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Boarding Handbook. Last modified 9/06/17 Boarding Handbook 2017
Boarding Handbook. Last modified 9/06/17
Boarding Handbook 2017
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Claire Ferris Findlay Macmillan
Introduction form the Housemaster
Firstly, I offer a warm welcome on behalf of the Headmaster, the Boarding Team and my wife Viktoriia to becoming a boarding parent at Sherfield School! Archers Lodge Boarding House at Sherfield has developed an excellent reputation for having happy children who achieve their academic potential as well developing skills within their ‘holistic’ education. However, we realise some of the challenges that sending your child to a boarding school might pose and this handbook has been created in order to give you confidence in what we do at Sherfield as well as providing you with the relevant information you will need before your child comes to the boarding house. The Safeguarding of children is always our priority at Sherfield and we strictly adhere to our Safeguarding Policy as well as all of our other policies all of which are available online on the Sherfield School website. Mr. Findlay Macmillan (Housemaster)
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Boarding in 2017 It is the aim of all staff in Archer’s Lodge to ensure that boarders:
Learn how to utilize time effectively and manage commitments
Gain clear academic advantages, establishing good working habits in a structured
environment, thus raising academic achievement
Experience an array of extra-curricular activity which take place outside the school day
Undergo an ideal preparation for university life in a multi-cultural environment
Most importantly, when pupils board at Sherfield, they don’t just join a School, they become part of an extended family. They have a sense of belonging and know that they are accepted as individuals; that problems will be shared and triumphs celebrated. Living and working within a genuine community provides a safe training ground within which to develop critical life-skills, such as the importance of communication, consideration and compromise; lessons which cannot be taught as effectively in the classroom. Sherfield School’s reputation for the highest standards of pastoral care is well deserved and, to us, every child does indeed matter.
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Daily Routines The routines that our boarders adhere to vary slightly within different age brackets and the timings for weekdays are as follows: 07:00 – Wake up 07:25 – Roll Call in the common room 07:45 – Breakfast in the dining hall 08:25 – Tutor registration and the start of the school day 10:20 – 25 minute break 12:05 – Lunch time for years 5-8 12:45 – Lunch time for years 9-13 13:20 – End of lunch for years 5-8 14:25 – End of lunch for years 9-13 14:40 – 25 minute break for years 5-8 16:25 – Afternoon registration 16:45 – Afterschool clubs begin 17:45 – Afterschool clubs finish 18:00 – Dinner in the dining hall 18.25 – Evening Roll Call 18:30 – Prep begins for years 7-13 19:30 – Prep finishes for years 7-9 20:00 – Prep finishes for years 10-13 After Prep is finished the boarders have recreational time until lights out. Sometimes there are organized activities by tutors within their subject areas. Many of the older boarders elect to use the gym or the Sports Hall and we have two large common rooms with games and wide screen televisions. Bedtime routines will finish in time for Lights Out once boarders have showered and brushed their teeth: 20.30 – Years 5 and 6 21:00 – Years 7, 8 and 9 22:00 – Years 10 and 11 22:30 – Year 12 23:00 – Year 13 Lights Out is the time at which main lights are to be switched off, though it is ok to sleep with a night light. All electronic devices are not to be used after Lights Out. If any electronics are found to be used after lights out they will be confiscated in the house office until the morning. It is very important for the boarders to develop good sleeping patterns so they are at their best and are able to concentrate fully on the school day.
