Introduction to Ampleforth College 2022-23

An Introduction to Ampleforth College

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Contents An Introduction to Ampleforth College .................................................................................................. 4 Sources of Information ................................................................................................................................ 4 The Ampleforth Society .............................................................................................................................. 5 New Starter Documents............................................................................................................................. 5 Arrival .............................................................................................................................................................. 5 Getting to know your child ........................................................................................................................ 5 Important Dates ............................................................................................................................................ 6 Dress Code .................................................................................................................................................... 7 Buying everything on the uniform list ......................................................................................................... 7 Naming Items .................................................................................................................................................... 7

Keeping in Touch.......................................................................................................................................... 8 Mobile Phones ................................................................................................................................................... 8 Other Methods of Keeping in Touch .......................................................................................................... 8

The Middle School - Years 9 to 11 ........................................................................................................ 10 Year 9................................................................................................................................................................ 10 Year 10.............................................................................................................................................................. 10 Year 11(The Remove) ................................................................................................................................... 10

Sixth Form ................................................................................................................................................... 11 Year 12 (Middle 6th) ........................................................................................................................................ 11 Year 13 (Upper 6th)......................................................................................................................................... 11

Individual Lessons ...................................................................................................................................... 12 Music ................................................................................................................................................................. 12 Tennis................................................................................................................................................................ 12 Equestrian ........................................................................................................................................................ 12

English as an Additional Language (EAL) ............................................................................................... 13 Technology .................................................................................................................................................. 14 Health Matters............................................................................................................................................ 15 School Medical Officers ................................................................................................................................ 15 Health Protocol .............................................................................................................................................. 15 Health Record ................................................................................................................................................. 16 Immunisation ................................................................................................................................................... 16 Medication ........................................................................................................................................................ 16 Travel Vaccinations ........................................................................................................................................ 16 Private Medical Insurance ............................................................................................................................. 16 2

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Travel ........................................................................................................................................................... 17 Escorted Travel Service ................................................................................................................................ 17 Unescorted Travel Services: ........................................................................................................................ 17 Luggage – Shipping and Storage .................................................................................................................. 18 Outgoing - Ampleforth College to home .................................................................................................. 18 Incoming - Home to Ampleforth College ................................................................................................. 18

Other Important Matters ........................................................................................................................ 19 Food .................................................................................................................................................................. 19 Visiting School ................................................................................................................................................. 19 School Shop ..................................................................................................................................................... 20

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An Introduction to Ampleforth College You will have a busy summer preparing for Ampleforth, particularly if this is the first time that a member of your family has come to boarding school. In this document we have tried to answer the questions which families frequently have at this stage. Please do contact the Admissions Office if you have other questions.

Sources of Information My School Portal: If you haven’t already done so we recommend that you sign up for the My School Portal app as this is an important information source for you and you will be accessing it regularly You will be asked if you want to add it to your home screen when you login. We also recommend ticking the ‘Keep me logged in’ box on the sign in page so that you don’t have to keep repeating this. The portal has lots of useful information including your child’s timetable, teachers, reports, effort grades, rewards and sanctions as well as the school calendar, staff contact details, a parent directory (you need to opt-in to display your details which we encourage you to do), the co-curricular activities on offer, and a form to request to take your child out if you come to visit Weekly update: Every Friday afternoon during term-time, parents receive an information update email from the College. This is sent from an account called news@ampleforth.org.uk. Periodically, when internet service providers update their firewalls, this mass email is bounced into junk/spam folders so if you don’t receive it, please find the email in your junk/spam folder and mark it as coming from a safe domain/sender. Usually, the weekly update also includes links to a short newsletter from each of the Houses.

Social Media: To keep in touch with what is going on at school, we recommend following the Ampleforth College account on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and/or LinkedIn, All of the Houses and Academic Faculties also have social media accounts (not LinkedIn).

Parent Representatives: Each Year Group in a House has a parent representative (parent rep). Your houseparent will be in touch to let you know who this is or will invite interested parents to take up the role.

As most of our families live a long way from school, parent reps help arrange social events so that parents can meet and get to know each other. For example, there is an annual Parents’ Day for each Year Group (which allows parents to come and meet their child’s teachers in person to hear about their progress) and reps usually organise drinks or supper in a local pub the evening before. This is a tradition which our parents greatly value. Earlier that evening, the reps are invited to meet with members of the Senior Leadership Team to ask any questions their fellow parents have and make sure the school is aware of parental opinion. Your rep will be in touch with you in advance to ask if you have anything you would like to raise. Minutes from these meetings are published on the Portal. To help your Rep contact you, please opt in to display your contact information on the Parent Directory on the Portal (this is a sign-in app so your details will not be available publicly).

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The Ampleforth Society The Ampleforth Society is our alumni association and includes current and past parents as well as friends of the College. Parents become members of the Ampleforth Society as their child enrols at Ampleforth College.

