INTRODUCTION TO BEACONFIELD HOUSE
House History
The school magazine in February 1956 records,
“the recently completed purchase of Beaconfield, a large house standing in its own grounds, adjoining the western boundary of the Lower Field... The new house will be a considerable addition to the school’s amenities.”
The September 1956 magazine reads,
“…next term about 20 fourth form boys under the care of Mr and Mrs Field would live there (usually for just one year) on their way to the main school houses.”
The number of boys in the school according to the school magazine in February 1957, included 78 juniors at Westwood; the school population having risen from 409 twelve months before to 435.
The magazine recalls:
“This increase follows the provision of new dormitory accommodation at Summerhill and Beaconfield … At Beaconfield there are dormitories and a day-room … Beaconfield boys are bona fide members of their senior houses: they feed in the Dining Hall at their senior tables, they are roped into the usual day-room rotas and are eligible to play in their house junior teams etc. They do prep and have some spare-time activities at Beaconfield, under the general care of Mr and Mrs Field and two prefects …”
In the Autumn term of 1976, there were many changes: Upper found it had become Lower, Lower had become Beaconfield and Beaconfield
House Emblem
had become Westwood, School, Hall and Middle remained unchanged. In 1984, Mr and Mrs Allison began the Junior Girls (Years 7 and 8) Boarding and Day House at Beaconfield, which they ran until 1998.
In 1999, Beaconfield transformed into a Senior Girls’ House (girls from Summerhill moved here) which set new standards for boarding accommodation at Kingswood. The transformation included individual and double sixth-form rooms, a large colourful kitchen and comfortable lounge, whose new sofas were much appreciated after a long day at school. The house had a complete redecoration and new staff accommodation created.
In 2023, after modernisation, Beaconfield became the new junior boarding house for Years 7 and 8. Accommodation included: bedrooms sleeping between 2 and 5 boarders, a refreshed common room as well as other spaces, including a kitchen, games room, prep space and lounge, as well as plenty of space to be outside in the House garden with vegetable patch.
WELCOME TO BEACONFIELD HOUSE
I am delighted that you have chosen to send your child to join the Beaconfield boarding family at Kingswood School as a Junior Boarder. Thank you for entrusting us with their care. We are very much looking forward to getting to know both you and your child in the months ahead.
At Beaconfield, we are committed to providing the very best pastoral care. Our ethos centres around creating a strong sense of family, with resident house staff living in the House and engaging closely with boarders on a daily basis. Your child will have regular interaction with these staff and their families, ensuring they feel safe, supported, and at home. We work in close partnership with your child’s tutor and the Heads of Lower School to ensure their well-being and development are prioritised.
I hope this handbook will answer many of your questions and offer reassurance about what life in Beaconfield will be like for your child.
I live in Beaconfield with Mrs Newbould and our two children, Margot and Monty. As Houseparent, I am responsible for the pastoral welfare of all Junior Boarders and for the day-to-day running of the House, including evenings and weekends. I will be your main point of contact for any matters related to Junior Boarding. In addition to this role, I also teach History and Politics at the school.
Mrs Newbould is a teacher of Religion, Philosophy and Ethics and also serves as Head of Year 9 (Middle School). She plays an integral role in the smooth running of Beaconfield and provides valuable pastoral support to our boarders.
We are also fortunate to have Miss Becconsall as our Resident Assistant Houseparent. A former Kingswood boarder herself, she now teaches Geography and is a tutor at Westwood. Miss Becconsall supports the pastoral care of the House, supervises boarders during evening and weekend duties, and leads many of our exciting weekend trips and activities.
Mr George
Newbould
(Junior Boarding Houseparent)
ADDRESS AND CONTACT DETAILS
House Address:
Beaconfield House College Road
Lansdown
Bath
BA1 5RT
Beaconfield House Office: 01225 734291
Beaconfield House Duty Mobile: 07436 152347
Junior Houseparent Mobile: 07511 179574
Beaconfield Student Phone: 01225 734293
School Reception: 01225 734200
Junior Boarding Houseparent Email: gnewbould@kingswood.bath.sch.uk
There will always be a member of staff in the House between 4.30pm and 5.30pm and again between 7pm and 9.30pm.
