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EXHAM House Handbook 2018-19
EXHAM House Handbook2018-19
C Welcome 2
Meet the Team 3
Tutor System in Exham House 4
Photos 5
Life in the Lower School 6
Advice From Peers 7
Pastoral Care at Bloxham 8
Academic Information 9
Boarding Life in Park Close 10
Useful Information 11
Beginning Your First Term 12
Weekly Timetable 13
School Regulations 14
Help and advice 16
Map 17
ONT
ENTS
Exham House
A message from Mrs CochranI would like to wish a warm welcome to all those
joining Bloxham’s Lower School. I’m Jane Cochran,
Head of Lower School, and it is a pleasure to have you
with us.This handbook is designed to help you prepare for
your move to Bloxham, giving you and your parents
something to refer to for any questions about the
running of Exham House (Lower School’s base) or
what Bloxham School life is all about. Of course, any
member of our house staff will be happy to help you
and their contact information is included in this
booklet. You could also contact your assigned buddy,
who will be able to share their personal experiences
with you. Once the new term has begun, your parents will
have lots of ways of locating useful documents and
keeping up-to-date with school life, including our
house newsletter, the website, the school’s social
media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and
YouTube), the Parent Area of the website, and
the school’s mobile app. Be sure to follow us on
Twitter @Bloxham_Exham too.
About me:I have been a modern languages teacher and Lower School tutor at Bloxham for two years, and I am excited to take over as Head of Lower School this year. I never cease to be amazed by the energy and pace of life in Exham House! Here, in a supportive environment, we help our youngest pupils become independent learners, with the skills and qualities they will need to be successful in their later years at Bloxham and beyond. I love seeing students grow in confidence during these first two years and enjoy watching their friendships and skills develop. Life before Bloxham started with a degree in French, teaching English in Paris then becoming a holiday courier in Brittany. I worked in France for eight years before heading back to the UK to complete a PGCE. I then spent 14 years as a languages teacher, nine as Head of Department at Wood Green School, Witney; and later, as a Head of Department at Chenderit School, Northamptonshire.
Away from Bloxham, I love to travel, cook and spend time with my family – husband Wayne, son Xavier, 15, and daughter Ella, 12, who joins Bloxham this year. They keep me very busy! Eventually, I would love a French house by the sea, as I do miss the country… [email protected]
Welcome from everyone in
Let’s Meet the TeamMrs Cooper (ALC) - Deputy Head of Lower SchoolMrs Adrienne Cooper is Deputy Head of Lower School and a Lower School tutor. She is also Head of Economics and Business. In addition, she coaches some badminton and was Housemistress of Wilberforce House for nine years. Outside of school she enjoys going to the theatre and listening to live music and comedy. All three of her boys are Old Bloxhamists. [email protected]
Mrs Dales (JLMD) – Lower School AdministratorMrs Jayne Dales is an essential part of the team. She is often the first point of contact for parents, tutors and teachers for the latest information on where everybody is and helps the house to run as smoothly as possible. Both her children are Old Bloxhamists and her husband David has recently retired from his role as Head of PE here at Bloxham, so she fully appreciates the demands of the busy Bloxham week. [email protected] 01295 724337
Mrs Heathcote (SH) – Housemistress, Park CloseMrs Sophie Heathcote joined Bloxham in 2004 as a sports coach, and since then has taken successful sports tours to Northern Europe, Paris and South Africa. In 2013, Sophie became Lower School’s Sports Coordinator before extending her reach in Exham to become a tutor and then Assistant Housemistress of Park Close in 2015. Sophie takes responsibility for all boarding and pastoral care of the Exham House boarders as well as continuing her support to the PE Department in hockey, rounders, tennis and netball. Prior to Bloxham, Sophie spent many years as an A&E nurse before taking a break to raise a family. She has three children; Alice, Harry and Louisa, who are all Old Bloxhamists. She especially enjoys supporting the broader curriculum at Bloxham, leading outward-bound activities such
as the annual French Alps Trip and First and Second Form camps, as well as supporting DofE. [email protected] 07787 561183
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Mr Heathcote - Houseparent at Park CloseMr Guy Heathcote is married to Sophie and they live at Park Close, with their three children visiting regularly! He has extensive experience in accounting and finance, but more recently has found a passion in padel tennis, installing courts in clubs and centres around the UK and further afield to help promote the sport.