Students become members of the Ampleforth Society at the end of their school career.

The Ampleforth Society aims to keep friends of the College (and also Ampleforth Abbey) connected with Ampleforth as well as with each other. The Society hosts a programme of events around the world which enable members to reconnect, to network, and to support and celebrate Ampleforth. The Society supports the College’s Careers curriculum and also offers mentoring services and careers support to members through an online platform called Ampleforth Global. A large proportion of the Society’s income is spent on providing bursaries at the College.

If you wish to know more about Ampleforth Society membership, please contact societymail@ampleforth.org.uk.

To learn more about the Ampleforth Society, please visit: www.ampleforthcollege.org.uk/society.

New Starter Documents These are an important part of the admissions process, which allows the College to have all the information required so that we can help your son or daughter settle in very quickly at the start of the year. You will by now have received a login to My School Portal so that you can complete these forms online. If you have not already done so, please complete the forms as soon as possible so that we can ensure everything is in place.

Arrival Admissions have invited you to welcome drinks in Main Hall at 1:30pm on Monday 5 September. This is really aimed at those parents who do not feel they know the school well yet, perhaps as they live overseas and have progressed through the admission process almost exclusively remotely. For those families, there will be a tour and then you will drive to your child’s House.

If you are not taking part in the tour, then you should drive to your child’s House for 3pm The gates around the campus will all be open, and you can drive right up to the House to deposit all your child’s luggage. Your child will be given plenty of time to unpack and get settled into their new room and meet their peers. There will time for you to talk to the Houseparent and meet other members of the House team as well as other new families.

At 4.15pm, parents are invited to join us in the Abbey Church for a welcome from the Head and prayers with the Dean before you depart.

Getting to know your child The most important ingredient in helping a child to settle is communication between the House and their home. Your Houseparent will be in touch before term starts, if they have not done so already, to find out more about your child. Please do tell them anything which is important, so they really understand your child.

This might include your child’s health, problems with sleeping, and family information. They will also be happy to answer any questions you have which are specific to your child or general questions about the House.

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Important Dates Term dates: The term dates including Exeats and Half-Terms are always advertised well in advance on the school website, allowing you to book travel, particularly flights, in good time. Students can leave the evening before whole school travel (Thursday evening before an Exeat, Wednesday evening before a Half Term) ONLY with parents/guardians who pick up in person. Otherwise, students leave on whole school travel on the Friday morning of an Exeat and the Thursday morning of a Half-Term.

Parents’ Days: Each Year group has a Parents’ Day during the year, always on Saturdays, when parents visit the College to meet their child’s teachers, discuss their progress, and hear presentations relevant to their stage of education. Parents’ Days are also really valuable opportunities to meet and spend time with other Ampleforth families and to get to know your child’s friends.

On the Friday during the day, a parents' retreat is offered with Fr Ambrose. Early Friday evening, the Parent Representatives meet members of the Senior Leadership Team and the Head of Year. Your Parent Rep will contact you to ask if there is anything you would like raised. On Saturday morning, there is a concert from students in the Year group before the teacher meetings start. A buffet lunch is served, and everyone is invited to stay and watch the sport fixtures taking place in the Valley that afternoon. Match tea is served in the Cricket Pavilion from 3pm.

Dates and further details are on the Portal under School Information / Parents’ Days.

Year 7 & 8:

29 April 2023

Year 9:

12 November 2022

Year 10:

12 January 2023

Year 11:

25 February 2023

Year 12:

11 March 2023

Year 13:

8 October 2022

Exhibition: Exhibition is our annual celebration of the College and the achievements of that year. It is an opportunity for the whole community to get together and starts on Friday evening with parents invited to the Junior Play, School Mass in celebration of that year’s leavers, and buffet supper. On Saturday, there is prize giving in the morning, followed by a BBQ lunch, and afternoon entertainment including a matinee of the Junior Play, a Concert, CCF Parade, exhibitions of students’ work, and various sports matches involving students, parents and OAs. Exhibition finishes around 4-5pm.

In 2023, Exhibition is planned for Friday 28 and Saturday 29 May.

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Dress Code The uniform list has been put together by some of our most experienced staff, who know how much clothing and equipment is required. Students wear clothes which conform to the Dress Code during the school day, for Mass, and for special occasions. At other times, they are allowed to wear their own clothes. You may already have looked through the Dress Code on the left-hand side menu in My School Portal when you click into New Parents.

Buying everything on the uniform list Some families choose not to buy too much at first, so that their children are confident that they have bought the right sort of clothes. Our Dress Code is strict, however, so please ensure your child comes to Ampleforth College with clothes which meet the school’s expectations.

Sports kit is ordered online via the New Starter Forms in MSP. When your child arrives at school on Monday 5th September, they will find their named sports kit ready for them on their bed.