Duty staff will be available on the House Mobile from 4.30pm to 9.30pm. A member of resident staff will have the House Mobile with them overnight, in case of emergencies.
During the day, it is best to contact the School Reception for any urgent messages.
Houseparents regularly check their emails and will endeavour to respond to them within 24 hours, unless they require more urgent attention.
The first point of contact is usually your child’s tutor. However, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s Houseparent over anything with regard to your child. They would rather deal with things as they occur and not let them develop into bigger issues. Houseparents will contact you if they have any concerns or if they feel things are going particularly well. They would also love to hear about your child’s endeavours and successes outside of school.
House Social Media
Beaconfield has an Instagram account, which records and celebrates the life of the House. This can be found on Instagram as follows: @kws_beaconfield
Westwood Contact information
During the school day (8:25am to 5:30pm), Junior Boarders are under the care of the Lower School staff in Westwood.
Mr Stephen Pentreath, Head of Lower School can be contacted via SPentreath@kingswood.bath.sch.uk or 01225 734486.
Mrs Curtis, Deputy Head of Lower School (responsibility for girls in Westwood) can be contacted via NCurtis@kingswood.bath.sch.uk or 01225 734486.
You will be sent your child’s tutor’s contact details in the first week of term.
HOUSE STAFF
Junior Boarding Houseparent
Mr George Newbould Year 7 Tutor - Westwood History Teacher gnewbould@kingswood.bath.sch.uk
Resident Assistant Houseparent
Miss Emily Becconsall Year 7 Tutor - Westwood Geography Teacher ebecconsall@kingswood.bath.sch.uk
Head of Year 9 –Middle School
Mrs Steph Newbould Year 9 Tutor - School House RPE Teacher snewbould@kingswood.bath.sch.uk
Evening and Weekend Duty Staff
Mr Alex Carlton-Porter Tutor in Upper House PE and Games Coach acarltonporter@kingswood.bath.sch.uk
Mr Miles Thompson Tutor in Middle House Science Teacher mthompson@kingswood.bath.sch.uk
Ms Helen Worrall Kingswood Prep School Deputy Head hworrall@kingswood.bath.sch.uk
From 4.30pm each weekday, there is a member of staff on duty in the House. From this time, they supervise the students, cover prep and are responsible for all the boarders in the evening. There is always a member of staff on duty 24 hours a day, in case of emergencies. At weekends, the boarders are usually in the care of the Junior Houseparent and/or the Resident Assistant House Staff.
Housekeeper
Lisa Cross
Our housekeeper ensures the dormitories and communal areas in Beaconfield are kept in excellent condition. They also always keep a friendly and watchful eye on all the boarders. The resident staff liaise frequently with them to support all the boarders.
Westwood Prefects
To support the boarders and day students, about 30 Year 12 prefects are carefully selected to help ensure Junior Boarding runs smoothly. These older pupils act as role models and support all Junior Boarders on weekday evenings and during weekends.
HOUSE DAILY ROUTINE
Monday – Friday
6.45am Boarders wake up
7.25am Boarders leave Beaconfield and go to breakfast
8.25am Registration for all pupils in tutor groups
9.00am Lessons begin
4.30pm Boarders can return to Beaconfield if they do not have an activity
5.30pm Supper
6.00pm Registration and Prep begins
6.45pm Music Practice accompanied by prefect (return at 7.15pm to Beaconfield)
7.00pm End of Prep, free time
7.30pm Devices allowed
8.30pm Registration and devices handed in
9.00pm All boarders in rooms
9.15pm Lights-out
In the Summer term, times for going to bed are put forward by quarter of an hour.
SATURDAY
8.30am Breakfast in House
9.30am House meeting, registration and devices allowed
10.00am Free time in House and/or matches
12.00pm Lunch
1.00pm Registration and activities in House or town with Westwood Prefects
5.00pm All boarders back in House
5.30pm Supper
6.30pm Evening registration and devices handed in
6.30pm Whole House Activity
8.30pm Free time
9.30pm Lights out
HOUSE DAILY ROUTINE
SUNDAY
8.30am Breakfast in House
9.30am House meeting, registration and devices allowed
10.00am Morning activity/free time
11.00am Brunch
12.00pm Registration in House and depart on trip
5.00pm Approximate return from trip
5.30pm Supper
6.10pm Registration
7.00pm Boarders’ Swimming
7.30pm Registration and devices hand in
9.00pm All boarders in rooms
9.15pm Lights-out
Music Practice
Boarders who receive individual music tuition must go to the Music School on the allocated days to practice. Pupils are escorted there and back by a prefect. Musical instruments are stored in the Music School.
