BOARDING AT ASHFOLD
Welcome to Boarding
We are delighted you are considering boarding for your child and warmly welcome you to Ashfold’s boarding family.
We have a thriving boarding community and offer occasional, flexi and weekly boarding for pupils from age 8 to 13. Our boarders are fully integrated into boarding life and are part of our home from home environment to eat, play and relax together. Our 45 beds are located upstairs within the heart of the main school in two separate boarding wings. The boarding house is run very much as an extended family, supported by the Gap students, other residential staff and of course, our much loved Housedog, Nancy .
Boarding is a happy extension of Ashfold school life, with approximately 75% of the Prep School taking advantage of boarding. Each evening, our boarders utilise the fantastic school facilities, and enjoy a raft of exciting activities which promote their social and personal development.
Many of the children enjoy flexi-boarding and this fits in with the busy lives of working parents. Although we have some occasional boarders, most of our pupils enjoy the option of regular flexi-boarding, transitioning to full boarding during the summer months.
We hope this booklet will give you an insight into what boarding life at Ashfold is like, but if you have any questions or would like a tour of the boarding house, please do contact us.
Amelia Franklin Head of Boarding and Houseparent
e: amelia.franklin@ashfoldschool.co.uk
t: 01844 238 227
| Boarding at Ashfold
Houseparents Amelia and Mark Franklin with their boys and housedog Nancy
Aims of Boarding
In line with the broader aims of the school, the boarding house contributes in developing the school’s strong sense of family values, encouraging pupils to live and work together harmoniously, build friendships and develop their independence before going onto senior school. At Ashfold, we truly believe that boarding broadens and enhances the educational experience of children outside of the classroom, beyond the usual school day.
The Aims of Boarding at Ashfold School are:
• To provide a safe and homely environment.
• To develop and promote the children’s responsibility for self, others and the environment.
• To produce an open and trusting environment in which each child can feel that he or she is able to approach any other member of the community, whether that be staff or pupils, confident in the knowledge that they will be treated and respected as an individual.
• To provide a range of activities, hobbies and pastimes that will assist in the personal, social and cultural development of each pupil. 6 | Boarding at Ashfold
Types of
Whether you live around the corner or further afield, we are confident
OCCASIONAL BOARDING
Occasional boarding is our most flexible boarding option and gives parents the opportunity to vary the nights that their children board each term. This option is popular with parents who may have varying work commitments as well as those who wish to gradually introduce their children to more regular boarding.
FLEXIBLE
The majority of our boarders boarders, committing to regular This option is popular among children with consistency of Children also love this option to board on the same nights
Boarding
confident that we offer something suitable for the needs of every family.
BOARDING
boarders at Ashfold are flexiregular nights each week. among parents as it provides of regular boarding nights. option as they often choose nights as their friends.
WEEKLY BOARDING
Weekly boarders really do enjoy the best of both worlds. They benefit from the array of social activities on offer with their friends Monday to Friday, as well as the quality time with their families at the weekend.
How to book boarding
Due to the busyness of the boarding house, we encourage parents to book boarding nights as far in advance as possible. This is usually done by completing an online Microsoft Form, which is emailed out as part of the Weekly Mailing, at the end of the previous term.
We offer a flexible booking system and are happy to amend boarding nights as required. In this instance, please email the Matron [Matron@ashfoldschool.co.uk] as well as the Head of Boarding, Amelia Franklin [amelia.franklin@ashfoldschool.co.uk].
The availability and booking of Occasional Boarding evenings is at the discretion of the Head of Boarding, and if possible, we ask parents for a week’s notice.
Similarly, we acknowledge the need to be flexible around families’ commitments and ask for as much notice as possible when cancelling a booking. Cancellations within 24 hours may still be charged for depending on the nature of the cancellation.