Naming Items The items ordered via our online forms will be labelled by the school shop. All other belongings, including clothing and duvet covers if you are bringing your own, should be labelled at home with nametapes detailing your child's initials and surname followed by their student number and the initial of their boarding house, for example, John Mark Smith going into St Hugh's would have: J.M. SMITH 12345 H Child’s Initials Surname School ID Number House Letter Please refer to the chart below for the House Letter. Your School ID Number is listed on an email you have received from us already entitled – Ampleforth College: Student Number.

House St Aidan’s S Bede’s St Cuthbert’s St Dunstan’s & St Oswald’s St Edward’s & St Wilfrid’s St Hugh’s St John’s St Margaret’s St Thomas’

Letter A B C DO EW H J M T

Overseas families might not be familiar with name tapes, which are an important part of boarding school life in England. They are a necessary item so that your son or daughter’s clothing can be quickly identified and stop items getting lost.

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Keeping in Touch We fully understand how important it is for students to know they can speak with their families and for you to know that you can keep in regular contact with your child and learn how they are getting on directly from them. Every House has a house phone and students may ask their Houseparent to use this. Alternative methods include:

Mobile Phones Students are allowed to have a mobile phone, but there are rules about their use (according to the age) which will be explained to your children. If you are buying a phone, be aware that reception in the valley is often poor but the best signal currently available is from the EE network.

The best time to call students in Years 7 and 8 is between 7.45pm and 8.45pm on weekdays, after 3.30pm on Saturdays and anytime on Sunday except during Mass and prep time.

The best time to call students from Year 9 to 13 is between 5.30pm and 7pm on weekdays, after 3.30pm on Saturdays and anytime on Sunday except during Mass and prep time.

If you live overseas in a different time-zone, then we understand that you might need to liaise with your Housemaster or Housemistress to find a convenient time to ring.

Other Methods of Keeping in Touch Many students use Skype, WhatsApp, Facetime or Facebook Messenger to keep in touch with home. There is a firewall which restricts access to the internet at particular times. The students also receive a school email address when they join the school.

Regrettably, you will rarely receive a written letter from your child these days, but you may wish to send them letters and deliveries. The postal address is: Name of House Ampleforth College York, YO62 4ER

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A Brief Overview of Academic Matters You will receive regular communications from the College about your child’s educational progress, and an update is provided at Parents’ Days. The information below gives an outline. Academic matters at Ampleforth College are overseen by Mr John Devitt, Deputy Head Academic.

Education is a partnership between students, teachers, and parents. At every step of the way the key to this working well is communication. At Ampleforth College there are several different modes of communication which each serve a different purpose, and different people to whom questions or concerns should be directed.

Of course, a student’s Housemaster or Housemistress is an essential lynchpin of this partnership, and you are welcome to email or telephone them as necessary, particularly regarding pastoral issues.

Each student has a Tutor too. The Tutor works with a particular Year Group within one boarding House, meeting the students at least once a week formally for a tutorial. Their focus is on ensuring the student is flourishing academically, discussing study skills, course options, and careers, and managing their curricular and co-curricular commitments. You will hear from your child’s Tutor at least once per half term via email and through written reports (on the Portal), and they should be the first port of call for any academic queries. The Tutors are managed by the Heads of Year, who will be in touch with you at the start of term to introduce themselves.

You can also get information about your child’s life at school from My School Portal. This online database provides information about setting and timetables and is the means by which half-termly effort grades and termly written reports are published. You will already have received your login details in order to complete the New Starter Forms.

Junior House - Years 7 and 8 In Years 7 and 8 we aim to embed expectations, providing a platform on which to achieve excellence at GCSE and in the Sixth Form. Each learner will be appropriately challenged; we understand the importance of numeracy, literacy, and oracy skills, and these are placed firmly at the heart of our curriculum.

The curriculum offers continuity of learning between key stages at Ampleforth College. It combines two aims: firstly, a breadth of study which enthuses and enriches the pupils’ experience of each subject; secondly, a focus on key learning skills such as evaluation, research, critical thinking, and collaboration, ensuring excellent preparation for future academic examination requirements and beyond. Access to the full range of facilities helps to create an authentic and challenging learning experience.

In addition to the academic curriculum, our pupils have a wide range of co-curricular opportunities equally enriched by the facilities available on site; from shooting and rugby to chess and Lego robotics, all led by enthusiastic experts.

Learning in the classroom is reinforced by our outstanding standards of pastoral care. We aim to provide an exciting and happy environment, where success will be celebrated, disappointment softened, and where all children are encouraged to be aspirational - most importantly, where children can be themselves.