Mrs Sheppard (JSH) – Park Close HousekeeperMrs Jayne Sheppard has been running the domestic side of things at Park Close for over a decade. She is responsible for the immaculate appearance of the house and makes sure that it remains a fantastic place for our young boarders to grow up. Jayne is particularly excited about the new refurbishment Park Close has seen. [email protected] 01295 721712
Miss Boland – Assistant Housemistress, Park CloseMiss Harriet Boland recently graduated from the University of Gloucestershire with a degree in Sports Coaching and Development. She joins Bloxham this year as the Assistant Housemistress in Park Close as well as being the new sports graduate for hockey and netball. She is an Old Bloxhamist, having spent seven years here as a student between 2008 and 2015, and now looks forward to being on the other side of the fence! As well as coaching and playing sport, she has a real love of animals, and you can quite often find her in the local farm helping out when she can.
Tutor System in Exham HouseAll of the houses at Bloxham are run in a similar way—the housemaster/mistress leads, with lots of support from their assistant housemaster/mistress. At each stage of your life at Bloxham you are assigned a tutor, a member of the teaching staff, who provides support and guidance. Recognising specific educational and pastoral needs at these stages, you are assigned a tutor for your time between First and Second Form, then Third and Fifth Form and another when you get to Sixth Form. As a member of Exham House, your tutor supports Mrs Cochran and Mrs Cooper within Lower School, as well as Mrs Heathcote if you are a boarder at Park Close, and will help you to monitor your progress, both academic and personal. You will have weekly meetings with them and they will offer you advice.
Mr Broady-Bennett
Mr Richard Broady-Bennett recently joined Bloxham as a
design and technology teacher as well as being a First Form tutor in Exham. He teaches resistant materials and graphics to all year groups. In his spare time he enjoys golf, cycling and walking with his family. He also likes to ski and travel to new places. As a new member of staff he’s particularly looking forward to getting stuck in to and helping out with the broader curriculum activities on offer at Bloxham.
Miss Hickling
Miss Alice Hickling teaches textiles, which is an option at
GCSE and A Level, and has one of the nicest classrooms on the school site– decorated with some amazing work done by her students! She spent nine years in Wilberforce and has been a member of the Lower School since 2012. She is a First Form tutor. Miss Hickling has a son, Ben, who is an Old Bloxhamist.
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Mr Redpath
Mr Alex Redpath has been Director of Music and a tutor at Bloxham
since September 2015, now taking on the role as a Second Form tutor in Exham. He currently directs the school Orchestra and Wind Orchestra, as well as Lower School Chapel services. He has a passion for cooking and enjoys encouraging students to be adventurous in the kitchen! Outside school Mr Redpath enjoys travelling, gardening and all things family related.
Mr Sitsapesan
Mr Mano Sitsapesan has been working as a chemistry teacher
at Bloxham since 2015, having taught in a number of schools in London and Bristol for the past 25 years. He lives in Oxford with his wife and three children and enjoys walking, squash and gardening. Mano is a part-time tutor in Exham House.
Mr Millington
Mr Andrew Millington joined Bloxham School in January 2016
as Head of Physics, having spent 11 years at Warwick School where he was also Head of Physics and a boarding house tutor. He is a Second Form tutor in Exham. He enjoys outdoor activities, including climbing, sailing and white-water kayaking. He is a keen hillwalker, and Mountain Leader award holder, and now runs the Gold DofE programme at Bloxham. In his own time he enjoys nothing more than walking in the Cotswolds with his wife, [email protected]
Miss Goode
Miss Anna Goode recently joined Bloxham as a Spanish
and French teacher, as well as First Form tutor in Exham. Her passions include speaking languages, singing, swimming, cats, walking and kettlebells! She also enjoys travelling in and outside of Europe and has visited countries such as Canada, Cambodia, Thailand, New Zealand and Australia.