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Weekends The weekend routine can vary from week to week depending on the activities that are organised by the Housemaster. On Friday evenings, there is often a trip to the Leisure Centre when children can relax after their long week. Films, swimming, ice skating and bowling. Alternatively, they can stay and relax in our two high specification common rooms with their friends. Throughout the year, the boarders will go on regular Saturday trips which include leisure activities like Go-Karting and Theme Park trips as well as cultural and educational trips to places like the Natural History Museum and Blenheim Palace, around which they will have breakfast, lunch and dinner. Academic lessons are also scheduled for students as part of the preparation for their exams and courses. On a Sunday the boarders have use of all school facilities and take part in games and there is usually a bus put on to either Basingstoke or Reading. During this time the boarders have the opportunity around which they have brunch and dinner. Prep takes place on Sunday night as it does not on Friday. The Boarding Team and Structure The Head of Boarding The Boarding Team is led by Dr Olwen Wright who is Head of Boarding. Dr Wright is also Head of Seniors and a member of the Senior Leadership Team. She reports on matters arising from boarding every week at the SLT meetings. Dr Wright also meets with the Housemaster/Houseparent to discuss any issues arising from boarding. Dr Wright also oversees and advises on the weekend activity programme. These all have to be agreed by Dr Wright before they are put in the calendar. She has an office in the school and has an open door policy for boarders and parents. The safety, happiness and well-being of the boarders is always Dr Wright’s top priority. Dr Wright can be contacted for any matters boarding at; [email protected] Housemaster and Houseparent The boarding house is run by Mr Findlay Macmillan and our Houseparent/Matron, Mrs. Claire Ferris. They are the first point of contact for our parents and boarders with any issues and they make sure that everyone is taken well care of and feels comfortable in the house. Mr. Macmillan is an experienced Boarding Housemaster who has worked in four boarding schools over 20 years. Mrs. Ferris is an experienced Matron who has now also taken on the role of Houseparent at Sherfield. She has two grown up children of her own and loves nothing better than being in the common room chatting and caring for the boarders. The philosophy of both Houseparents is that children should be treated with respect and that the Boarding House is the children’s ‘home’ during term time. They both do their utmost to ensure this atmosphere and environment is created. The house is run on a democratic basis and there is both a student forum and a house prefect meeting that convene on a weekly basis. Any reasonable requests from boarders for house improvement are considered and put forward to Dr. Wright and the SLT. In our recent ‘excellent inspection’ report from the ISI on Boarding there were many examples in which student views
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were listened and responded to. Mr. Macmillan and Mrs. Ferris run the house on what is best for the boarders and never forget that they are at the centre of this world! There are two phone numbers and email addresses included below for Mrs. Ferris and Mr. Macmillan. Please contact them with any questions. These phone numbers are there to be used by parents students and guardians. Mr. Macmillan Telephone + 44 7976 847793 [email protected] Mrs. Ferris [email protected] Telephone + 44 7974 175005 Safeguarding at Sherfield We strictly follow the Sherfield School Safeguarding Policy within Archers Lodge Boarding House. If a child has any concerns they can report it to any member of staff who will respond to them in the most appropriate way possible. All boarding staff and any partners at our school go through an enhanced DBS check to ensure their suitability for working with children, At Sherfield we are highly trained within matters of Safeguarding and have an excellent Designated Safeguarding Lead in Mr. Greg Meakin. Dr. Wright, Mrs Zoe Neville Harris (Head of 6th Form), Mrs Claire Ferris (Houseparent/Matron), Mr. Macmillan (Housemaster), Mr. Nick Fisher (Headmaster) and Mrs. Claire Holliman (Head of PCSH) are all trained up to DSL Level 3. We encourage a culture of openness, community and care within the boarding house so issues that we do have are generally few but pupils should always know who they can contact if there are any concerns! Mr. Meakin, our Designated Safeguarding Lead can always be contacted at [email protected] Tutors Resident boarding tutors live in either in the boarding house or in accommodation on the school site. Our team is mostly made up of visiting tutors who are committed to helping with any issues that may arise during the evenings as well as assisting with prep and leisure activities. They are also rostered on for one weekend day in every two weekends to further weekend activities as well as being ‘on call’ in the event of emergencies. We try to have a variety of different departments represented in the boarding team. This allows the boarders to receive specialist assistance with Prep. In addition, Archers Lodge is a co-educational boarding house. Girls are on the middle floor and boys on the ground floor. Each evening a female member of staff is rostered for the boys and a male member of staff for the boys. There are alarms on each corridor which are set every night to