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The Middle School - Years 9 to 11 Year 9 For Year 9 students, the focus is on settling in and having a go. As students arrive from all over the world, precious new friendships are formed. Many students need time to get used to being at a big school, organising themselves and learning many new and exciting subjects. Equally we need time to get to know them, where their individual strengths lie and where they might need more support or encouragement. In key subjects like Maths, Science and English, students are initially placed in a teaching set based on the information we have about them from their previous school. As the year progresses and we get to know their ability better, our setting becomes more accurate, but at no time is setting fixed – we encourage all our students to go beyond their and our expectations.

We also want Year 9 students to try things out, in the classroom, on the games field and in the activity options.

In the Lent term, students will begin to consider which subjects they will continue into GCSE and go on to make their choices in the summer term.

Year 10 Year 10 is a year of hard work and lots of opportunities. Students flourish on the sports field, in the theatre, singing in the Schola or playing in the orchestra, and working hard in the classroom. The important role of service is developed through the activity programme. The retreat in Year 10 focuses on prayer and many students prepare for confirmation in Year 10 which takes place in May. This is the year to do a few things well alongside a solid study regime. At the end of the year all students have school exams in their courses.

The New Starter Forms ask you to complete Option Choices for Year 10, these can be found here.

Year 11(The Remove) GCSE exams are the main focus throughout Year 11, but that is not to say students should down tools elsewhere. A full activities and games programme continues to run, ensuring a balanced programme whilst additional focused academic support is increased where needed. The Year 11 retreat focuses on friendship.

The New Starter Forms ask you to complete Option Choices when joining in Year 11, these can be found here.

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Sixth Form Year 12 (Middle 6th) Year 12 is an exciting time to join the school. There are many opportunities in the sixth form, and we encourage students to take part in as much as they can of what Ampleforth has to offer. Academic subjects must be at the core of each student’s life here, but it is important that each one engages with the wide range of co-curricular activities to supplement these – not only is that what makes up a good education, but it is also increasingly demanded by universities and other places of higher education.

In the sixth form, each student must choose at least three subjects from the four option block on the Sixth Form page under the Academic tab on the Portal or our website. If you are not certain about which three you want, or if you aim to sit four A-levels for your final exams, you should choose a fourth. At any time of the year from winter half-term you can adapt your programme to discontinue one. If you are a student who requires English as an Additional Language (EAL) tuition, it would be unwise to choose more than three. You will have regular assessments through the year, with Year 12 exams in April/May. Your results from these formal assessments comprise the primary evidence upon which your UCAS (university entrance) predicted grades will be based. Study takes place in the Library (recommended location) or in your House study (if necessary) when you have study periods (i.e. no timetabled lessons) which are known as ‘Qs’.

In Year 12, students are encouraged to undertake a service activity on Friday afternoons, and you can choose from a broad range of opportunities, for example, working on the Ampleforth Estate or in a local primary school, learning British Sign Language or serving the school through the CCF, Theatre Green Room or the Orchestra.

Much is in place in Year 12 to help you decide about life after Ampleforth College, from Old Amplefordian careers seminars and talks, careers lectures, and lots of one-to-one talks with your Tutor and the Careers team. In the Lent term students have the opportunity to attend the Ampleforth College Higher Education Conference.

Year 13 (Upper 6th) In Year 13 the focus is on preparing for forthcoming A level exams and applying to university. Support is provided by Tutors, overseen by the Head of Year 13, to ensure that all students are focused with a clear idea of expectations. Tutors help students to prepare their Personal Statements for applications to university, and there is ongoing support from the Careers team. For students who want to make applications to Oxbridge or for Medicine/Dentistry/Veterinary Science courses, these are dealt with right at the start of the academic year.

Year 13 is hard work, but the rewards are in sight: over 70% of Ampleforth College applicants gain a place at a Russell Group university. For many students, Year 13 also brings the chance to lead, whether as a Monitor or a Games Captain, or as the President of a society. Within the Houses, students can expect to enjoy more privileges but also more responsibility. Preparation for adult life is at the heart of all that happens in Year 13.

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Individual Lessons Music The benefits to pupils of music lessons are considerable, and lessons, whether instrumental or singing, develop skills that can enhance adult life. Further enrichment is gained from being able to play and sing with others in ensembles. Parental support and understanding of how the lessons system works is crucial to our success.

This document is intended as a reference document to answer some of the more general queries parents often have; apology is made for its length. As matters are quite complex, we do ask that you take time to familiarise yourself with the contents. NB “Instrument” and “playing” should also be taken as referring to “singing”. Queries or other matters should, in the first instance, be directed to the Music Administrator at music@ampleforth.org.uk.

Tennis We have a team of fully qualified and licensed LTA coaches who lead the tennis programme at Ampleforth College all year round. Our players are set regular goals and are given a programme that involves individual lessons, squad training, and strength and conditioning. The College has some fantastic facilities with 19 tennis courts, including 15 with floodlights.