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Life In the Lower SchoolIn the Lower School we work hard to try and make you feel as comfortable as possible. Using the following principles as our guide, we strive to help each student to:
• Settle, develop and grow• Embrace fun, friendships and challenges• Inspire each other to be ambitious about who we are and what we can achieve.
Before a student arrives at Bloxham we seek full and detailed information about their background, identified learning needs, family situation and health. This informaation is distributed efficiently to those who need to know.
Each student will attend a new student event to begin the familiarisation process.
What is the lower school?The Lower School is where you, as First and Second Form pupils, will take your first exciting steps at Bloxham, before moving up to the senior school and entering one of our seven senior houses.
For all Lower School students, your ‘base’ on the school campus is in Exham House, giving you somewhere to relax at break time. We always have company in Exham House, whether it is the duty tutor or Sixth Form students doing their DofE volunteering.
For the Lower School boarders, your residential home is at Park Close. Park Close is your boarding house where you will go home to after supper and where you will be cared for in all aspects of pastoral care, by your Housemistress, Mrs Heathcote, and her team.
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“It Is hard to know where everything is right at the beginning so be confident in asking for help, if necessery”Try lots of new things whilst
you are here. It’s one of the bonuses of Bloxham; you can try almost anything you could imagine!
“Thick socks are an essential when you’re at school - you’ll need them most days.”
“Most importantly,
enjoy yourself!”
advice from Peers
“Treat those around you with respect.”
Be your own person.
• A full and proper induction particularly for any pupil joining the school at an unusual time
• Leadership and ‘parenting’ from the housemaster/mistress• Guidance, support, encouragement and advocacy from their tutor• Leadership opportunities within the house and school• Accommodation in well maintained and cared for boarding house• An understanding of the variety of people who they can talk to if they wish to seek
help• A PSHE course which is relevant to their age and experience• Advice on keeping safe, with particular reference to cyber-safety• The opportunity to have their voice heard in the house and school• Healthy meals and snacks• Advice and guidance on leading a healthy lifestyle • A warm and friendly environment in which to feel secure and happy • Support in personal spiritual development• Help to develop respect for others both locally and in a diverse world• Help to develop respect for the property of others• Encouragement to have an inquiring mind, to read and to think• Opportunities to take part in structured and safe social activities appropriate to their
age• Opportunities to explore careers and prepare for life after Bloxham• Instruction as to how to improve their communication skills• Support, guidance and help to form positive relationships• Instruction to develop listening skills• Nurturing to build and develop self-esteem and that of others• A regular communication between school and parents• Encouragement to develop their talents to the full – both academic and non-
academic• Help to become emotionally robust• Fair and transparent disciplinary procedures• Recognition for their success and effort in every area of school life• Access to the school counsellor...
...so that they may leave Bloxham as engaging, respectful, caring and confident individuals who are ready to live happily, contributing positively to the ever-changing world in which they live.
Whilst at the School Every Student Will Receive:
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Internal Assessment ReportsAssessment Reports are written every half term by teachers to comment on your aca-demic progress within each subject.
You will receive three grades:
Your AtL - Your attitude to learningYour CWT - Your current attainment level (currently working towards)Target Grade - Self explanatory!
Your teachers will also give you advice on how to improve. On occasions, you and your tutor might agree to have a work card to highlight key areas for improvement over the next half term. During the week immediately following the report, your tutor will discuss the comments with you. Your parents will receive an email from the school after this point, including log on details so they can access your report themselves. This makes it essential that the school has the most up-to-date email address for your parents, so if they get a new email, please ask them to alert the Admissions Department at [email protected].
Students are required to write their own ‘self-reflection’ reports at the end of each term. These allow students to look critically at their own performance and judge for them-selves how they are progressing.