Meet the Boarding Team
Amelia Franklin Head of Boarding and Houseparent
Ben Hulme Head of Boys Games and Resident Boarding Assistant
Anthony Macpherson Deputy Head and Resident Boarding Assistant
Anna Leon Director of Music and Resident Boarding Assistant
Boarding is an amazing experience, for so many reasons, but it wouldn’t be as fun without our caring, dedicated, and passionate boarding staff. A large team of residential staff assist with running the boarding house each evening. The boarding staff have a breadth of roles, experiences, and interests within the school. Although duty staff vary from night to night, we aim to keep the same staff on the same weeknight to ensure consistency for our boarders.
Kelly Atkins Pre-Prep Teaching Assistant and Resident Boarding Assistant
Kyle Bird Sports Assistant and Boarding Assistant
Hugh Rayner Gap and Resident Boarding Assistant
Rebecca Hayes Gap and Resident Boarding Assistant
Ava Luxford Gap and Resident Boarding Assistant
Boarding Routines
Although boarding is amazing fun, we do believe the quality of sleep boarders get each night is key to a successful boarding experience.
EVENING ROUTINES
6:00 – 6:30 pm Supper with boarders and the boarding staff. House meeting
6:30 – 7:30 pm Evening activities
7:30 – 7:45 pm Evening snacks
7:45 – 8:00 pm Showers and organising dormitories
8:00 pm onwards Free time in the common room
BEDTIMES
To assist with the settling of children in the evening we ensure each year group have adequate time to wind down from a busy and exciting evening in their dorms.
8:15 pm Form 3 whispers / reading
8:30 pm Form 4 whispers / reading
8:45 pm Form 5 whispers / reading
9:00 pm Form 6 whispers / reading
LIGHTS OUT
After 15 minutes of whispers and reading in dorms, it is lights out, and we expect children to begin falling asleep.
We understand some children are naturally ‘night owls’ and reading after lights out is at the discretion of the boarding staff on duty.
All dorms are actively supervised until 9:40 pm, when all children have been silent for a considerable amount of time.
MORNING ROUTINES
7:20 am Wake up for all boarders
7:40 – 8:00 am Breakfast in the dining room
8:00 - 8:15 am Clean teeth and check out
8:15 am Tutor rooms
The timings above are only a guide and may differ slightly according to the needs of the boarding house each evening.
Evening Activities
The time spent outside of normal school hours with school friends, is extremely special, especially when you add all of Ashfold’s wonderful grounds and facilities to enjoy.
Our boarders love spending time together. We let them choose what they would like to do each week, and this usually includes a huge variety of games; capture the flag, swimming, spotlight, and everybody’s favourite, ‘Murder in the Mansion’!
Part of allowing our boarders to have freedom of choice is that they can also decide to relax, and spend some time in the common room. Some of our more regular boarders also make use this time to complete some independent work, knowing they can call upon the boarding staff, if they need help or support.
My child absolutely loves boarding at Ashfold.
The staff have made it a really friendly and welcoming experience.
Parent
Supper and Snacks
Our catering team cooks the evening meal, breakfast and provides the evening snacks. They know all of the Ashfold children extremely well and cater for any dietary requirements that pupils may have. Menus are published by the catering team so that children know what to expect each evening.
SUPPER
Supper runs each evening from 6:00 – 6:30 pm and is always a hot nutritious meal. Supper is anything from jacket potatoes and various fillings to chicken burgers, potato wedges and salad.
SNACKS
Evening activities usually finish at about 7:30 pm, and at this time children come back to the dining room for a snack. Snacks include fruit, yoghurts, toast, and a variety of toppings. There is water, milk and hot chocolate available for boarders to make. If the children are hungry or thirsty at any other time, they just need to talk to a member of staff who may provide them with an extra snack.
BREAKFAST
Speak to any boarder and they will tell you that their favourite meal is breakfast! There is always a variety of hot and cold meal options which rotate each week. Options include warm pastries, a variety of cereals and toast and cooked breakfast.
TUCK
On Wednesday afternoons, after matches, boarders are allowed a treat to keep them going until supper.
Boarders’ Induction
“
I love boarding as it is really fun and friendly.
Boarder
We love welcoming both new and experienced boarders to the boarding house each evening. However, we do understand that boarding can be a bit daunting, especially at first, or even sometimes for experienced boarders.