Tennis is a major part of the games programme in the summer term, with training three times a week and many fixtures against other schools across all age groups. We compete in regional and national competitions as well as running a number of internal events. The Ampleforth College Tennis Club also gives pupils the chance to play team tennis outside of the summer term.

The costs for coaching sessions in 2022-23 are as follows: Individual Lesson: £25.00 per 40-minute lesson Shared Lesson: £12.50 per 40-minute lesson If you would like your son or daughter to have coaching, please contact our Head of Tennis Justin Metcalfe: justin.metcalfe@ampleforth.org.uk and Games Administrator Lisa Cowling on lpc@ampleforth.org.uk.

Equestrian Group lessons are available at local British Horse Society affiliated riding school with other Ampleforth College students during Friday Activities only. This is suitable for those who have not ridden previously, novice riders, or those riders who have their own pony/horse at home, who just wish to keep riding.

The cost is £28 per session. Students are always accompanied by Ampleforth College staff.

If you would like your son or daughter to have riding lessons, please contact our Head of Equestrian, Eliz Cook, eac@ampleforth.org.uk.

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English as an Additional Language (EAL) All non-native speakers of English take an online English test at home during the admissions process. The test is operated by Cambridge International Examinations and results can be seen by the Head of EAL as soon as the test is completed. The test contains reading and listening elements. The Head of EAL shares this data with the Admissions department and a recommendation of the level of support required by the applicant is made to the Registrar. Students are retested in September when they join the College, so that an appropriate level of English Language Support can be planned.

The test is scored out of 50. The results of the tests place the students in one of four categories detailed below: Categories Band 1 score 50

CEF C1

EAL Provision Mainstream English lessons

Notes Students in band 1 take English lessons alongside the native speakers in the English department.

Band 2 Score 30-39 score 40-49

B1 B2

EAL timetabled lessons

Students in band 2 are timetabled in the EAL department and take EAL lessons in their timetable.

Band 3 Score 20-29

A2

Enhanced EAL programme

Students in band 3 have timetabled EAL lessons. In addition, they have up to two hours a week of extra private English tuition with an EAL teacher. In order to accommodate these sessions, students in the enhanced EAL programme will drop one or two Year 9 subjects, agreed at the interview stage of admission. The extra one-to-one sessions are billed as private tuition and will appear on the end of term school bills. Work set during one-to-one sessions is to be completed in the extra Qs (study periods) gained from dropping subjects. A new band 3 Year 10 or Year 12 entrant is also able to access one-to-one EAL lessons. The College tries to timetable these sessions in existing Qs (study periods). Parents are billed per lesson on the end of term bill.

Band 4 score 19 and lower

A1

A place at Ampleforth College would not be appropriate

If it is determined that private lessons are required, these are chargeable at a cost of £42 per lesson A student with a B1 level coming in to Y10 and above will automatically also have a private EAL lesson in order to support access to the wider curriculum.

The EAL programme operates slightly differently for short-term students and these are discussed at application stage and can be found on our website.

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Technology Laptop computers are not required in Years 7– 8. If a student in Years 9 – 13 wishes to bring a laptop they may do so, but the required iPad will suffice unless they have a specific laptop requirement. The wireless network at Ampleforth College can support both Windows and MacBook laptops, allowing students to connect to important resources such as email and our Office 365 suite. The following recommendations are intended as a guide to consider if choosing to purchase a laptop for use at Ampleforth College alongside the iPad. New students in Years 9 to 13 will all be using iPads as part of their learning experience, and you will receive information separately about how to buy one for your child in your My School Portal New Parent Forms.

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Brand – although premium brand laptops (Dell, HP, Apple, Lenovo, Sony etc) are usually more expensive they are often of better quality and have better spares availability, particularly batteries, which are likely to need replacing after 18-24 months of use.

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Operating System – Windows 11 is the latest Microsoft version and comes preinstalled on most current laptops. It has many useful features and can take advantage of Office 365 which is used at Ampleforth.

Modern MacBook computers are also perfectly acceptable, although generally more expensive.

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Processor – any processor available in a modern laptop will be sufficient for schoolwork. Typically, this will be an Intel i3 or i5 in current laptops.

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Memory – preferably look for devices with minimum 8GB of memory. Windows 10 takes full advantage of this larger capacity, and many laptops will now come with this as standard.

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Hard Drive – we would advise that any laptop is fitted with an SSD for improved performance.

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Speakers, Microphone and Webcam – to use communication applications the laptop should have these components built-in; most do.

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Screen Size – this will have an impact on weight and portability, so consider carefully whether a machine with a screen larger than 15-16” is necessary and practical. A small Netbook is unsuitable for extended use due to the small screen and keyboard.

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Protection - a sleeve style case will offer significant protection against everyday rough and tumble. A rucksack can be more practical than a briefcase style carrier.

