The standards of conduct that help our community learn and grow together.
S. Thomas’ Preparatory School maintains clear expectations of its boys and their families — around attendance, homework, attire and grooming, conduct, and the rhythm of the school day. The rules below are the School’s own, and they apply to every boy while his name is on roll.
Parents with a question about any of these should speak first to their son’s Sectional Head.
All students are expected to attend school. A parent or guardian must fill the relevant information in the record book and send it across to the class teacher in the event a student is absent. If the student is hospitalized for any medical reason the class teacher must be kept informed. If the child is absent for over two days a medical certificate must be produced on his return to school.
A student will not be granted long periods of leave from school, and certainly not more than one month’s leave within a term. If the student does not adhere to this rule he will have to face severe consequences.
It is mandatory that students in grades 9–11 maintain 80% attendance for each term.
If a student needs to be away for any other reason, prior written approval must be sought from the Headmaster.
In the event a student has to leave school while school is still in session, parents should submit a written request and obtain a gate pass in order to take the student out of school.
Children of all grades will be given homework, which must be duly completed prior to the student attending school on the due date.
Students are not encouraged to attend private tuition classes, but should consult the Sectional Head if such a need arises. Extra classes will be arranged for students who need additional help within the school.
The uniform for students of grades 1–9 consists of a pair of blue shorts and a white short-sleeved shirt with the relevant house badge attached to the pocket.
The students of grades 10–11 are required to wear a pair of white longs/pants and a white short-sleeved shirt with the relevant house badge attached to the pocket.
All students of the school must wear a pair of black leather shoes along with a pair of white socks. No student should enter the school during school hours dressed in any attire other than what has been mentioned here.
Students will not be permitted to attend school with very short or long hair. Haircuts must be taken in a decent manner that is acceptable by the standards of the school. Students should always be clean-shaven.
Students should not wear chains or medallions to school. A maximum of two strands of white thread may be worn for religious purposes only. All forms of body markings and piercing are banned.
Students are not permitted to have mobile phones, iPads, cameras or any other electronic devices in their possession. Any equipment found will be confiscated.
Children are not permitted to bring treats of any sort for fellow students or teachers at any given point in time. In the event the school organizes a programme which requires the student to bring any item(s), due notice of what is required will be informed.
Parents of students from grade two upwards will not be permitted to enter school without a valid gate pass. Parents will not be permitted to speak to teachers unless a written request is sent for such a meeting.
Parents should refrain from speaking to teachers over the phone or inviting/visiting teachers outside the school premises. Parents who wish to meet teachers officially should do so on Open Days, or on any convenient school day after a prior appointment through their Sectional Head has been made.
No student while in school will be permitted to represent outside organisations or associations in any activity without explicit written permission of the Headmaster. Students are not permitted to appear in any advertisements, programmes, photographs or films without prior written approval of the Headmaster. Photographs of boys should also not appear in any electronic data form or on the Internet.
As long as a student’s name is on roll, he is expected to maintain the discipline of the school outside school hours. Any student whose work or conduct is found to be unsatisfactory, inside or outside the school during term or vacation, brings the school into disrepute, and thus may be suspended or expelled from school at the discretion of the Headmaster.
Students travelling to and from school using any mode of transport, private or public, are expected to maintain the highest standards of behaviour, and not be any annoyance to members of the public. Walking along the railway lines, or interfering with instruments and equipment that belong to the state, is expressly forbidden.
Where severe breaches of the school’s rules arise, the Headmaster reserves the right to take any action as he sees fit.
In the event a parent has a complaint, it must be made to the Sectional Head. In the event it persists, the parent or guardian may write directly to the Headmaster.
Boys may be given detention for bad work, bad conduct or poor attendance. The purpose of placing a boy in detention is to try to correct him. Boys may be asked to stay after school, or on a Saturday, at the discretion of the Sectional Head.
Students should neither register nor sit for any public examinations without the Headmaster’s permission.
Students found guilty of serious offences, which threaten the traditions and well-being of the school, will be subject to the following sequence of disciplinary sanctions.
| Stage | What follows |
|---|---|
| First offence | An oral warning, confirmed in writing, and the student’s name entered into a confidential file. |
| Second offence | A written warning added to the student’s file. The student must carry a “Conduct Report Card” and have it signed weekly by his Sectional Head and his parents. |
| Third offence | A final written warning entered into the student’s file. The boy may face a period of suspension. |
| Subsequent offence | The student may face immediate and permanent expulsion. His school leaving certificate will state that he was permanently expelled. |
The first bell rings at 7.45 a.m., by which time all students from grades 1–11 should be in their class for roll call. Any student who arrives after the first bell is deemed to be late and will be penalized. At 7.50 a.m. all students take part in religious observances.
