New houses mark a new beginning

The house system continues to be central to life at Dauntsey’s throughout the Middle School and the feeling of belonging and collective responsibility that is created in the Lower School continues.

There are four boarding houses and four day houses and a great deal of consideration goes into house allocations to ensure a balance of interests and personalities. Numerous conversations take place between Lower School house staff and tutors to ensure that we balance interests and take into account friendship dynamics. Confirmation of house allocations are sent out in the June prior to moving up in September and siblings follow one another into the various houses.

Although we move to single-sex houses in the Middle School, there are plenty of opportunities to mix as a cohort. There are opportunities for the year groups to come together as a whole at regular afternoon tea socials and there are the more formalised end of exam celebrations after mocks and summer exams. Pupils are free to welcome friends into each other’s house common rooms, ensuring that relationships formed in Lower School continue to develop.

As in the Lower School, house staff remain an important and trusted form of support for pupils. In addition to house staff and tutors, pupils are supported by teaching staff, nurses, counsellors and many others, all ensuring that the mental, physical and spiritual needs of pupils are met.

On arrival in Middle School, pupils will also be allocated a new tutor who will stay with them until they finish their time at Dauntsey’s. At this stage of the school a ‘vertical tutoring’ approach is introduced and pupils’ tutor groups are of mixed ages. This increased interaction with pupils higher up in the school, helps develop the maturity and independence of pupils, whilst also giving them role models to look up to.

8 HOUSES (4 DAY & 4 BOARDING)

“Senior houses really do feel like a second home. Your house is a safe space to relax with friends on the sofa, make some toast or just get on with school work.”

-Fifth Form day pupil

In response to this heightened maturity, pupils are given increased freedom and independence within the school day and, for boarders, at the weekend. Throughout the day they are allocated numerous ‘private study’ periods to help them manage the increased work load, and at weekends, boarders have the opportunity to participate in a wide-ranging activity and trips programme. These include cinema trips, shopping trips to Bath or Bristol, trips to theme parks, water parks or climbing walls, as well as visits to the seaside and countryside walks.

Upper School houses

Boarding

Girls

Evans

Evans House aims to create a warm, secure and caring environment, where everyone is encouraged to reach their full potential, in every aspect of their lives. Evans is a friendly, inclusive house and all its members are valued and respected for being themselves.

Boys MERCERS

Mercers’ boys are encouraged to make the most of all their abilities and the opportunities on offer. The focus is on making each boy feel secure and significant, with the aim being that when they leave Mercers, they will be realising their potential as individuals, and realising that collectively they are even better.

JEANNE

The Jeanne house moto is VICENT QUIS SE VICENT, meaning ‘She who conquers herself, wins’. Jeanne girls are passionate about bettering themselves through creating happiness in their lives. Jeanne girls are inclusive, friendly and keen to make the most of the opportunities presented to them.

Fitzmaurice

Virtute non Verbis – this is on the Fitzmaurice House crest and translates as ‘action not words’; because of this, Fitzmaurice has always been a House with a culture of doing and all boys are encouraged to embody this, making sure they represent themselves and the house in the best possible light at all times.

Girls

KING-REYNOLDS

King-Reynolds has a friendly atmosphere and new girls are made to feel very welcome. It has a strong tradition in music, drama and sport. The girls are encouraged to contribute widely to the school community, to flourish (the motto is Floreat Femina) and to treat each other with kindness and respect at all times.

Boys

Farmer

Farmer House aims to promote a friendly, respectful and supportive environment where everyone is given the opportunity to flourish and develop. Members of the house are encouraged to contribute positively to house life, with the aim of leaving Farmer in a better place for future year groups.

Lambert

The Lambert motto in Greek, translates as “Good Fortune to the House” and all girls are encouraged to behave in a way that will result in good fortune for the house. Girls are encouraged to be aspirational and to be socially and politically aware as well. Lambert girls past and present describe the House as the ‘LamFam’ (Lambert Family): it is an inclusive, cohesive and happy place to be.

Hemens

The aim in the house is to encourage the boys to enjoy their school life, and to flourish and develop as responsible and confident young men. The boys are contributors and people who relish every challenge thrown at them, whether in the classroom, on the sports field, on stage, or in competitions such as debates and public speaking.

What’s next?

Time flies in the Middle School and before pupils know it, they are at the end of their GCSE programme and moving into Sixth Form.

Throughout both the Fourth and Fifth Form our Careers Department works closely with pupils and introduces them to the idea of career planning and implementation. All Fifth Form pupils are encouraged to take part in at least one week’s worth of work experience after their GCSE examinations.

Outside providers, such as MyFutureChoice are used to help with Level 3 qualification (A Level, BTEC, T Level, IB, Pre-U) choices as pupils progress through the Middle School. There are also numerous information sessions held at school to help with decision making, such as the A Level Discovery Morning and Subject Fair. A Level options are submitted at the end of January in the Fifth Form.

In the week following the final GCSE examination, we run our ever-popular Post GCSE Life Skills Programme, for the Fifth Form. There are a range of options available, all of which are designed to provide pupils with specific skills and attitudes that will help them as they progress into the Sixth Form. Some of these will be practical, like first aid and CPR, lifeguarding, flying, basic mechanics, sewing or cooking, while others will look to develop other skills and traits such as teamwork and leadership. Above all, they are designed to be fun and this final week, which includes a Fifth Form Ball is a celebration of a busy, memorable and exciting two years in the Middle School. 9 COURSES OFFERED IN POST GCSE PROGRAMME

-Sixth Form pupil reflecting on Middle School years