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Anti-Virus Software – it is essential that anti-virus software is installed and kept updated. Various commercial packages are available from computer retailers or online; leading brands include Sophos, McAfee and Symantec. There are free anti-virus packages available for Windows platforms, such as AVG. Unprotected equipment puts the data and privacy of the user at risk and may be blocked from accessing the Ampleforth College network. A good AV product will include protection for email and a firewall.

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Applications – students at Ampleforth College are provided with a licence to the full Office 365 suite which provides a plethora of applications helpful for college work. This includes Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint and 1TB of storage in OneDrive. This can be accessed and downloaded locally to their device once their user account is created.

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Backup – it is strongly recommended that students use cloud storage to backup all their schoolwork.

All students will be provided with 1TB of cloud storage through their Ampleforth College OneDrive accounts, which can be used for backups. Alternatively, if students prefer to have their own cloud storage, this is perfectly acceptable. Personal memory sticks are not permitted on Ampleforth equipment due to data security limitations.

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Warranty – laptops are notoriously difficult and expensive to repair. Consider an extended warranty to cover the laptop up to 36 months for peace of mind. Laptops used by students have quite a hard life; expect to replace a laptop after 3-4 years. Please remember that many basic warranties do not cover accidental damage.

Health Matters The College has its own Infirmary, which is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Lead Nurse is William Skinner.

Contact details for the College Infirmary are 00 44 (0) 1439 766760 or infirmary@ampleforth.org.uk

School Medical Officers The School Medical Officers are Dr Gregory Black and Dr Kate Howlett.

The address for the surgery is: The Surgery, Back Lane Ampleforth York YO62 4EF All boarding students will be registered with the Ampleforth and Hovingham surgeries as NHS patients and their usual NHS GPs will be Dr Black and Dr Howlett. Day students living within Ampleforth, and Hovingham surgeries practice area will be registered as the majority of their time is spent at school. This will give day students the same access rights to the GPs as boarders. If you are a parent of a day student and do not wish them to be registered with Ampleforth and Hovingham surgeries, please inform the College Infirmary.

Accurate previous medical and vaccination history is required by the College Infirmary prior to arrival at the College. This will be collected through the New Starter Forms on the Portal Please do NOT register the student with any other doctor under the NHS until they finally leave the College. If treatment is required during the holidays, it may be obtained as a ‘Temporary Resident’ from any NHS GP. Likewise, if you change address and re-register the family with a new GP, please do not register the student.

If you need to speak to one of the School Medical Officers whilst your son/daughter is a student, they can be reached via the College Infirmary (contact details above) or at Ampleforth Surgery on 00 44 (0) 1439 788215.

Health Protocol Ampleforth College and the School Medical Officers aim to provide a high level of care for students. We provide a confidential service for disease management and prevention. We aim to provide a caring service that meets the medical needs of the students and is consistent with the philosophies of Ampleforth College.

The School Medical Officers have prepared a health care protocol to ensure that every student who is injured or unwell is assessed in the first instance by a College Infirmary Nurse or General Practitioner, with the exception of somebody suffering from a common cold who would be cared for by their House Matron.

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Health Record Prior to entry to the College, the New Starter Health Care Forms will be completed for each student giving their medical history. If a student sees a doctor privately outside of term time, then written instructions for change of medication should be sent to the School Medical Officers.

Immunisation Immunisation plays a vital part in the prevention of infectious diseases. Parents are requested to inform the School Doctor of any immunisation procedure carried out on their child during school holidays. Consent will be obtained from parents prior to immunisation at the College.

Medication All medication brought from home to the College must be labelled with the student’s name and handed into the House Matrons or to the College Infirmary. This includes herbal remedies and over the counter medications. A declaration of medication email is sent to all parents at the beginning of each term. Please list all medication your child is on when you receive this.

The College Infirmary Nurses will assess all medication and those that the students are allowed to keep will be returned. Inhalers and EpiPens/Jext are always kept by the students, but the College Infirmary must be made aware of these medications on arrival at the College.

Students who are on controlled drugs such as Ritalin will be under the care of either a local National Health Service consultant adolescent psychiatrist or a private consultant adolescent psychiatrist if the student is covered by medical insurance. These students must meet their House Matron daily for their medication as these are classed as controlled drugs within the UK and must be supervised when given.

Travel Vaccinations Please let the Ampleforth College Infirmary know in good time of any overseas trips so that they can order sufficient vaccinations and can arrange for them to be given in a timely manner with as little disruption as possible – some courses of vaccination can take up to six months to complete. Confirmation of any previous travel vaccinations would be useful, especially where students have been vaccinated outside the NHS. Please contact the College Infirmary for more information.

Private Medical Insurance Private Medical insurance is available through AXA PPP. Details of the scheme, which includes a link to the online application form can be found on My School Portal under the New Parents tab. The Infirmary is notified

by AXA PPP when a parent applies for membership. Parents can choose to add their child to the scheme from the beginning of the term they join the school, or if they join mid-term, the beginning of the following term.