School is in session from Monday to Friday. If there is a need for school to be held on a Saturday, parents will be notified well in advance.
Both timetables run from 8.15 a.m. to 1.45 p.m. with eight periods and a twenty-minute interval. The interval falls after the 3rd period for grades 1–3, and after the 4th for grades 4–11.
| Period | From | To | End of day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st period | 8.15 a.m. | 8.55 a.m. | |
| 2nd period | 8.55 a.m. | 9.35 a.m. | |
| 3rd period | 9.35 a.m. | 10.15 a.m. | |
| Interval | 10.15 a.m. | 10.35 a.m. | |
| 4th period | 10.35 a.m. | 11.10 a.m. | |
| 5th period | 11.10 a.m. | 11.50 a.m. | Grade 1 ends |
| 6th period | 11.50 a.m. | 12.30 p.m. | Grade 2 ends |
| 7th period | 12.30 p.m. | 1.10 p.m. | |
| 8th period | 1.10 p.m. | 1.45 p.m. | Grade 3 ends |
Grades 1, 2 and 3 do not finish at the same time. Grade 1 ends at 11.50 a.m., grade 2 at 12.30 p.m., and grade 3 at 1.45 p.m.
| Period | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| 1st period | 8.15 a.m. | 8.55 a.m. |
| 2nd period | 8.55 a.m. | 9.35 a.m. |
| 3rd period | 9.35 a.m. | 10.15 a.m. |
| 4th period | 10.15 a.m. | 10.50 a.m. |
| Interval | 10.50 a.m. | 11.10 a.m. |
| 5th period | 11.10 a.m. | 11.50 a.m. |
| 6th period | 11.50 a.m. | 12.30 p.m. |
| 7th period | 12.30 p.m. | 1.10 p.m. |
| 8th period | 1.10 p.m. | 1.45 p.m. |
The school term takes its name from three seasons in the Church’s calendar.
Every section has its own Sectional Head, who looks into the welfare of both students and teachers.
Children who are found to be in need of medical care during school time will be cared for at the sick room. If there is an emergency, the parents will be informed and the student will be transferred to a hospital. Parents should not send students who have fever or sore eyes to school, as it would affect other students.
All students in the school are expected to participate in activities. No student will be permitted to represent an outside club while his name is on roll, and parents must refrain from seeking permission for such representation.
Students may be called upon to pay a fee when necessary towards the specific activity that the student is involved in.
No student is permitted to attend practices or represent the school if he has been absent from school.
Parents are requested to give as much notice as possible whenever they intend to remove a boy from the school other than at the end of his career. The minimum period of notice is three months. If such notice is not given, three months’ fees in lieu of notice will be charged.
School fees are to be paid prior to the commencement of every school term. There are five ways to pay.
School fee payments can be made at the School Office only using credit or debit cards. Office hours are weekdays, 7.45 a.m. to 3.30 p.m., only when school is in session.
Fees may be deposited directly into the School’s bank account. Please contact the school office for the current account details.
Make sure to mention your son’s name, class and admission number on the deposit slip. If not, the amount paid will be transferred to a suspense account. Kindly hand the deposit slip to the school office, or send a scanned copy of the receipt to the office.
You can pay your son’s school fee through the Talkative Parents mobile application. You do not need to send proof of payment, as this is an online transaction recorded automatically by the school. A convenience fee of 2.25% for each transaction will be charged from parents by the bank.
Use the Pay Fees Online button at the top of any page, which opens the school’s secure payment gateway. A convenience fee of 2.25% for each transaction will be charged from parents by the bank.
Parents can avail themselves of a 5% rebate in school fees by paying for the year at once. The payment must be made in full before the 31st of March of the respective year. If there is an excess or shortfall against the year’s fees, it will be communicated accordingly during the third term.
Credit card payments can be made either by visiting the school office in person during office hours, or through the payment gateway accessible in the Talkative Parents app. All fields need to be filled: in the Description field, please mention the term you are paying for, or ‘Full year’ if it is the full year’s fees. A convenience fee of 2.25% for each transaction will be charged when payment is made through the app.
If you wish to arrange an extended settlement plan, you may contact your bank directly to do so through its “Call and Convert” options. This applies to both term fees and annual fees.
For current fee amounts, bank account details, or any other question about fees, please contact the school office.
