Blenheim House to Welcome
Parent Handbook
Blenheim House Staff
Mr Drummond
Housemaster
“Blenheim is a fantastic house to be a part of, everyone in the house is welcoming and we work as a family!”
Mr Miccoli
Senior House assistant
"I've worked in boarding since 2016 and absolutely love the community and family aspect of it, as well as the opportunity to invest into the lives of young people."
Prefects
Blenheim House has a group of Boys in Year 12s and 13 that act as Prefects Their duties are to aid in the day-to-day running of the House. They also head up committees and organise inter-House events as well as activities afterschool and at the weekend. The Prefects are not allowed to give out sanctions, but they are expected to inform duty staff of who is not meeting the House’s expectations. However, they can give out rewards as long as cleared and logged by a member of staff
Mike A
Deputy House Captain
Oscar T
House Prefect
Peter N
House Prefect
Syaniil Gurung
House Captain
Useful Communication Information
Blenheim House Office number
01344 898551
Mr Drummond work mobile number
07825 195456
Duty Mobile number
07557 014058
Mr Drummond’s email address:
callum.drummond@lvs.ascot.sch.uk
Mr Miccoli’s email address angelo.miccoli@lvs.ascot.sch.uk
Post and packages for you should be sent to the following address:
[Your Name]
Blenheim House, LVS ASCOT London Road Ascot Berkshire SL5 8DR
Microsoft Teams
All Boys will be added to the Blenheim Boys team. Here notices are posted daily and plans for the evening/weekend day. We also run quizzes and other events on this platform.
Introduction to Boarding
Boarding at LVS Ascot is based on the following principles:
• The development of the whole person, physically, spiritually, intellectually, morally, socially, and emotionally in a conducive atmosphere of positive praise and reinforcement
• The promotion of mutual respect and the right to be treated as an individual.
• The right of the individual to not suffer any form of abuse.
• An equality of opportunities provided to all, regardless of socio-economic or cultural background.
• The right to privacy.
• Fostering supportive links with parents and guardians
In addition to addressing physical needs and a sense of security and safety, Blenheim House seeks to contribute to its Boarders’development in their sense of belonging, their self-esteem, self-respect, sense of belonging and self-realisation. House staff are and should be advocates for the boarders in their care.
Pupil voice is taken seriously, and the House also promotes leadership qualities.
Aims, objectives and expectations
The aims and objectives of each Boarding House will differ in practice depending on the age range and circumstance of the House, but all will seek to:
• Create a safe, secure, and comfortable environment for all Boarders.
• Provide a range of experiences and opportunities and conditions that will encourage self-development: physically, spiritually, intellectually, morally, socially, and emotionally
• Develop an open and trusting ethos in which Boarders are confident that they will be treated with respect as an individual.
• Create an atmosphere which is non-conducive to any form of bullying and where it would have difficulty flourishing.
• Develop a sense of responsibility for self, others, and the environment
• Develop Boarders’qualities of leadership and the ability to work as part of a team.
• Encourage supportive relationships between Boarders, staff, parents, and guardians.
The aims work towards the School Aim –
“Inspiring Independence”.
We are a modern, inclusive, and self-determining school, driven by essential behaviours, sharing knowledge and skills in a culture of trust within an adaptive environment.
Blenheim House provides accommodation for up to 22 Boys, together with resident staff Accommodation for Boys is in the form of shared dormitories, although we do offer 3 ensuite rooms and one single room. To ensure our aim of creating a happy and relaxed atmosphere, a lot of careful consideration goes into allocating Boys into dormitories and there are changes to whom Boys share a dorm with, within their Year group as we move through the academic year
As in any such community, certain basic rules and routines are necessary, to ensure the freedom and security of every Boy within the House. These may be different or greater in number than Boys are used to at home but are essential to live as one large community These may be summarised but are in no way exhausted by the list below:
Every Boy is expected:
o To be polite and courteous to other members of the House, to other members of the School and to members of staff;
o To be tolerant of others and to respect the feelings of others;
o To be clean and smartly dressed at all times;
o To be punctual, both in physical attendance and in handing in work;
o To take pride in belonging to Blenheim House, accepting responsibility for helping to keep it clean, tidy and welcoming to visitors;
o To participate in everything to the best of her ability;
o To challenge themselves to fulfil their potential;
o To work hard for the best of the House;
o To put others first and ensure they are selfless in their thoughts and actions.