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•Fountain pen or good quality roller
ball pen
•Spare ink cartridges (blue or
black ink)
•2 spare roller ball style pe
ns (blue or black)
•2 sharp HB pencils
•Coloured pencils (at least 6 colours)
•Scientific calculator - Casio Fx 83
•Green biro
•Red biro
•Purple biro
•Pencil sharpener•Pritt Stick or similar glue•Pair of scissors•Protractor•Set square•15cm or 30 cm ruler
•Pair of compasses•Rubber
Students should have a clear plastic pencil case containing the following items:
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Boarding Life inPark CloseBoarding in Park Close is designed to be an enriching experience for our Lower School pupils, helping children unlock their full potential. The Park Close experience is built upon a strong partnership between home and school—if you have any concerns at all, please get in contact as early as possible and we will do everything in our power to handle the matter and promote our pupils’ interests.
Arrivals and departuresAt the start of each term, it is helpful for pupils to arrive at Park Close on the evening prior to the term beginning. Please ensure that children have eaten before returning to school. Feel free to arrive after 7.00pm but please do let us know if you are going to be arriving at a wildly different hour.During term time, weekly boarders may return to school either on the Sunday evening (between 6.00pm and 8.30pm) or on the Monday morning (between 7.30am and 7.40am at the house or between 8.00am or 8.20am at school). Parents can vary this on a weekly basis, but please make sure that you keep us informed as to when to expect you. Collection can either be on Friday evenings or after Saturday sports commitments.
Shape of the day in Park CloseOn top of those timings given elsewhere in this handbook, a Park Close boarder’s day also includes:Waking up - Pupils are woken up at 7.00am and everyone walks over for breakfast at around 7.30am. If you are dropping off your child on a Monday morning and arrive later than this, please deliver them straight to Exham House or we can meet them at breakfast.Evening activities - Park Close weekly boarders are supervised by the duty tutor up until 9pm. After supper, pupils return to Park Close to get changed into home clothes and prepare for evening activities. We endeavour to provide a wide range of activities and entertainments for the children, whilst leaving time for some rest and free-time. Bed time - Pupils usually go up to bed at around 8.30pm and lights out is by 9.00pm.
Miscellaneous Mobiles in the boarding house - Weekly boarders hand in their mobiles by 8.20pm - in the case of an emergency there is always a landline available in the house. For any weekly boarders who don’t own a mobile, they are allowed access to the house’s landline so that they can make calls home in private.Mobiles can delay the settling in process so we do not recommend that parents make too many regular calls to their children.Fire - In case of fire whilst at Park Close, pupils should congregate by the tennis courts.Parental access to Park Close - At the beginning and end of each term, parents have full access to Park Close to deliver and collect pupils. However, keeping with our Safeguarding Policy, parents may not visit the boarding house unsupervised. It is imperative that every visitor, including parents, inform Mrs Heathcote or Mrs Sheppard in advance if they wish to visit and ensure that they sign in on arrival and out on departure.
Useful Information• All clothes (an
d shoes) are clearly marked
with name tapes, including casual cl
othes,
making them easier to return if lost.
• All items of uniform conform to the lists
on
the school website.
• You bring spare name labels in case a
ny are
lost over the year.
• Don’t forget to bring your ow
n duvet cover if
you want to personalise your r
oom!
Jane CochranAvailable via Lower School / Jayne Dales Office:01295 724337
Sophie HeathcotePark Close:01295 721712Mobile:07787 561183
Jayne Sheppard:01295 721712
Boarders’ Packing List:Clothes:School uniform (a full breakdown of what this includes is also available via the school website)
2 sets of casual clothing (suitable for activities)
1 set of smart-ish clothes for going out (e.g. trip to the cinema)
6 sets of underwear
6 pairs of socks (Tip: it makes life a lot easier if name tapes are vertical down the sock)
1 coat or anorak for evenings
1 waterproof jacket
2 pairs of pyjamas
1 dressing gown
1 pair of slippers - compulsory
1 overnight bag (for going home at weekends)
N.B. All bed linen is provided but pupils may choose to bring their own (please provide two sets).
Wash items:Wash bag (containing):
Sponge/flannel
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Shower gel/shampoo
Nail brush
Nail scissors
Hair brush/comb
2 bath towels and 2 hand towels
Extras:Reading books
Small posters or pictures to decorate rooms
Tuck (healthy treats!)