Cover cannot be given term by term. Once parents have signed up for the scheme, they are expected to remain on it and cover is automatically renewed each term unless the student leaves the school. Once cover has commenced it will continue as long as your child remains at the school. If at any time you wish to end your child’s cover, you can do so from the end of any term and no refund will be made.

The premium for 2022/2023 is £126.00 per pupil per term. Please note that completed applications must be received by AXA PPP by 31 August 2022 if you wish cover to commence from 5 September 2022.

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Travel Escorted Travel Service For all standard school holidays Ampleforth College’s Travel Manager provides an escorted travel service to London (Kings Cross). Other destinations such as Edinburgh (Waverley) and Oxford can be provided when booked in advance and subject to passenger numbers. The service consists of an escorted coach journey from the College to York Station, departing Ampleforth College at a prearranged time on the date of departure, to enable students to catch trains from York Station. Each group of students is escorted on the London bound train by College staff. The College also provides an escorted rail travel service from London Kings Cross to York Station for returning students. On arrival at York Station, coaches with escorts return students to Ampleforth College. The departing and returning costs to Kings Cross are at preferential rates using LNER, and Morse Coaches offers us preferential rates too.

Students 12 years of age or younger: Supervision arrangements for pupils in Junior House are distinct. Children of 12 years and under must always be accompanied by an adult or guardian when travelling and so on the train will travel in their own coach compartment with their designated travel escorts. Escorts are members of staff who are already attached to Junior House, so they are well-known to the children. Junior House pupils will also travel to and from railway stations in dedicated coaches. Members of the House team will see pupils on to the coach as pupils depart and will meet and accompany them from the coach at their return to the College.

Travel outside of escorted school travel requires permission from the Housemaster or Housemistress. All students must sign the code of conduct document regardless of school status. If you have any questions, please contact the Travel Manager.

General arrangements regarding escorted travel are sent with the summer end of term reports or on request; however, the Travel Department provides additional travel information prior to every designated travel period.

This information can be found on the Portal under Travel and we will let you know when it has been updated through the Weekly Update email. Should you wish further information, or require travel outside these times, parents should contact the Travel Manager, Suzie Boam, on suzie.boam@ampleforth.org.uk.

Unescorted Travel Services: Assistance in making other travel arrangements can also be sought from the Travel Manager; please note that these arrangements are unescorted.

Airports: Manchester Airport’s integrated transport hub, offers fast and frequent train services linking the airport with over 100 destinations across the North of England and beyond, including a direct link to York Station. Trains run every hour and the journey takes approximately 1hr 45 minutes. A map of rail links from Manchester Airport is available here.

Other airports, including Leeds/Bradford Airport and Teesside Airport are also nearby and although some are accessible by rail link, there may not be a direct service. The most suitable direct transfer to Leeds/Bradford or Teesside is by taxi. Note that both airports are vulnerable to delays due to inclement weather.

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Taxis: Morse Taxis (01347 878969 or 07767418805) and York Station Taxis (01904 623 332) offer special rates for all Ampleforth College students, parents and guests. Use of these taxis in normally on an unescorted basis; however, should your child be at an age that escorted service is required, an “unaccompanied minor service” may be available by special request. Please contact Suzie Boam (suzie.boam@ampleforth.org.uk) for further details.

General Information: All costs are added to the student bill for all travel that is pre-booked through the Travel Department. The inclusion of an airport, or a travel or taxi firm above, does not indicate that Ampleforth College endorses or commends the firm in any way. The contact numbers are provided for information only.

Luggage – Shipping and Storage How you transport all your child’s equipment and clothes is a personal choice and depends a lot on where in the world you are travelling from. Suitcases are used regularly; some students use trunks which can be transported back home at the end of term. At half-term holidays and exeats, students can leave the luggage they do not take with them safely stored in the House. At the end of each term, they may be required to take most of their luggage home.

Ampleforth College co-ordinates a standard service of the transportation of students’ luggage from the College to home (Outgoing) at the end of each term. It is the parents’ responsibility to arrange for transportation of luggage from home to Ampleforth College (Incoming) at the beginning of each term. Parents are responsible for arranging insurance for outgoing and incoming luggage transportation. Ampleforth College cannot be held responsible for any loss of luggage during transit.

Outgoing - Ampleforth College to home Collection of luggage from the College usually takes place a day before the school departs. It is essential that each student informs his/her Housemaster/Housemistress two weeks prior to the last day of term as to the amount of luggage they will be sending home, whether it be trunks, cases, holdalls, or bags, and if any special arrangements need to be made.