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ensure that boarders stay on their corridors. With such a large team of tutors the team meet regularly once per week to discuss pastoral issues and other matters. This is chaired by Mr. Macmillan and Mrs. Ferris and supported by Dr. Wright. An electronic diary is written every night to inform the whole team of any important happenings which is copied to the DSL and the Head of Boarding. Our team of resident tutors are listed below with the nights they are generally on duty between 6pm and 11pm: Mr. K.Jones (Drama) [email protected] – Thursday Miss C. Huyton (Science) [email protected] – Monday Mr. L. Mason (Art) [email protected] – Tuesday Ms H. Salentino (PE) [email protected] – Wednesday Miss V. Briggs (Design and Technology) [email protected] – Tuesday Mr. B. Loggenberg (Humanities) [email protected] - Friday Dr. G. De Cillis (Science) [email protected] - Monday They can be contacted on (01256) 884800 ext. 237 in the Archers Lodge House Office. Artist/Sportsperson and Musician in Residence We are very fortunate to have a variety of additional staff who bring a wealth of talent to the school whether this be as a resident musician, artist or sportsperson. These staff are a positive addition to boarding house life. They bring with them a youthful energy and are also able to assist tour boarders in their fields of expertise. For instance, we are very proud of our Boarding House band who are assisted by the musician in residence. Medical Provision at Sherfield At Sherfield we have a full-time nurse, Mrs Robyn Jones who helps the boarders with illness and injury they may receive at school. Mrs. Jones is also a good listener if they have any issues they need to discuss with her. At Sherfield we do not have 24 Hour medical provision but we always have staff in the house who have received a high level of First Aid training. All boarders are registered with a doctor upon their arrival at the Chineham Medical Practice and in the case of emergencies we take children to the local Hospital Accident and Emergency. We also arrange more regular appointments for the boarders at the General Practitioner. It is usually Mr. Macmillan, Mrs. Ferris or Mrs. Jones who takes the boarders there. If children feel unwell or scared during the night there is always a member of staff on duty to help. This is usually Mr. Macmillan and Mrs. Ferris. When a child comes out of their room this will set off an alarm to alert staff and there is a sofa to sit on in both the girls and boys areas whilst a member of staff come to see the pupil. Mrs. Jones can be contacted at [email protected]
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Guardians at Sherfield
It is vital that all pupils have a UK based guardian during his/her time at Sherfield. A Guardian's responsibilities include caring for the pupil as would a responsible and caring parent by, for example, being in regular contact with him or her and providing advice and support as needed. A Guardian will typically care and take responsibility for a child if he or she is unwell, suspended or expelled. The rôle may also include being authorised to make certain decisions concerning the pupil on the parents' behalf, such as consenting to emergency medical and dental treatment and dealing with matters of a disciplinary nature. Parents should clarify their wishes with regard to this and other aspects of the scope of the Guardian’s care in the letter setting out guardianship arrangements. If something goes wrong and the pupil is required to leave the school at short notice, if they are sick or if there is a force majeure event such as a fire or epidemic, then the Guardian is expected to be there to step in. The School’s expectations of the role of any Guardian are set out below. These responsibilities can be jointly allocated between parents and Guardians. We will always try to maintain direct contact with Parents even if the Guardian has assumed all of the roles outlines below. · Act as a point of contact for parents, children and the school · Act on behalf of the parents in the event of a crisis and, where possible care, for a child in the event of temporary school closure. · Provide children with educational and pastoral support (this may including attending matches, concerts etc.) · Attend Parents’ Meetings (this is to be agreed with parents of the child) · Provide suitable accommodation for half terms and weekend leave-outs · Liaise with the school with regard to leave-out and holiday arrangements. This includes transport to and from the school.
· Be responsible for liaising with the School regarding travel arrangements. This includes transport to and from the school. · Be available to liaise with the School Nurse and parents
· Accompany the child to medical appointments whenever possible · Contact Greg Meakin (Designated Safeguarding Officer) if they have any welfare or child protection concerns Practical Information to give to Parents What must my child/ward bring with them? At Sherfield many things are provided for the boarders ranging from bed sheets, pillows, duvets and towels to exercise and text books. We have a service in which all the laundry is done for the boarders. The things that need to be provided by parents or guardians are listed below – our boarders are limited to 3 large boxes of personal items each so that they can make appropriate use of storage and keep their bedrooms tidy!
