Issuu

2026/27

West Town

Housemistress: Sarah Johnson

A posse ad esse

“From the possible to the actual”

The College Values

Integrity

We treat each other with kindness, sincerity and respect. We are liberal and open-minded, free from prejudice and pretension. We strive to make a positive diﬀerence in everything we do.

Spirit

We are determined to explore and develop what excites and motivates us, to fulfill our potential and realise our dreams. We are curious, adventurous and intellectually agile.

Resilience

We believe everyone should be empowered and supported to take risks. We are not afraid of setbacks. We learn from our successes and challenges. We encourage bravery and, through reflection, build inner strength.

Welcome to West Town

The House opened in 1991 after the successful introduction of girls to Clifton. West Town has grown in strength and size over the years but it maintains its core values and objectives. The House can boast many successful students: top academic scholars; international sports women; professional musicians, and all round talented girls who strive to do their best. Many of our girls obtain high grades and accept oﬀers to top universities.

The current Housemistress, Mrs Sarah Johnson, is supported by an enthusiastic and experienced tutor team with academic and sporting expertise across a broad spectrum of subjects and disciplines. Our House motto is ‘A posse ad esse’: From the possible to the actual. Over the years, we have won the coveted House Art Prize, House Song and Part Song, the Junior Debating Trophy, as well as many House Drama trophies, and countless inter-house sporting events.

Leadership and teamwork are prioritised, and there are many opportunities to organise events, activities and House competitions in a large variety of sports, drama, art, music, singing and debating. They may continue to develop and experience the rich and diverse opportunities on oﬀer to them at Clifton.

I have included some useful House information in this booklet. Please take the time to read it carefully and if you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

1. The House Team, Matrons

2. Contact numbers

3. General information for you and your daughter

4. A copy of the House rules

5. West Town Location - Campus Map

I very much look forward to working alongside you and supporting your daughter during her time here at the Upper School. If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to contact me on the email address below or indeed ring or call-in - our door is always open to you as parents.

Best wishes, Sarah

Johnson

Kerris Wagstaff Assistant Housemistress

Alex Northover Matron

Sam Thompson Matron

Sarah Johnson Housemistress

The House Staff

There is a continuous adult presence in the house during the time that House is open. The “core” house team is led by the Housemistress (HoM) who is responsible for the pastoral care of all those in the house, closely supported by the core team consisting of the Assistant Housemistress (AssHoM) and the Matrons.

The Matron is the oil that keeps the engine turning. They are ever present in the house during the teaching day and beyond. The matron’s remit is seemingly endless but in general matrons help with medical issues, contact with home, TLC, but more than anything to provide support, encouragement and act as a support to the House staﬀ.

The core staﬀ are supported by the house tutors who provide additional staﬀing and support throughout the weekday and in the evenings between the hours of 5:00pm and 7:15pm.

Starting at a new school is both exciting and frightening. Whether it seems important, or not, it is always better for the pupils to speak to someone. New pupils are encouraged to approach any member of the House staﬀ and also the other pupils in the house. The sooner these relationships are built the happier the pupils are and the stronger the house becomes.

Likewise, parents should feel no constraints regarding contacting the HoM, AssHoM or the Matrons. They all understand that such phone calls, or emails, are always with the best interests of the pupils at heart and contact sooner, rather than later, is always the right approach.

Who’s who?

HoM - Sarah Johnson sjohnson@cliftoncollege.com

AssHoM (and Year 9 Tutor)

Kerris Wagstaff kwagstaﬀ@cliftoncollege.com

House Matrons

Alex Northover (Mon, Tues) anorthover4@cliftoncollege.com

Sam Thomson (Wed- Sat) sthompson2@cliftoncollege.com

Core email Address: house_wt_core_staff@ cliftoncollege.com (This will email the HoM, Assistant HoM and matrons).

House Duty Rota

Monday - Friday

7:30am - 8:00am HoM or AssHoM

8:00am - 5:00pm Duty Matron

5:00pm - 7:15pm Duty Tutor

Saturday

7:30am - 8:00am HoM or AssHoM

8:00am - 1:00pm Duty Matron

1:00pm - 4:00pm Duty Tutor

The duty matron will be the ever-present cover during the day with the HoM and Ass HoM regularly appearing in between teaching and coaching.