Please note there is a piano in Beaconfield which boarders are encouraged to use.
HOUSE ROUTINES & ARRANGEMENTS
Use of Beaconfield during the school day
Boarders must ensure that they take all of their books and other equipment as they are not allowed to return to the House between 7.30am and 4.30pm from Monday to Friday. If boarders do not have an activity, they may return to the House from 4.30pm until supper at 5.30pm.
Storage of Equipment in Westwood
During the school day, boarders have their own locker in Westwood for storing books. Games kit should be kept in a single named sports bag and stored on the bag racks on the ground floor. All equipment must be clearly named. Boarders can store books in their rooms.
Illness during the school day
If a pupil is ill during the school day, they may go to the Health and Wellbeing Centre. The Health and Wellbeing Centre will ring parents if necessary.
If boarders feel unwell at other times (including overnight) they should seek out the member of staff on duty.
Support for Pupils
There are a range of services at Kingswood designed to offer students support. Their tutor and Houseparents are the initial points of support but if a student wants to, they can communicate with any member of staff they feel comfortable speaking with. This could include speaking with the Deputy Head Pastoral or Designated Safeguard Lead.
The Health and Wellbeing Centre can be accessed by pupils during the school day.
Additional support systems in place for pupils include the school counsellors, Off the Record, Childline, Frank, the Riverside Clinic and the Office of the Children’s Commissioner. The contact details for these services are displayed in the school and on the boarding house notice boards.
HOUSE RULES
In addition to the school rules, the following rules are specific to the House, or are a reiteration of school rules that are particularly important.
1. Pupils are expected to behave with good sense, good manners and good will at all times.
2. Friendliness, helpfulness and sensitivity to others is expected of all pupils.
3. All members of the House are expected to co-operate with the prefects, housekeepers and duty staff as they carry out their duties.
4. Pupils are expected to support the House ethos, House events and competitions.
5. Pupils are expected to treat the House belongings, furniture, staff and each other with respect and care.
6. During prep, pupils work quietly. The use of personal electronic equipment is only permitted in consultation with duty staff. Nobody is permitted to leave prep unless they have permission from the member of staff on duty.
7. Visitors from other Houses are welcome in the House after lessons. They must be signed in by a member of the House who is then responsible for their guest’s behaviour. Only one guest per House member allowed. Everyone who visits the House must sign in, this includes day pupils from that House.
8. Visitors from other Houses and day pupils are not permitted in bedrooms.
9. Parents, guardians, family members must be introduced to House staff on arrival and signed in. No visitors are allowed in the communal areas or bedrooms (except to help with carrying luggage at the start and end of term).
10. Do not allow unauthorised visitors into the House – you must check who they are and ask them to wait outside until you have found a member of staff.
11. A person who is not part of the Kingswood community can only enter the House with prior permission from the Senior Houseparent. On arrival to the school they must sign in at Reception to obtain a visitors badge. They must also sign in to the House.
12. All of the House are responsible for keeping it clean and tidy. Food should be eaten off a plate and, along with hot drinks, may only be prepared and consumed in the kitchen. Everyone should ensure that rubbish is put in bins and appropriate items put into the recycle bins. Everyone is responsible for doing their own washing up / loading the dishwasher and cleaning the work tops.
13. Food and snacks from the House kitchen must not been eaten during the school day. This food is for House members, not their guests. Boarders’ own snacks and food are for the boarders only.
14. Nobody should be in the House during the school day without specific permission from a member of House Staff. Pupils should notify Housekeepers when they are in the House.
15. Pupils using the television in the Common Room must ensure that their viewing is age appropriate. Only 12 certificate films and games are to be shown or played in the House.
16. No mobile phones should be used at registration or during other communal House gatherings.
17. Smoking or vaping or bringing alcohol or drugs (or any related paraphernalia) into the House or its gardens are considered very serious breaches of trust and will be dealt with according to the school policies.