Induction begins before a boarder’s first night, usually with a tour of the boarding house, with friends or more experienced boarders.
Wherever possible we will show them their dormitory, the bed they will be sleeping in and discuss which of their friends will also be sharing the dormitory. Additionally, we will organise for a more experienced ‘boarding buddy’ to help make sure their first night boarding is as smooth as possible.
Boarding at Ashfold
The Boarding House
The boarding house is on the first floor, in the heart of the Ashfold Mansion and is built around the common rooms in the centre. Boys and girls have their own independent boarding wings, comprising of comfortable, cosy dormitories and their own bathroom facilities.
The boarding house is split into three areas:
1. COMMUNAL AREAS
Boarders have access to two large common rooms. One common room has a large comfortable corner sofa, large TV with restricted internet access, large coffee table for playing games on, and access to lots of stationery and crafts.
The other is a games room with more comfortable seating, table football, air hockey, snooker table and an Xbox, with games such as FIFA.
2. BOYS’ BOARDING WING
The boys’ dormitories all share a modern and purpose-built bathroom which has showers, toilets, and sinks. The boys also have access to a smaller separate toilet.
• Keats (3 beds)
• Kipling (7 beds)
• Byron (7 beds)
• Swift (9 beds)
3. GIRLS’ BOARDING WING
The girls’ dormitories all share large bathrooms and separate showering facilities. Austen also has its own showering facilities.
• Austen (8 beds)
• Bronte (6 beds)
• Eliot (8 beds)
DORMITORIES
Dorms are allocated depending on the gender, age, and friendship groups of the boarders.
If you are an occasional or flexible boarder, we will try to ensure you have the same bed every time you stay and that you never sleep in a room on your own. Wherever possible, you will also be given opportunities to decide who you share dorms with.
A big part of Boarding is learning to live with, and get on with, other boarders, as well as making new friends. There may be times when the boarding house is particularly busy, that different friendship groups must share dorms.
Boarding at Ashfold
What do I need to bring?
Boarders usually keep their ‘Boarding Kit’ at school, so they do not need to take all of their items home after each boarding night. Instead, we recommend that boarders use a small draw string bag which can be used to take home any dirty clothes and bring in clean clothes before a Boarding night.
BEDDING
We encourage boarders to make their bed area homely and their own by bringing in their own pillowcase and duvet cover.
We will always provide clean mattress protectors and bed sheets, and will provide any bedding items which children do not bring in. We will provide all children with pillows and duvets, but they are welcome to bring in their own if they wish.
• 1x Pillowcase (Optional)
• 1x Duvet Cover (optional)
CLOTHES
• 1 x clean school shirt
• 1 x clean school trousers / skirt (Optional)
• 1 x clean school jumper (Optional)
• 2 x clean socks and underwear
• Clean home clothes (clean changes if boarding more than one night a week)
• Pyjamas or other appropriate nightwear
• Dressing Gown
• Slippers
WASH BAG
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Shower gel / Shampoo
• Towel
Please refrain from bringing in any aerosols as they can set off our sensitive fire alarms! Instead, if children bring in deodorants, we ask that children bring roll-on deodorants.
HOME COMFORTS
Many boarders find it calming to have their favourite home comforts with them when they board such as their favourite teddy bear, a nice family photo or even their favourite book!
WHERE DO I KEEP MY BELONGINGS?
Each bed has under-bed storage, which provides boarders with plenty of space to store their belongings. Additionally, each room has a dedicated wardrobe and wall hangers which can be used to hang up and store clothes.
Boarding at Ashfold
ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND VALUABLES
We do not allow personal electronic devices in Boarding, unless previously agreed with the Head of Boarding. This includes, mobile phones, kindles and any type of camera.
Although we strongly encourage boarders to decorate their sleeping areas, we do ask that boarders refrain from bringing in lights, battery powered, or mains operated.
In instances where boarders may have their school IPADs in the boarding house, these should be locked away and stored securely by the Houseparents when not in use. No electronic devices are allowed in any dormitories.