On Saturday there are lessons in the morning and sporting activities in the afternoon.

West Town’s Phone Directory

Please email house_wt_core_staﬀ@ cliftoncollege.com If nobody answers – we may be attending to pupils.

West Town House 0117 3157 507

HoM 07710093527

AssHoM 07513727256

Matron 0117 3157 507

House Mobile (tutor on duty) 07928947355

Useful School Numbers

Reception 0117 3157000

The Head Master’s Office 0117 3157106

The Deputy Heads’ Office 0117 3157175

Health & Wellbeing Centre 0117 3157637

The Monday - Saturday Routine

7:30am House Opens

8:10am AM Call Over

8:25am - 12:50pm School Routine

12:00pm - 13:00pm Lunch and PM Call Over (Not Saturday)

1:30pm - End of School Day

School Routine

4:00pm (Sat) House Closes

6:00pm Dinner

7:15pm (Mon-Fri) House Closes

5:00pm

4:00pm

5:00pm

After Sport

(N.B. There are a number of clubs and activities that take place after the end of the ‘school day’).

Health and Wellbeing

The College’s Health and Wellbeing Centre is staﬀed by an experienced team of nurses, physios and wellbeing practitioners. It is also partnered with the local GP surgery resulting in excellent onsite care.

It is essential that the College is aware of a pupil’s medical background. This should be completed within the joining documents and is entered on the school system. Should there be any changes the Health and Wellbeing team must be informed directly or via the HoM.

Should a special diet be required for medical reasons catering will accommodate all reasonable requests and this information should be submitted as part of the joining documents or directly to the pupils HoM if there are any changes to this.

Further Pastoral Support

Any pupils feeling unwell should see a member of the House staﬀ as the first port of call. Basic medication may be administered within the House but for more severe symptoms it’s a trip to the Health and Wellbeing Centre or/and a call to return home. Pupils are not allowed to keep medication on themselves (this includes paracetamol).

Clifton College is committed to the wellbeing of its pupils. Within the Health and Wellbeing Centre are “the Wave” and “the Deck” wellbeing areas along with a team that includes counsellors and external engagement mentors.

The pupils in the House should talk to whoever they are comfortable with and this may be diﬀerent on diﬀerent occasions. Within the house are the HoM, AssHoM and the Matrons and within the school are the School Wellbeing team, the Chaplain, pupil support groups and of course all of the other teachers. Whoever a pupil may wish to turn to it is important they feel they can and that they do.

Academic Matters

a) Each pupil will be assigned a tutor from the House tutor team. Minor queries about academic matters should be addressed to a pupil’s tutor. Any other issues should be referred to the HoM who, if necessary, will begin discussions with Heads of Department, the Senior tutor, the Academic Deputy Head or the Head of Sixth Form as appropriate.

b) Sixth Form (Years 12 and 13) are known as Block I. Years 9, 10 and 11 are known as Block II.

c) If at any stage a pupil decides that they are doing the wrong subject(s) they should inform the HoM but final decisions will occur only after a discussion with parents and the necessary academic teachers.

d) Alongside a pupil’s tutor, the Head of Sixth Form and the HoM will maintain an overview of any UCAS applications as well as writing references.

e) Parents will be informed of academic progress routinely via the schools grading and report process.

Rewards and Sanctions

We aim to encourage positive conduct through our House Points system, which celebrates good, kind, and helpful behaviour, high academic eﬀort, and House participation. Positive points can be exchanged for edible treats and also contribute to the end of term prizes. The system also allows for awarding “strikes,” which are an opportunity to provide a gentle nudge in the right direction to alter behaviour. Accumulating too many strikes, however, will lead to school sanctions. The Housemaster/mistress monitors our points system carefully for patterns and, if appropriate, awards a school sanction.

It is rare for a pupil to complete their time at Clifton without a minor misdemeanour. Many of these small oﬀences can be dealt with using House points and minor school sanctions without normally contacting parents. For more serious breaches of school rules resulting in a Saturday Night Detention (SND), however, pupils will be sent to the Head Master and parents will always be informed. The school sanctions are managed by the School Marshal, who has high expectations for pupil behaviour —as nice as he is, his oﬀice should not be a regular visit for anyone but himself.