Small amount of pocket money
Four net washing bags for laundry
Shoe polish
Contact Numbers
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• All clothes must be machine washable, tumble drier safe and named!
• Make sure you bring spare name labels in case any are lost over the year.
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Beginning Your First TermThere will be various induction day activities taking place throughout Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th September for new Lower School students. Please check the timetable below to ensure you know when you need to be in school. Lower School staff will be available to greet you on arrival at Exham House. Please arrive wearing your school uniform but ensure your games kit is accessible for activities later in the day. Day boarders should put their belongings in the day room on arrival. Lessons begin on Friday 7th September.
Thursday 6th Sept Friday 7th Sep Saturday 8th Sep
First Form
10.30am Arrive & induction
11am Headmaster parent talk
5pm Students go home
8.30am School assembly
8.45am Lessons5pm Eucharist
9.30 - 11am First & Second Form girls
hockey session(recommended)
Second Form Stay at home
Induction Week Timetable
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
8:20 Registration
Whole school assembly
(8:30)08:30 – 09:30
P1 P1 08:50 – 09:30 P1
P1 P1
09:35 – 10:35
P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 Occasional sports
fixtures10:35 – 11:05
Break Break Break Break Break Optional extra sport
11:05 – 12:05
P3 P3 P3 P3 P3
12:05 – 13:05
P4 P4 P4 P4 P4
13:05 – 14:05
Lunch LunchWind band 13:20-13:55
(RR)
Lunch Lunch LunchChoir 13:20-13:55 (RR)
13.55 Registration
14:05 Whole school assembly
SSR P5 14:05 – 15:05 Sports / fixtures
P5 Drama (Second
Form) / art (First Form)
Occassional sports
fixtures, often by
invitation14:25 – 15:25
P5 GAMES P5 P6 15:10 – 16:10 Sports / fixtures
P5 Drama (Second
Form) / art (First Form)
15:25-15:50
Break Break Break (16:10-16:30)
Sports / fixtures
Break
15:50-16:50
Activities P6 Prep P7 16:35 – 17:55 Drama (First Form) / art
(Second Form)
Activities P6 Prep or (art award)
17:00-18:00
P7 Tutor time17:40 House
assembly (RR)
Activities P7 16:35 – 17:55 Drama (First Form) / art
(Second Form)
P7 Prep 17:15 Chapel
17:55 Registration
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Weekly Timetable
School Regulations
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For a full list of regulations, please see the ‘School Regulations’ list available in the house.
Timings of the school dayRegistration and house assembly— Morning registration and house assembly for all Lower School pupils takes place at 8.20am every weekday morning in the Exham House common room. Please don’t drop your child off before this time unless by prior arrangement.Afternoon registration (house tick-in) is held towards the end of the lunch break in the Exham House common room.Prep and tutor time—All pupils have supervised prep time together in Exham house throughout the week. Tutor time is from 5.00pm to 6.00pm on Mondays.End of the school day— The school teaching day ends at 6.00pm. Day pupils may be collected at this time. Rather than being collected, some pupils catch one of the school buses home. These leave school at 6.00pm (departure time may vary if there are social events taking place at school). More information is available on the school website or you can contact the Bursar for further details.Please note: students must register at 5.55pm before leaving school.
Uniform and additional kitUniform and casual clothes— Pupils must wear their school uniform throughout the day until after dinner, and also at formal school events. You can find more information on our Uniform page on the website. School shoes—Boys’ and girls’ school shoes should prioritise practicality and robustness over fashion.Additional kit—Lower School pupils will all need a rucksack to carry round their equipment during the school day. They also need a sports bag—this needs to be large enough for all their games kit but portable. It is helpful to keep small bags inside it to store PE kit, a swimming kit, sport shoes and wet/dirty kit.Lost property—All students’ property should be clearly labelled so that lost items can be returned easily. Lost property is stored by the deputy head (pastoral).