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Boys 5 Pairs of school socks 5 Pairs of personal socks 14 Pairs of underwear 8 White school shirts (Smart shirts for 6th Formers) 3 Pairs of school trousers 1 School Blazer (Suits for 6th Formers) Full Sherfield PE kit 3 Pairs of casual trousers 2 Pairs of shorts 3 Jumpers 3 T-shirts 1 Pair of smart shoes 1 Pair of casual shoes 1 Pair of trainers 1 Pair of slippers 1 Coat 1 Waterproof Coat All school uniform can be purchased on arrival or in advance of arrival from Stevensons in Reading or from their online store at: https://www.stevensons.co.uk/schools/sherfield-school-hook/253 Parents can pre-order the uniform for their child/ward. Toiletries can be purchased from the local shop in Sherfield village but we advise that all new boarders bring sufficient shower gel, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste and a toothbrush to see them through the first few weeks. Naturally, all of our boarders have similar looking uniforms and clothes can easily get jumbled up when they are not clearly labelled so all of our boarders must make sure that a name tag is sewn into their clothes and that their garments are easily identifiable. Are Boarders allowed to go out? When our boarders arrive they are given a familiarisation of the school site. Boarders do have ‘free time’ and are allowed out of the house for various different reasons such as recreation or practicality. These range from access to the local village in small groups to weekend excursions into Reading or Basingstoke in small groups for those over 16. These outings are arranged at the discretion of the Housemaster and his team. Our boarders are not allowed out by themselves but friends will often accompany each other to the shops if one of our boarders needs something. There are certain areas that are ‘out of bounds’ like the school lake and the wooded areas around it, however, we enhance the boarders holistic education by access to the Sports Hall and the Music Rooms
Girls
5 Pairs of school socks 5 Pairs of personal socks 14 Pairs of underwear 8 White school blouses (Smart shirts for 6th Formers) 3 School skirts
1 School Blazer (Suits for 6th Formers)
Full Sherfield PE kit
3 Pairs of casual trousers/skirts
2 Pairs of shorts 3 Jumpers 3 T-shirts 1 Pair of smart shoes 1 Pair of casual shoes 1 Pair of trainers 1 Pair of slippers 1 Coat 1 Waterproof Coat
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Are Boarders allowed their own food? Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at Sherfield take place in the dining hall every day (with the exception of Brunch on Sundays) where a healthy range of food is offered. This is where the boarders get the majority of their food but we also stock a range of snacks and treats in the boarding house itself. Each common room has a kettle, microwave and toaster so that boarders can make supper or hot snacks in the evening should they feel hungry after a busy day in school. This is for snacks though and boarders are not allowed their own cooking equipment due to Health and Safety regulations, however, we have some keen cooks amongst our tutors who are often keen to put on ‘cooking’ as an activity. Do Boarders need any money? Most expenses are already covered in our boarding fees but many of our boarders have money to spend on goods at the local shops or to buy souvenirs on trips. We have an option in boarding to provide our boarders with £20 pocket money on alternate Fridays so that they can have money to spend at the weekend if they so wish. This is dispensed by the Houseparents. The school will not be responsible for any lost money that has not been handed in on arrival and we strongly advise that large sums of cash are not brought into the boarding house. For overseas students we help to arrange bank accounts and cards for our boarders to assist financial management. Mr. Macmillan usually arranges this in September at the Basingstoke Nationwide Building Society on a Tuesday afternoon. When are boarders allowed to call their parents and guardians? The majority of our boarders use internet based applications to communicate with their friends and family. Applications such as Skype, Instagram, Facetime and Messenger apps seem the most popular methods of communication. On weekdays, the most sensible time to be in touch with family is between the end of prep and Lights Out. This time is usually free time for our boarders and we encourage regular communication with those close to them. There is much more time at weekends to communicate with family and friends. We are, of course, understanding that some of our overseas boarders have substantial time differences between them and their parents and alternate times can be arranged in these circumstances with the teacher on duty. We understand that there can be special circumstances where communicating with family is a necessity, however, pupils should not be contacting their parent/guardian during Prep time, unless it is essential and cannot wait until later. We like to ensure all of the boarders prepare thoroughly for their classes and courses. What facilities can boarders use? Our boarders have use of all of the school facilities ranging from sports pitches and the sports hall to music practice rooms and art studios. During Games lessons students are given a wide variety of sports to choose from each term and boarders also choose an afterschool club every evening, which they attend from 4:45 to 5:45pm.