When school sanctions are necessary, the College has four levels of punishment that can be handed out each week:

Marshal’s Extra Duties (MED):

Used for minor lapses like forgetting books, untidy appearance, or being late for lessons.

Compulsory Extra Work (CEW):

Assigned for pupils who are behind in their work and need to catch up.

Week Night Detention (WND):

Usually held on a Wednesday, for pupils who have consistently failed in the above areas or have been involved with more serious oﬀences.

Saturday Night Detention (SND):

Reserved for those oﬀences that have come to the attention of the Deputy Head (Pastoral) or Head Master.

The House A-Z

Absences (unplanned)

Should a pupil need to miss school (e.g. for illness) parents should contact the house by emailing the house core email address.

Access (security)

The main door into West Town is accessible by school card and monitored by CCTV. The main entrance is open Monday to Friday from 7:30am – 7:15pm and 7.30am - 4pm on Saturdays.

Ad-Hoc Boarding Nights

Day Pupils may stay in a boarding house on an ad-hoc basis for a fee. Bookings can be requested by emailing your Housemistress/ master stating the required dates and the child’s preferred House.

Birthdays

Everyone deserves a Birthday card and a, rarely in tune, sing-song and then when they turn a special 18 we treat them to a delicious cake!

Cars

Pupils who wish to drive will need to submit a completed driving form to the school Marshal. Pupils are not allowed to give lifts to other pupils, unless permission from the Marshal has been obtained. The area parking restrictions mean there isn’t parking provision for pupils within the school.

Chapel

Assembly is held in the Chapel on Monday morning and further “services” are held Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, with a “Congers” (singing) service on Saturday. Attendance is compulsory.

There are also important starred services, denoted with a * in the calendar, which are a firm part of traditional life of Clifton College. These are compulsory and may occur on occasionally on a Sunday (such as Remembrance Sunday).

Clothing - Uniform and Casual

The clothing list is provided in the School’s Parent Handbook and the uniform is available from the school shop (see “Grubber”). It can be ordered online for collection or alternatively you can visit the shop. During the summer it is advisable to telephone in advance to make an appointment and avoid disappointment.

The rationale behind the uniform rules are smart, simple and easily maintained. Sixth Form suits should be plain and dark in colour - dark grey, blue or black. For those in year 12 and 13 it is advisable to have at least two pairs of trousers/ skirts with any suit jacket. Please label your clothing with your name and House initials.

Nail varnish and/ or extensions should not be worn. Jewellery, ankle bracelets and strings around the wrist are not allowed and no nose studs or rings are allowed. One pair of small stud earrings (one in each earlobe) is permitted with the uniform.

Please label your clothing with your name and House initials.

Exeats (planned absences from school)

The school recognises 3 types of exeat:

1. Half Terms

2. Duvet Days (2 x Michaelmas, 1 x Lent)

3. Christmas, Easter and the Summer Holidays

Holidays and finish times are listed in the Calendar. The House will be closed during these exeats.

Grades and reports

A more detailed explanation of the grades is available in the parent handbook but, in summary, grades covering eﬀort, behaviour (Year 9 & 10) and attainment are regularly provided by a pupil’s academic teachers. The pastoral side of the house is particularly focused on the eﬀort and behaviour grades and this contributes to the reward and recognition within the house (see House points).

Grubber (The School Shop)

The Grubber is a favourite haunt for many pupils, particularly due to the last entry on the following list of sale items:

• School Uniform

• Clifton sportswear and sports equipment

• Stationery and textbooks

• Toiletries

• Drinks and snacks

Opening Times

During Term

Monday to Friday - 8.00am to 5.00pm (Pupils only 10.00am to 2.00pm)

Saturday - 8.00am to 2.00pm

During Holidays

Monday to Friday - 9.00am to 4.00pm

Saturday - 9.00am to 1.00pm

Telephone: 0117 315 7620

Email: schoolshop@cliftoncollege.com

Online: https://shop.cliftoncollege.com

House Roles

All pupils should lead in the House. This said specific House responsibilities, of which there are many, are divided amongst the pupils (e.g. House Sailing Captain, House Play Director). To aid with the general running of the House there are U6th leadership roles:

• Head of House and Deputy Head(s) of House: These roles will typically be awarded to members of the U6th who will act to help galvanise the house and form a conduit between House staﬀ and the pupils. The appointments are termly ones.

