a problem with my child’s uniform? 

Give your child a signed and dated note to show their Student Manager in their year group area before 8.25am. Your child will be given a uniform pass if appropriate and issued temporary uniform items, wherever possible. Students will be expected to wear this item for the duration of the day. It should be returned at the end of the day.

What should I do if there is a problem with my child’s PE kit? 

Give your child a signed and dated note to show their PE teacher. Your child should bring their PE kit with them regardless of injury or ailment.

What will happen if my child is in the wrong uniform? 

Your child will be issued a detention. Non-uniform items will be confiscated and returned only to the parent/carer. They will be replaced with temporary uniform items as required. 

Can my child wear a religious dress? 

Yes, the following items may be worn: Hijab and Abaya (CCS logo), Prayer Cap, Turban, Patka: Plain Navy Blue

How can I help my child not to lose any items of their uniform? 

You should write your child’s name clearly in a black permanent pen or use labels on every item of their uniform, including their PE kit. 

Can my child wear jewellery? 

The wearing of jewellery is limited to the following items: 

• A single necklace or bracelet for established religious reasons*
• Earrings: Small plain studs, matching pair or single 

*Please contact the school if you would like clarification on the established religious reasons. 

Can my child wear makeup? 

Makeup is not appropriate for school. Students will be asked to remove it, including false eyelashes/nails.

What happens in hot weather with blazers? 

All students are expected to wear blazers to and from school. Jumpers should not be worn instead of blazers. Classroom teachers will decide whether students can remove their blazers inside the classroom.

• Students will arrive through the school entrance on Oban Close, where staff members will meet and greet students and check uniforms before they proceed into the main school building.

• All students should be in school by 8.00am at the latest and will finish at 15.30pm on Monday - Thursday and  12.15pm on Friday. 

• A free breakfast is available for all students in the main dining hall from 07.45am - 8.15am.

• If  parents/carers   choose to collect their child after school, they should meet them at the end of Oban Close after school. 

The School day

Free School Meals

To check if you are eligible for free school meals, we encourage all parents/carers to apply for via the Newham Council website  Follow link below for more information and to apply.

Click here to apply 

Should you wish to give permission for us to apply for free school meals on your behalf, please complete the permission form below

Click here to give permission 

Breakfast

A healthy school breakfast can set up children to succeed and give them the very best chance to learn.
With this in mind, CCS are pleased to offer a free school breakfast to all staff and students. Served in the canteen every morning from 7.45am - 8.15am

Lunch

Lunch is from 12.15- 12.55 each day with entry to the school canteen staggered by year group.
The canteen offers healthy and nutritious hot and cold food which the students pay for using Parent Mail.
You will receive and email with details of how to register your ParentMail account before the begining of term. Please ensure you have registered and added funds before your childs first day. Click below for more information.

Click here for ParentMail

Packed Lunches

Food and nutrition is very important at Cumberland Community School. If you chose to give your child a packed lunch please take a look at this website for ideas on how to ensure it is balanced and nutritious:

Loveable Lunchboxes

Moving to a new to secondary school can be an emotional time for many students. We aim to ensure that the experience is positive for all the new students joining our community.

Year 7 Transitions Ambassadors

Every year, Cumberland Community School appoints student Transition Ambassadors whose role is to assist the new year 7 students with the move to their new school.

Our Transition Ambassadors work with us and our primary schools to ensure that our new Year 7 students feel positive, confident and reassured in their new school.

Year 7 Transition groups

We run small Transition groups for students who find the transition from primary to secondary school difficult.

This may be for a variety of reasons, but we discuss the positives and negative aspects and often students find that others are experiencing the same difficulties. The Transition group meets once a week for six weeks.

Transition Buddies

All mid phase students, who join us throughout the year, will be assigned a 'Transition Buddy' to help them naviagate their first few weeks at CCS.

Dynamic Progress Reporting (DPR) Assignment Portal

Teachers will set and track assignments (or homework) through the DPR. In this way, students will be able to see an explicit link between their assignments with their key learning objectives found on their DPR.

Parents, teachers and students can track assignment submissions, access resources to aid learning and ask for feedback through the communication portal.

Over time, teachers and parents will be able to analyse the quality of assignments set and evaluate its impact on students’ learning

Click here to login to DPR