18. Boarders must sign in and out using Orah whenever they enter or leave the House.
HOUSE RULES
19. Everyone should observe the times to be back in the House, in their bedroom and quiet after lights out. Nobody should be out of bed after lights out except to visit the bathroom or in an emergency.
20. Boarders are not allowed in each other’s rooms without permission. Male and female boarders are only permitted in their respective zones of the House.
21. Beds must be made and curtains opened in the morning and rooms should be kept tidy.
22. Applications for weekend exeats (leave) should be made initially via email to the Houseparent who will then send you a form to fill in. Applications must be made by the Tuesday morning preceding the relevant weekend.
23. All school meals during the week are compulsory. No substitute meals may be prepared or consumed in the House.
24. Years 7-8 must be in breakfast by 7.40am. If boarders are late for breakfast, the following sanctions will be applied:
a. First late - a warning will be given by member of staff on duty and/or Houseparent and recorded.
b. Second late within a fortnight - report to member of staff on breakfast duty at 7.30am next morning
c. Three ‘lates’ within a fortnight - boarder reports to House staff at 7.10am for a week.
d. Repeated offence will follow the School’s Sanction Policy Levels 3 where detention and/or service to the community will be given.
25. To help encourage a good night’s sleep, crucial in helping to maintain positive mental health, electronic devices are to be handed in, according to the daily routine. Devices can be charged overnight and collected at a time agreed with Houseparents.
26. Sums of money over £10 along with passports, visas and BRP cards must be deposited with the Senior Houseparent to be kept in the House safe.
27. Boarders must notify their Senior Houseparent when any new electrical items are brought into the House as they will need to be PAT tested by school electricians.
28. Boarders need to make themselves familiar with rules regarding school bounds and times to be in House. No boarder may leave the House after the time they are expected in at night or before 7.00am. Contravention of this will result in a meeting with the Deputy Head / Head of Boarding and an appropriate sanction will be applied.
PUPIL BEHAVIOUR
House Rewards
Houses take great pride in the achievements of all their members. Individual or one-off achievements in specific fields e.g. Academic, Music, Drama or Sport will be recognised in House via assemblies or the House Instagram account, as well as in Whole School Assembly and the School Newsletter.
To encourage considerate, positive and good behaviour there is a ‘Best of Beaconfield’ Award that is given out weekly. A small edible prize is given and the winner has the choice of the snack for the week. Winners are mentioned in the regular boarding update which goes to all boarders’ parents and guardians. A record of weekly winners is kept to encourage praise to be spread widely.
Each half term, two Year 8s are awarded the title of Boarding Champion. Boarding champions are given additional responsibilities in the House and are role models and a point of support for our more junior boarders.
The boarders also have the opportunity to be recognised with a Wyvern Award from the Head of Boarding. This is given to boarders who contribute above and beyond to the community.
Finally, there is a Beaconfield House team competition, with points awarded for things such as room tidiness and helpfulness. A trophy is awarded to the winning team each term.
Discipline
Any behavioural issues will be managed individually, with empathy and with reference to the Pupil and Parent Handbook (which can be found on the Parent Portal). Communication will be maintained with parents throughout.
GENERAL HOUSE INFORMATION
Personal Property
It is imperative that all clothing and personal possessions are clearly labelled with the pupil’s name so any items that go missing can be returned to their owner through the lost property system. It is recommended that valuable items such as mobile phones, laptops / tablets, and musical instruments be privately insured. Every pupil has a lockable space and is encouraged to use it for valuables. Pupils must take full responsibility for valuable items and borrowing/lending is strongly discouraged. All electronic devices are locked overnight in the Beaconfield Office.
The House Fund
House facilities may include satellite TV, games consoles, DVD player, games and supplies for the kitchen. These are available for use by anyone in the House. A number of House social occasions take place during the year, including end of term ‘entertainment’. The school provides each House with a small allowance to help towards the cost of these facilities and events, but each House also applies a levy of £8.20 for day pupils and £15.20 for boarders per term, which is added to the school bill.
Post for boarders is delivered to the boarding office. If pupils wish to send letters, they should have stamps.
Evenings and Weekends
Duty Staff
During the week, the Houseparent, Resident Assistant Houseparent or duty staff are on duty from 4.30pm to lights out. When duty staff leave after lights out, the Houseparent or the Resident Assistant will be on call throughout the night.