Internet and Computers

There is wireless internet access throughout the house. Use of the internet is closely monitored and is subject to the school usage policy. Misuse will be severely dealt with but in order to prevent this from happening there are significant filters on the school internet).

The school will issue Chromebooks to Year 9, 10 and 11 for their academic work and full details of this will be sent out separately. For Sixth Form it is advisable that pupils consider owning a laptop or tablet device with camera and microphone, and ideally with an ‘inkable’ screen, i.e., one that supports a good quality stylus. Pupils are being encouraged to attempt less online work on their mobile phones, and move towards devices with keyboards and large touchscreens. In terms of specific advice on devices, the school network and online resources are compatible with all platforms: Windows, iOS, Chrome and Android. In answer to a common question from parents: it is not necessary to spend a lot of money on a device, and a reasonably priced Chromebook is entirely suitable for most school purposes.

Kitchens

There are 3 kitchens in West Town containing toasters, kettles, microwaves, fridges and cookers. The kitchens are used by the whole of the house. Bread, jam, marmite, honey and fruit are all available and there are also tea and coﬀee making facilities, and squash, with chocolate spread on treat days! There is a separate kitchen for sixth form only. Pupils are all responsible for washing up items used so the kitchen can be kept tidy for others.

Merchandise

The pupils appear to rather enjoy House branded merchandise and in West Town they will be given the opportunity to purchase house kit. The items vary annually and is coordinated by the Upper Sixth. There is no obligation to buy any of this though.

A House sports top is part of the uniform list and should be purchased at the school shop.

Mobile Phones

The College’s mobile phone usage policy aims to foster a healthy use of technology and encourage pupils to interact face-toface.

To eliminate unwanted distraction and stress, all year groups must hand in their mobile phones for the school day and, in years 9, 10 and 11 overnight.

Mobile phones present opportunities for both positive and negative use and can cause significant issues within the school environment. Because mobile data bypasses school filters, monitoring is very diﬀicult; therefore, parents are recommended to ensure contracts have limited data allowance and/or monitor usage.

Parent Portal, School Webpage and Calendar

The College website (www.cliftoncollege. com) gives news and information such as term and exeat dates and the whole term’s calendar (including parents’ evenings, musical evenings and concerts, all of the sporting fixtures).

The Parent Engage Portal (accessible via the website) contains information about the academic performance and behaviour of the pupils (reports, grades etc). A password will be required for this and will be issued, along with full instructions, to all new parents at the start of the year. Please contact engage@cliftoncollege.com if you have any issues logging in.

Personal belongings and Insurance

Please do not bring in unnecessary expensive equipment that can get lost or damaged. Please use lockers (and bring a coded padlock) to lock away things such as chromebooks/laptops when they are not being used - and ensure that these are appropriately insured by parents/guardians personally. Equipment rarely goes missing but accidents do happen and things can get broken.

Expensive musical instruments can be stored in the Housemistress and Matron’s oﬀices. No earphones/headphones are to be worn with your school uniform around campus.

Prep

Prep is all logged on the Google Classroom site which is accessible from home. Parents/ guardians can be added (on request).

Pupil Cards

Each girl will be given a card to access the House and some other areas of the College. It will also serve as a way of purchasing items from the College Shop which will subsequently be added to pupils’ bills. It is very important that this card is looked after. Failure to do so could compromise the security of the House and School. Should a card be lost, then this must be reported to the Housemistress/ Matron immediately who will cancel the card and order a new one at a cost.

Trips and Events

House trips are organised and oﬀered to those wishing to take part, they have one target in mind – fun. Movie and pizza nights and AirHop seem to be firm favourites. Any relevant cost for these trips will be communicated in advance.

House Rules

Mutual respect for each other and the House should govern all actions.

In conjunction with all wider school rules:

1. Attendance at daily call-over and all House meetings is compulsory as well as at morning Chapel and Congers on Saturday.