All luggage must be secured and labelled with a strong tie-on label. All old labels should be removed, and the new label should clearly state: the name of the student, the Boarding House, the delivery address including the postcode and a contact telephone number. It is imperative that the couriers can contact parents directly in the event of any problems arising during delivery: for example, if detailed directions to the delivery address is required. The College is unable to provide any assistance once luggage has been collected from the College campus.

Incoming - Home to Ampleforth College Arrangements for collection and transportation of luggage when students are returning to the College are the responsibility of the parents and can be made with any courier of your own choice. It is advisable to give the couriers at least 48 hours’ notice of your requirements. It is possible to make arrangements with Transglobal Express Ltd by using their online booking service (www.transglobal.org.uk). When booking, please ensure that accurate weight and size measurements for each piece of luggage are provided as the charges, which are payable by credit card at the time of booking, are calculated according to the figures provided. Please note it is no longer possible for the return to College delivery charges to be included on the student’s school bill.

Should you have any queries please email the Transport, Logistics and Security Department (barrie.wilson@ampleforth.org.uk).

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Other Important Matters Food The students enjoy a healthy and varied menu with nutritionally balanced meals to provide for all preferences and dietary needs. Most of our food is made on site by our team of chefs using fresh ingredients. Every lunch time there is a choice of two main dishes including a vegetarian option as well as a ‘light bite’ option such as filled baguettes, pasta dishes, paninis, or baked potatoes. There is also a self-help salad bar as well as soup. In addition to a dessert at lunch and at supper, fresh fruit and homemade yoghurt are also available.

Students with allergies or special dietary considerations are carefully catered for and the catering team are happy to discuss individual requirements with parents to ensure their children receive the food they need to keep them healthy.

To help ensure the students enjoy the food at the College and continue to eat well, a Students’ Food Committee (with representatives from each of the Houses) meets every 3 weeks to provide feedback to the catering team. Students are also regularly surveyed.

Lunch and supper are taken in the refectories while breakfast is in Houses. Lunches are more formal and are eaten in House groups - with staff - to help build House identity and sense of family. Suppers are informal with students free to eat with who they wish. There is no need to ever miss a meal as packed meals can be ordered for those who cannot get to the refectory because of their activities.

Each House also have a kitchen where bread, cereals, various spreads, fruit and drinks are available. Matrons can request additional items to be sent to the House - Matrons communicate with the students to find out what they would like. Older students can cook in the kitchen, and Houses will often organise supermarket deliveries. The Matrons also regularly bake and cook for the students in their Houses. Students do like tuck, however, and you are welcome to send favourite treats. Some students use a small tuck box to store food in.

Visiting School We know that one of Ampleforth College’s biggest attractions is its beautiful setting in North Yorkshire. We also know that if you come to Ampleforth College, you are probably coming a long way! Apart from the first three weeks of term, when it is important that new students have an opportunity to settle happily, and the first and last weekends of the following terms, you are very welcome to visit. If you come, please do join us for whole school Mass in the Abbey Church at 11.15am on Sunday morning and coffee afterwards in Main Hall.

Parents may request to take out their children after games or activities on Saturday afternoon, overnight on Saturday, and/or for lunch on Sunday after Mass. The request goes to Houseparents via the Leave of Absence form on the Portal. The form sets out requirements about return times, taking out friends etc and makes clear that all boarders must attend Mass on Sunday. It is also worth pointing out that sometimes there may be a particular social event here at school which your child will not want to miss out on so do check with her/him before requesting leave for an overnight stay!

There is a lot of very good accommodation available locally, and you can access a list here.

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School Shop The school shop is run by Pam Sails, the Shop Supervisor – contact tuckshop@ampleforth.org.uk or tel: 01439 766728. It is open for students only and is situated in Upper Building. T h e o pening hours are term-time only Monday to Friday from 10:25 - 11:40, 12:35 – 14:00 and 15:30 -15:55. It is closed on Saturday and Sunday. After the summer holidays, it re-opens one week before the school year commences in September.

Stocked items include: • Sports kit (including all items on the compulsory games uniform list) • Rugby boots (no other sports footwear) • Some sports accessories including shoelaces • School ties: everyday uniform ties, society ties, black ties, house ties and cravats • Sweets, soft drinks, crisps and snacks • Toiletries including shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant etc.

• Postage stamps (UK only) • Batteries, Headphones and Thermal safety mugs • College branded items: shields, cufflinks, scarves, beanies, polo shirts, sweatshirts and baseball caps for leisure wear • Stationery - pens, pencils, highlighters, pencil cases, paper and ring binder files, geometry sets and calculators Payment for small items such as sweets, soft drinks and crisps is by cash only. Payment for major items is by cash or by the ‘chit’ system where authorised items may be put on the termly invoice to parents.

There is also a small village shop in Ampleforth village selling food and basic essentials which students can walk down to on Sundays after lunch.

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Ampleforth College, York, YO62 4ER T: 01439 766000 www.ampleforthcollege.org.uk

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