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Arriving and Departing Our boarders must arrive back at the boarding house the day before lessons begin each term and half term. They are expected to arrive between 2pm and 6pm on that day. There is an evening meal provided the day before the start of term within the school. The reason why we ask this is so the boarders can get ready appropriately for the next day. You cannot arrive before 2pm and boarders must be placed in the care of their guardians if they do. Lateness is frowned upon as lessons are very important at Sherfield. We have high academic standards which students need to meet. Similarly, at the end of each term and half term, our boarders need to leave by 6pm on the last day of the term or half term. The boarders are strongly encouraged to complete all full days at school in order to get the most of their education at Sherfield. As part of the school fees boarders receive a taxi from the airport to and from the school at the beginning and end of each term. In order to qualify for this complimentary taxi boarders must leave and arrive within the stipulated times. If a boarder arrives late taxi fares will be met by the boarder. The taxi service is provided by jarscars of Basingstoke and the Guardian should book these taxis and give jarscars the relevant flight details. This is the responsibility of guardians and boarders should not contact the taxi company directly. The insistence upon arriving and departing on time would be most appreciated. All Medicine must be handed in to the school nurse on arrival to be checked so that it can be administered by the Housemaster and Houseparent. We take the health and safety of all of our students very seriously and use of homeopathic medicines as well as prescribed and shop bought medicines must be overseen by the school nurse, Mrs. Robyn Jones. Last of all….Term Dates 2017/18
Autumn 2017
Term starts Monday 4 September
Half Term Monday 23 October – Friday 3 November
Term Ends Thursday 14 December
Spring 2018
Term starts Monday 8 January
Half Term Monday 12 February – Friday 16 February
Term Ends Wednesday 28 March (Revision day: Thursday 29 March)
Summer 2018
Term starts Tuesday 17 April
Half Term Monday 28 May – Friday 1 June
Term Ends Thursday 5 July Helpful Advice Our prefects have spoken with each other and compiled a list of useful tips that only they could give. You can pass this on to your child/ward. These are;
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- Make sure all of your items are labelled so that they don’t get mixed up!
- Don’t worry if you have forgotten anything, you can buy things in the village
- Wake up early enough to avoid a rushed morning…
- Don’t worry too much about settling in, everyone here is very welcoming
- Don’t be afraid to mix with anyone, everyone will be happy to get to know you
- Try to spend time in the common rooms to get to know people and have fun together
- If you struggle to find your way around, somebody will be happy to help
- Mix with different year groups, everyone is very friendly
- Talk to us, we have been here a while and will be happy to help you.
Welcome from the Head of House – Simeon Hübbe
Hello and welcome to boarding at Sherfield School! Boarding is certainly the best part of being at
Sherfield. You get to be with your friends (trust me, you'll make lots) day and night, have academic
support when you need it, access to on-site sports facilities, and much, much more.
When you arrive, don't be shy! Try to talk to your fellow boarders and learn about them because
chances are you'll have something in common! Once you're unpacked and settled in, you'll have
plenty of time to spend time with your new friends.
Please don't be afraid to ask me or any of the other prefects any questions you may have; we're here
to help. Very importantly, if anything goes wrong or you think could be done better, speak to any
member of the prefect team or the boarding team and we will be sure to consider what you have to
say.
We can't wait to meet you! I have included my email address if any of you want have any questions
before you arrive – pop it in an email to me and I will get back to you.
Simeon Hübbe [email protected]