Celebrating BritishValues within Blenheim House
Blenheim House seeks to promote an all-inclusive community whereby all our Boarders can live and develop in a safe and nurturing environment, regardless of their culture or religious beliefs. We actively encourage our Boarders to embrace British Values, through our range of exciting House trips and events. Boarders are asked to adopt and follow the clear expectations and customs that British citizens are expected to embrace and incorporate into their own daily lives.
We wish to instil a sense of pride and respect within the House, by offering our Boarders a range of opportunities for self-enrichment and fulfilment, through visits to local and national places of cultural importance Boarders will learn what‘good citizens’are by following and respecting the rules of the House
They should work with the House in its ambition towards living in a fair, democratic, and a homely environment. Boarders are given the opportunity to develop into caring and confident citizens, who are educated in the modern British way of life. Blenheim House welcomes cultural diversity while taking pride in its strong sense of Britishness Our Boarders learn to live together respectfully and peacefully They are given the chance to become confident and well-informed leaders, through our Prefect system. They are given every equal opportunity to celebrate their cultural backgrounds and to take full advantage of what is on offer regardless of their race or religion.
Expectations
To be polite and courteous to other members of the house, to other members of the school and to members of staff.
To be tolerant of others and to respect the feelings of others.
To be clean and smartly dressed at all times.
To be punctual, both in attending lessons and handing in work
To take pride in belonging to Blenheim House, accepting responsibility for helping to keep it clean, tidy and welcoming to visitors
To participate in everything to the best of their ability.
School Bounds
LVS Ascot has a 26-acre site, most of which is accessible to all students and it is important that the boarders at LVS are allowed to explore the campus. However, it is also important (particularly during the evening and winter hours) that boarders understand the safe parameters within which they must operate
Out of bounds to all except Kew borders
Essential items for living in Blenheim House
o Toiletries (Toothbrush/shampoo/etc ) As well as a Towel and face flannel
o Home casual clothes and footwear.
o Small electrical items as required, please see below.
o Pocket money to be kept in House account if worth over £50GBP, however, in a world of contactless payment we strongly suggest a debit card for our Boys to use instead of cash.
o Tuck/snacks (optional, but must fit into the box provided)
o Bedding (Blenheim can provide bedding, but you are also welcomed to bring your own)
Please consider the appropriateness of very expensive items of clothing/footwear/Jewellery.
Although Blenheim House is a safe environment, we cannot be sure that items will not go missing or be damaged. Also consider how certain items of property can be an advert for trouble whilst outside the school, or how uncomfortable some of your fellow students could feel that may not be as financially lucky as you.
There will be regular opportunities to shop for essential items, for example, shampoo or a toothbrush Nevertheless, if there are emergencies, please encourage your Son to speak to a member of the House’s staff directly if she requires something more urgently.
Electrical Items
All Boarding Houses must follow Health and Safety guidelines. As electrical and electronic equipment can present Health and Safety risks, we impose the following restrictions: All items must be electrically safe and fitted with a standard three pin, fused plug. All items will be Portable Appliance Tested (PAT). The BHM reserves the right to confiscate and return to parents any item which he considers unsuitable, or which is being used improperly. Items that fail the PAT test will be disposed of appropriately.
Allowed –
Clocks
· Laptops/tablets
· Mobile phones
· Cameras
· Hairdryers, straighteners etc.
Not Allowed –
· Electric heaters or blankets
· Kettles
· Personal fridges
· Televisions
· Rice Cookers
· Electric Fans
Laptops, Netbooks and Games Consoles
There is an expectation at LVS Ascot that students will come to school with a device on which they can complete their schoolwork, this device must have a keyboard attached (i.e. not an iPad).
Games consoles are not permitted unless it is for the senior members of the House and previously agreed after discussion with the Boarding Housemistress.
Mobile phones
Boarders’ mobile numbers need to be registered with the House staff on arrival into the House or when they change their phones. These will be used in an emergency or as otherwise required.