The duty staff can be contacted on the office phone in the evenings or on the House mobile.
At weekends, it will normally be either the Junior Boarding Houseparent or the Resident Assistant on duty.
The Common Room and Conservatory
The common room is available for socialising, playing board games and watching television in free time. It has a Nintendo Switch and PS4 consoles which are always very popular. There are desktop computers and books that boarders are free to use.
The conservatory features a pool/table tennis table and is available for boarders to use. Boarders may need to ask house staff for the equipment such as pool cues and table tennis bats.
Food in House
The kitchen can be used for making snacks in the evenings after prep and at the weekends. Over the weekend, the boarders have breakfast in House and on some Saturday nights the House will have supper. Food should be eaten off a plate and may only be consumed in the common room or kitchen.
Tuck
Boarders are allowed to purchase some additional food and snacks which are allowed to be eaten on Fridays. Any purchased items should be stored in their tuck box. There is a strict NO NUTS policy. There is NO EXTRA SPACE to store excess food.
Family Groups
Houses are encouraged to create Family Groups which comprise students from across all the year groups. Spending time as a ‘family’ will regularly be encouraged and special events planned.
‘Family time’, is when all the boarders will be in the Common Room or kitchen. It is a time for catching up with one another, playing games, learning life skills, doing quizzes, arts and crafts or other activities. During this time it is a mobile and computer screen free zone! The activities tend to be organised by the pupils themselves, family groups or the duty staff.
Boarders’ Activities and Trips
We have regular big suppers in the House at weekends, chocolate fondue evenings, play games, go for walks, bake and host International Food Evenings – these are just a few of the activities we do in House.
Most boarder trips take place on a Sunday afternoon and might typically include: professional sports matches, the cinema, laser tag, outdoor pursuits, the theatre, Segway, ten pin bowling, Outlet shopping, Crazy Golf etc. Once a term we go on a whole day trip to a theme park or an outdoor activities centre.
Please note there are sometimes extra consent forms required by outdoor activity centres which must be completed and signed by parents or guardians. All the Sunday trips are heavily subsidised by the school but do have cost implications for parents. The cost of all trips throughout the year should not exceed £300 in total.
To help us plan efficiently, we do need advance notice if any boarders will be away from School for the weekend. Any late notification may result in costs being incurred.
Birthdays
We celebrate all term time birthdays in the House. Boarders with term-time birthdays will receive a card and a modest edible gift. Some parents send cakes on the occasion of the pupil’s birthday so your child can celebrate with friends. Some parents have arranged for pizzas to be delivered for 7.30pm on the day of a birthday. If you are sending a cake or pizzas, please liaise with house staff in advance and ensure that they are nut free.
Mid-week Parties
As a boarding community, we do not allow boarders to attend mid-week parties that occur Sunday to Thursday inclusive. This could be counter-productive to the students’ work undertaken the following day, and may have a detrimental impact upon their prep.
Going to Town at the Weekends
Boarders are allowed to visit Bath at the weekends but they must first seek permission from the member of staff on duty and must be in groups of 3 or more. Year 7 boarders will be escorted and supervised by prefects. They should report back to the member of staff on duty on their return. They must also sign themselves ‘in and out’ of the House. They are expected to be back in the House for 4:30pm.
Weekend Leave
If you are UK based and would like to take your child home for the weekend or if you would like to allow your child to visit a friend’s home, communication must be made with the Senior Houseparent by Tuesday morning preceding the weekend. The school will provide a form for those boarders not staying with family, that must be filled in by parents/ guardian of the boarder and the parents of the host family with details of the exeat. If permission is not received from both the boarders’ parents/guardians and the host parents/guardians, then the boarder will be unable to leave.
Team or other school responsibilities must come first, and pupils must ensure that nothing is missed.
Holiday and Travel Arrangements
Please indicate your child’s holiday arrangements for the coming year or term, by completing the form that will be sent to you by the School Office. It should contain details of dates and methods of travel. The term dates are pre-published and should be adhered to where possible. If, due to exceptional circumstances, your child needs to miss school to travel home or to a guardian etc. please contact the Senior Deputy Head, Mr Chataway (mchataway@kingswood.bath.sch.uk), to obtain permission.