We generally do not recommend that children bring any belongings with significant monetary or sentimental value to school, to avoid any problems of lost belongings. Although the boarding house is a very safe environment, any valuable items should be securely stored by the Houseparents, when not in use.
USING THE TELEPHONE
During an evening, Boarders are welcome to use one of the several dedicated telephones. Boarders should always ensure they seek permission from a member of the boarding staff beforehand.
We insist that all calls be made before bedtime, and we encourage boarders to use the phones sensibly and considerately to ensure fair use.
If you have a worry…
The good thing about having a worry at school is that there are plenty of people who are here to help you. Who the best person is will depend upon the nature of the problem. Here is a list of adults at school who you could cho ose to speak to….
Mr Edmonds Head of Juniors
Mrs Snaith Interim Head of PrePrep Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
…or if you prefer you could talk to:
Dr Macpherson
Senior Deputy Head Designated Safeguarding Lead
Mr MacIntosh Headmaster
Mrs Franklin Head of Boarding & Head of PSHE Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
Mrs Vosper-Brown Matron
Mrs Thomas Head of Learning Support Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
Your best friend A Prefect Your Form Tutor Gap Student Games Coach
You might feel more comfortable speaking to someone outside of school, so should consider talking to your parents, or if you are still really unsure you could contact:
Ashfold’s Independent Person
Mrs Alison Shepherd Mobile: 07761 061 610
Boarding Governor Dr Jenny Adams Mobile: 07716445757
The Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza 0207 783 8330 www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk
Childline 0800 1111
So, there is no need to bottle your problem up, if and when you have one. Choose the person with whom you wish to discuss it and talk to them as soon possible, especially if you feel unwell, unsafe or unhappy. You must share your problem…tell another person.
Contacting the Boarding House
For non-urgent enquiries, please email Amelia Franklin, the Head of Boarding at amelia.franklin@ashfoldschool.co.uk
If you have an urgent enquiry, please call the boarding house on 01844 238 227. As the boarding staff will most likely be with boarders, there may not always be a member of staff available to take your call, but we will return your call asap.
IF YOU HAVE A WORRY
We hope our boarders, whether new or experienced, will love boarding and all of the amazing opportunities that come with it.
However, there may be times where boarders feel low, so it is important that they know what to do and understand there is always lots of support available.
You will find these posters all around school (see on opposite page). These contain lots of information about what you can do and who you can speak to.
INDEPENDENT LISTENER
Mrs Alison Shepherd supports boarders as Ashfold’s Independent Listener.
Boarders can talk to Alison Shepherd about any concerns they have, as someone who is not employed by the school.
We introduce Alison Shepherd to boarders at the start of each term, during an assembly.
HOMESICKNESS
From our experience, boarders are usually busy having a great time with their peers during the evening, with very little opportunity to become homesick. Homesickness normally only occurs when children slow down at the end of each evening.
Telephone calls can have a huge impact on a boarder’s confidence, particularly if they haven’t much boarding experience. Therefore, our advice is:
• If possible, try to agree not to speak to children on their first night boarding.
• Keep any conversations short and positive.
• Focus conversations on what boarders have been doing, which friends they are spending time will, what are they looking forward to the next day.
• Praise your child and let them know how proud you are of their efforts.
Our boarding staff are experienced and sympathetic when dealing with homesickness. Houseparents will only contact you if they need to discuss additional support, please do not worry if you do not hear from us! If we deem it necessary, we will contact you with any news in the morning.
Medical
As part of our boarding provision, each evening we perform a thorough hand over between Matron, the Head of Boarding, and the lead member of boarding staff that night.
Please email matron@ashfoldschool.co.uk if there are any changes or additions to boarders’ medical records or if there are any extra medications that need to be given during the boarding evening. If boarders have inhalers or medications in school, these will be administered if required.
Any medication needed for a boarding night must be dropped off at the surgery that morning. At this time, required consent forms can also be completed, if necessary.
All of our boarding staff are well trained to deal with any instances needing first aid and our more experienced boarding staff also have permissions to administer children’s prescribed medications.