Parental/Guardian Permission for certificated items
Boarders who wish to watch films or play video games with a certificate which exceeds their age, must seek written permission from their parent/guardian to do so. All permissions and thus responsibilities should be granted through the boarding permissions form sent with the welcoming email at the start of the academic year.
Passports
Any passports, legal documentation (particularly pertaining to ID) or visas brought into the House at any point during the year, should be handed to member of House staff, to ensure that it is not lost over time. It will be logged and kept in the House safe.
ROLL CALLS
WEEKDAYS
There is no formal roll call before breakfast, but students are expected to‘check out’ with a member of staff before they leave in the mornings. A formal roll call is held at 5:50pm and led by the prefect on duty. There is no formal roll call at bedtime but a member of staff, and the duty prefect, will come round to ensure everyone is back in the house at 9:45pm.
WEEKENDS
Weekend roll calls are at various times. When Boarders return from weekend leave, they must sign in with the Duty Staff. They will also be called at 8:00pm on a Sunday for the weekly House meeting.
Weekend Routines
On a school day
Meal Times
Breakfast is served from 07:45-08:15.
Lunch is served from 13:00-14:00.
Dinner is served between 17:40-18:30.
We are fortunate to have two well-equipped kitchens in Blenheim; one upstairs and one downstairs. Both kitchens include a kettle, toaster, microwave, sink and dishwasher. Boarders are permitted to cook food using these facilities once they have been given an induction into basic food hygiene by house staff. This includes the proper use of colour-coded kitchen knives and chopping boards for different foodstuffs. Kitchens and equipment must be left clean and tidy after use out of consideration for others Personal cooking equipment such as rice cookers or hotplates are permitted on the understanding that they are stored and used only in the kitchen areas and only at permitted times. They must be kept in a tidy and hygienic condition by their owner. Personal food may be stored in the large fridges in the kitchens. There is also a small freezer in the upstairs common room. It must be stored in an orderly way, clearly labelled with the name of the owner and checked regularly so that out-of-date food can be removed and thrown away Boarders are not permitted to store fresh food in their rooms or to eat in their rooms as this presents a health and safety hazard. If students wish to eat in house, food must be prepared and eaten in the common areas around the kitchens. All boarders should be mindful that there is limited storage space in the kitchens and fridges, so should purchase food and ingredients only in small quantities. If a boarder purchases food without consideration to others and there is insufficient space, the food will need to be disposed of Also, due to their associated health risks, boarders are not be allowed to be in possession of high caffeine drinks (e.g. Red Bull, Monster etc.), which will also be taken and not returned. All boarders are expected to eat breakfast and lunch in the Dining Hall every day.
Takeaways
You may order a takeaway on a Saturday evening. Takeaways cannot be delivered during Prep so please make sure you order it to arrive outside this time. You may not order takeaways at lunchtime on either day
BOARDING Activities
In addition to the co-curricular activities organised by the school, there are many organised activities provided after school during the week from 16:00-17:40, after prep and at weekends. The House stresses that it is each student’s responsibility to participate in the wider life of the school and not the responsibility of House staff to constantly remind. All activities will be displayed on one of the House noticeboards.
ACTIVITIES & WEEKEND OUTINGS
WEEKEND OUTINGS/Activities
Throughout the year we participate in a number of activities or outings, many of which are instigated by what the boys want to do or provided by staff. Below are some recent examples:
• Go Karting
• Gravity Force
• Trips to London
• Art gallery visits
• Paint balling
• Archery
• Cinema trips
• Day trip to Bournemouth
• Winter Wonderland
All House activities are paid for by the House Should any activities incur a charge parents and guardians will be told in advance and the activity will be optional.
Across the year we also offer trips as a whole boarding community, some of these are sign up and some are compulsory. The first weekend of the academic year is a closed weekend, meaning we would prefer it if all boarders stayed in This is to ensure that we can bond as a team as well as get to know all the new boys to the House.
TUTORS
Boarders will be allocated to a form Tutor within School time It is the Tutor that is responsible for the academic and social development of a small group of students. If boys have problems with their work, they should seek advice from their subject teacher and/or Tutor in the first instance.
Signing in & out of the house
You must sign in and out on Orah every time you are leaving or returning to Blenheim. Even if you are going to another area of the school site, it is important that you update your location on Orah so we know where you are.