Domestic Arrangements
• Boarders’ laundry is collected every day and returned to the House two days later.
• The Housekeeper can also arrange for items to be dry-cleaned and this will involve an additional charge.
• All clothing, including casual clothes, may be sent to the laundry and so it is essential that everything is named.
• Please ensure that your child has some spare nametapes, so that any new clothes purchased can be named.
• To make their rooms feel like home, boarders can bring their own bedding. They will need to have two sets of bedding (two single duvet covers, two single sheets and two pillowcases). Bed sheets are changed every fortnight and boarders will be told which night to strip their bedding. They are responsible for putting clean sheets on.
• If boarders bring any extra pillows or bedding, please can they be clearly named.
• The boarders must make their beds in the morning and open their curtains.
• Rooms should be kept tidy.
• Each boarder has a pin board by their bed. They are encouraged to personalise their areas with photographs and suitable posters.
• All boarders need a wash bag and a pair of slippers.
• Beaconfield has a ‘no shoe’ policy and shoes will be stored in racks by the House entrance, with slippers worn indoors instead. Boarders should have black polish and the necessary equipment to clean their school shoes.
Passports, Money and Medication
When the boarders arrive at the start of each term, passports, travel documents and money must be handed into the Junior Boarding Houseparent for safe-keeping in the House safe.
The Health and Wellbeing Centre must be made aware of any medical conditions and regular medication that is being taken by boarders. All medicines must be given into the care of the Health and Wellbeing Centre staff who will ensure that they are available to the pupil when needed. This may include administration by House staff in which case it will be stored in the house office and dispensed by staff.
Contact for the Health and Wellbeing Centre: Health&wellbeing@kingswood.bath.sch.uk
Personal Property
It is advisable to limit the amount of personal property brought into the House, particularly clothing.
All items should be clearly named so that can be returned to the House if they are misplaced. We recommend sew in labels as iron-on labels or pen are less reliable.
Please ensure that your child has a sports bag for kit and a laundry bag to store dirty clothing before it is transferred into the house laundry bags.
Electrical Items
Boarders planning to bring portable equipment with them (e.g. laptops, hair-dryers, chargers etc.) must ensure, as far as is practicably possible, that the power supply cable is in good condition; that the plug is not damaged or corroded; that the flex has no signs of tears/breaks; and is either the original cable supplied or a replacement approved by the manufacturer of the equipment to be used. For all equipment, including chargers, you should check that the equipment will function appropriately using the 240 Volt supply in the UK. The power cable should also be fitted with the correct size fuse –3 amp for equipment below 700 Watts, and a 13amp fuse for anything over 700 Watts. All adaptors should be UK approved to comply with our safety regulations. Apple plugs and chargers should be bought in the UK for laptops, phones and iPads.
Please do not buy travel adaptors, plugs, chargers and adaptors at the airport as they are not suitable for use in school. Tests will be undertaken on any equipment brought to the school to determine its safety. Should unsafe equipment be found, it will be removed from use.
Boarders can bring in electrical items such as laptops, tablets but they must take full responsibility for looking after them properly. The use of such items is very closely monitored and students must not use these excessively for activities such as gaming. Houseparents encourage reading, board games and table tennis etc. as an alternative to device use in free time.
Every boarder is provided with a lockable space and is expected to use it for the storage of valuables.
Please ensure that expensive items are suitably insured.
Junior Boarding - Social Media
As a school, we have filters which prevent usage of social media platforms on our school devices and whilst using school Wi-Fi for Years 7 and 8. Whilst the decision about social media usage outside of school rests with parents, we would strongly recommend that parents have set up controls on their child’s personal electronic devices, in line with school acceptable use policy, and that boarders under the age of 13 should not have any social media apps installed.
For reference, the following platform minimum ages are as follows:
Snapchat 13
TikTok 13
Parental controls enable parents to control which apps their child is using, prevent downloads of apps and also to monitor usage. You can find advice on how to set up these parental controls by following either of the following links:
Use parental controls on your child’s iPhone, iPad and iPod touch – Apple Support (UK)
How to set up parental controls on Google PlayGoogle Play Help
Instagram 13
WhatsApp 13
Lansdown Road, Bath BA1 5RG T. 01225 734210 | E. admissions@kingswood.bath.sch.uk www.kingswood.bath.sch.uk