2. No student may leave the campus without the permission of the Housemaster/ mistress or a House tutor. They must also sign out and back in.

3. Please respect the staﬀ, students, premises and equipment throughout the House. The House library is a designated quiet area.

4. Visitors are welcome outside of lesson times but permission must be gained from the Housemaster/mistress or a member of staﬀ on duty. Visitors are allowed in studies but must be accompanied at all times.

5. All students are responsible for ensuring that their studies are kept clean and tidy. Sports kit should be kept in kit bags at all times and stored on top of study lockers or neatly under the desks. No dirty rugby/ football boots in the studies.

6. All students have a collective responsibility to ensure that the kitchens and public areas are kept clean and tidy. Cleaning rotas are also implemented each week.

7. Please report all breakages immediately to the Housemaster/mistress, a tutor or Matron. All students will be billed for their breakage but not sanctioned if they act honestly (and eﬀiciently) in reporting it.

8. No ball games anywhere inside the House.

What are the uniform requirements?

A link to the uniform list can be found in the parental handbook which will be issued to you centrally. Uniform can be purchased from the school shop either online or in person but this can get busy over the summer so an appointment is recommended. Telephone: 0117 3157620 or email: schoolshop@cliftoncollege.com

Is there a second hand uniform shop?

As a key part of the schools sustainability work “The Basement” is our studentrun second-hand shop, selling pre-loved uniform and sports kit for the Pre, Prep, and Upper School. Opening times are usually Monday afternoons from 14:15 to 14:45, or by appointment (please contact mlockwood2@cliftoncollege.com). There are also pop-up events throughout the year. All proceeds go to charities selected by the student-led charities committee.

My child has specific medical needs, what should I do?

Please ensure this information is included when you complete the online web admissions forms as this will ensure it is entered into the school system and passed to our School Health Centre. This should be suﬀicient but it is also advisable to contact your child’s Housemaster/mistress and draw their attention to it.

What are the term dates and dates of parents meetings etc?

Please click on the links for the term dates and the latest school calendar.

What

the weekly and daily school routine?

This information is available in the parent handbook and the house handbook for routine outside of these times. All Day Houses open at 7.30am each morning and close at 7.15pm (Mon-Fri) and 4.00pm (Sat).

I have lots of questions, who should I ask?

I would like my child to enjoy music lessons while at Clifton.

Please specify this on your joining documents or, if your decision is made at a later date, please email your Housemistress/master. Please note that it will take some time to finalise the music timetable and so students should expect to start lessons in the second or third week of term.

If you have questions that remain unanswered after reading the information you have been issued by Admissions and your Housemistress/master then please do contact your child’s Housemistress/master, they will be happy to help.

My child doesn’t have a school timetable?

All students are provided with their academic timetables on their first day of term.

What are the timings for the first day of term?

The detailed information will be sent to you by your Housemasters/mistresses closer to the start of term.

How

do I know if my child has a match?

My child wants to change their initial choices (either GCSE or A Level/ BTEC). Who should I contact?

Please email deputyheads@cliftoncollege. com to amend choices.

My child doesn’t have a school timetable. All students are provided with their academic timetables on the first day of term and the information will also be available both via Google Calendar and the school Engage system.

My child currently has access arrangements, will these carry on?/ I think my child needs access arrangements, how do I get my child assessed?

Please ensure this information is included when you complete the online web admissions forms. All new pupils go through screening tests which are arranged by our Learning Support Department. If anything is flagged during these tests, you will be notified by the Learning Support Department and further assessments may take place. If you think your child needs to be accessed, please contact your Housemaster/mistress and they will put you in touch with the Learning Support Department.

This information is available via the school calendar (https://calendar.cliftoncollege. com/). Here you will be able to see school fixtures and by clicking on “details” you will be able to access the team sheets and fixture information.

(N.B. The team sheets require a password that parents will be informed of at the start of each academic year).

My child is starting Sixth Form. What colour of suits are permitted?

Suits should be part of a set, matching in colour and material. They must be plain, dark blue (or navy), dark grey or black. Suits that are lighter in colour will not be accepted. Additionally, there should be no patterns.