The School Day
School runs from Monday to Friday during our term times.
Lessons begin at 9:00 and we open the school gates at 8:40 so that everyone has time to settle in and get ready for an exciting day at River House. School finishes at 15:00 and children can be collected from the courtyard.
There are three breaks throughout the day.
- fruit break between 10:30 and 11:00
- lunch break between 12:30 and 13:15
- short break between 14:00 and 14:15
Please make sure to inform the office or your child’s teacher in case you are late or if the child is absent.
Food
The lunch programme has been specially designed to provide fully balanced, nutritional, vegetarian meals (except for one fish day!) to children and teachers with a view to encouraging everyone to try new dishes, expand their taste buds and develop a love for good food. It is a two-week rolling menu.
We all eat lunch together in the dining hall and is an important part of our community building at River House.
There should be no need for children to bring any of their own food and drinks. However, should they choose to do so, please ensure that they don’t bring sweets, crisps, biscuits, sugary drinks and so on.
Playing
At River House we believe in enabling children to have a balanced day at school that involves academic work, creative expression and time to play. Children have ample time during the breaks to engage in unstructured play and socialise with friends of all ages. As such, break times are the same for the whole school.
The purpose-built campus was designed to provide a variety of spaces for students and staff to interact and play. Open spaces for sports, quiet spaces for games or crafts, trees to climb, loose materials to build with and manipulate, a mud kitchen, shade to hang out in and other less defined spaces that children fill with their own ideas.
Pastoral
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At River House we view school as an extension of home and we strive to make children feel comfortable and safe while in our care. To achieve and maintain this family atmosphere we put a lot of thought and effort into our pastoral care provision. We have formal PSHE (Personal, Social, Health Education) and Sex and Relationships curricula that are taught as designated lessons and are interwoven with other school routines. Regular assemblies, morning class circles and Individual Learning Plan meetings in the secondary school, all underpin our community building and pastoral support efforts.
River House teachers and staff are approachable and students are given opportunities to discuss any concerns or difficulties they might have, both academic and personal, during formal class discussions and during informal chats. The great thing about a small school like ours is that children have a chance to get to know many responsible adults in the school community and can always access the person they feel most comfortable speaking to.
Exploring India
River House is lucky to be situated in beautiful South Goa and we make good use of our immediate surroundings, Goa and the rest of India to support our curriculum and provide students with an understanding of their host country and culture.
On a regular basis, children explore the surrounding environment during the school day. This might involve going for a walk to Chapoli Dam, exploring the fields below the school, collecting samples of plants and rocks, doing a litter pick-up, washing puppies at the nearby animal shelter, shopping in Chaudi, going for a swim at the beach or doing some pond dipping in a stream next to the school.
Additionally, we plan trips to cultural landmarks in Goa and further afield. There are many exciting exhibitions, museums, farms and events that take place every year and that we visit with our students. Starting from Year 3 (age 7-8) students go on an annual overnight trip. Younger children for one or two nights, usually in Goa, while older children go for three or four days across India.
Events
As a community we often come together to celebrate local and international holidays such as Diwali, Christmas and Halloween. We celebrate children’s creative achievements through plays, musical events, art exhibitions and language evenings. Parents are invited to celebrate their children’s learning during Open Mornings and Teacher/Student/Parent Conferences. We celebrate the joy of life during beach days and during Open Days we celebrate and share our school with the wider community.
After School
The beaches of South Goa are where life takes place after school. Go to any beach and by 17:00 a group of River House students will be gathered there. That said, there are many other offerings for children, however, most of these are not hosted by the school. Members of the community offer music, fishing, art, yoga, football, birdwatching, chess, parkour, tennis and karate amongst others. Information about these is posted on the school’s notice board and shared via the parent Facebook group.
There are also many informal offerings as well and it is always a good idea to scan the South Goa Community page on Facebook, look at the flyers posted in cafes and the like and to ask people who have been living in Goa for a longer time.