Term dates and holidays Beginning and end of term— The dates, start and finish times of each half term are listed on the school calendar, the Parents’ Information pages on the school website and on the app. There are three terms each school year and each is broken up by a half term holiday. If students are not able to return at the publicised time, parents need to contact their housemaster/mistress in good time to organise alternative arrangements. This year’s Exeat weekends (when the school is closed and all pupils leave) are 28th to 30th September and 24th to 26th November. Parents or guardians are responsible for their child during the breaks and holiday periods. Absence from school—Pupils are expected to attend school for the whole term and any leave of absence (except medical or dental appointments) during this time must be approved by the headmaster (he can be emailed at [email protected]).
Miscellaneous
Meals— All school meals are compulsory for boarders and all Lower School pupils must go to lunch. Eating in public is contrary to good manners and is against the school rules, as is chewing gum.
Mobiles— Some children like to have a mobile in case of emergency, however, these are not to be used during the school day. If pupils do bring them in to school, they are collected in at 8.30am and returned at 6.00pm. We recommend insuring expensive phones as they can easily get lost or damaged. Please attempt to name phones in some way.
Computers/iPads—Students from First to Fifth Form are provided with a device, to be used as a learning tool. Each is pre-loaded with all the necessary academic software and the latest version of Microsoft Office.
Minibus routes— The school has a fleet of minibuses which run a daily service. More information is available on the school website or you can contact the school bursar for further details.
House Dances—These are a long-standing tradition of Bloxham. The form of party varies but they’re always a fun evening for the pupils.
Security— Each student has access to lockers for their belongings in Exham House. Park Close boarding house is secured by digilocks and the codes are changed regularly. Students must not let people into Exham House or Park Close who they don’t know and should store their valuables safely.
Fire— If the fire alarm sounds during the school day, Lower School pupils should congregate on the swimming pool lawn, by Exham House. There is at least one fire drill per term, which students should treat as a real fire. The alarm system is checked weekly.
Out of bounds— All pupils need to acquaint themselves with a definitive list of the areas in the village that are out of bounds.
Offensive weapons— Any non-fixed blade knives, BB guns, air guns and replica guns are considered to be offensive weapons and must not be brought to school.
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Help and AdvicePalmer Health CentreThe school’s health centre is based on the main site and is staffed by registered nurses and a visiting school medical officer. They look after students’ health and wellbeing whilst at school, including: general ill health; support for physical or psychological health conditions; emergency ill health or first aid; health education; support or administration of medication; and general health advice. Parents should notify the health centre about any prescription medication their child takes.
If a student feels unwell they should attend the health centre for advice and support. If the sister decides a student is unfit to re-main at school, they will contact parents/ guardians to discuss appropriate action. Students must not arrange to be collected by parents without visiting the health centre for assessment.
All boarders are expected to register with the school GP, whilst day boarders can choose to stay with their family GP. The school’s doctor holds two surgeries each week (times above) and students can book an appointment via the Palmer staff:Palmer Health Centre can be contacted during the day on 01295 724306 or in an emergency on 01295 720441. To get in contact via email, use [email protected].
Don’t forget that if you have any worries or need advice, there is a long list of people who can help: Your own familyYour house team A house captain or prefectThe ChaplainA peer listener (they can be contacted by emailing [email protected])
The school’s counsellor, Steve Thorpe, is here to help students with any worries or problems they would like to share, whether it’s school work, friendship difficulties or issues at home. He is in school on Mondays and Tuesdays and can be emailed directly using [email protected], or an appointment can be booked for a student, by a member of staff.
Other useful numbers that are available include:Childline: 0800 1111Ofsted: 08456 404045Children’s commissioner: 0800 5280731 Bloxham School independent listeners: Becky Horton on [email protected] or 01295 721152Mike Tydeman on [email protected] or 01295 721525
Surgery Opening TimesMonday to Friday8.00am—8.45am 1.15pm—2.00pm 6.00pm—7.00pm Saturday 8.00am—8.45am 1.00pm—1.30pm 5.00pm—6.00pm
Sunday 10.30am—11.30am 5.00pm—6.00pm
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