ORAH
All students need to use our boarding electronic registration system Orah. Each student has to download the app, register by clicking on the link sent by Orah to their school email and use the same log in details as for accessing school email or the Internet . Students must sign in and out via Orah. There are tap devices in house to make the process easier. Parents must use Orah to submit all leave requests. It is also sensible and polite to find a member of staff and seek their approval before leaving – particularly on the weekends and in the evenings.
WEEKEND LEAVE
Boarders will be asked to confirm their plans for the weekend on a Wednesday by bedtime. Parents/Guardians are then required to inform us via a leave request on Orah that their son/ward will be out for the coming weekend. There will be a weekly weekend email sent on either a Thursday or Friday. This email will also include any notices for the coming week, updates on events that have happened since the last email. If parents wish to allow their daughter to leave the school site to stay with a friend, or in the care of adults other than themselves, their guardian, or the staff of the school, they are asked to inform House staff via email at least 48 hrs beforehand The House staff will then also require a confirmation email and contact details of the person they are planning to stay with. It must be understood that, for the period of time between the student leaving the Boarding House and their return, the parent/guardian requesting the leave is fully responsible for the welfare and whereabouts of the child
Visitors to the House
All visitors to the House must report to the duty member of staff before entering the House. Once permission has been granted for them to come in the visitor must sign in using Orah in the main downstairs common room At no point do visitors enter student dorms. They are welcome in the common area downstairs
Any student visitor who has not sought permission from the duty member of staff will not be welcomed back in the House
Laundry
Every boarder is issued with a laundry number and named laundry box on arrival. All your clothes must be labelled with your number. Dirty washing should be placed in your laundry boxes provided first thing in the morning, and left by the laundry room. Underwear should be put in the net bags provided. Delicate items (coats, etc.) have separate deposit bins to ensure they are kept separate from the normal wash. Laundered clothes are placed back in these boxes ready for collection after school. Beds must be stripped (sheet, duvet cover & pillowcase) and handed to the laundry for washing once a week (Day TBC). A dry-cleaning business is located at Tesco, Martins Heron if you require dry cleaning for suits or other clothes during the school term
Room Care
All rooms must always be kept presentable and safe, with consideration for your roommate. In particular, heavy or bulky items must not be stored on the top of wardrobes, and suitcases must be either packed away inside the beds or placed in one of the house storage cupboards. Clothes, shoes and cables must not be left on the floor where they can create a trip hazard.
You are free to personalise your room with photographs, posters and other personal items, but please do not fix anything to the walls with Blu Tack or drawing pins
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Everyone in the House is on a weekly chore rota for their respective duties. It is the expectation that your daughter fulfils her roles when requested to do so by a member of staff or Prefect. The duties are not too strenuous and may include (although not a definitive list): cleaning the kitchen; loading/emptying the dishwasher and collecting rations. It gives the girls a sense of ownership and helps to instil pride in the House by carrying out these tasks, as well as preparing them for independent living in the future.
Holidays
Boarders are expected to leave the House as close to 16:00 on the last day of term and half-term (unless term ends earlier) and no later than 18:00. Boarders are expected to return from 18:00 and before 20:00 on the night of their return, including weekends (apart from the first and last night of the academic year where other arrangements will be put in place).
The House will be closed over the holidays between the above times.
Parents/guardians should aid in the removal of personal possessions during breaks/holidays when the House will be closed. Rarely will boys be expected to remove all their belongings from the House, and international students are always able to leave some possessions in boxes over the summer holiday. However, it is recommended that as many possessions are removed as possible during holiday periods. This tends to ensure boarders do not hoard items they no longer need or use.
If Boarders are due to arrive or depart on flights very early in the morning/late at night, outside the 07:00 to 22:00 timeframe, it is expected that they will be collected by their guardians either from the House in advance or from the airport, and looked after by them until a more suitable time.
The House is required to have received an address and contact number, if different to Home address or Guardian’s home address for over the Holiday period, in case there is the need to contact a student in an emergency and for immigration regulations
All early departures/late returns from holidays, should be confirmed in writing to the House Blenheim@lvs.ascot.sch.uk at the earliest opportunity, for permission to be sought from the Principal. However, students should not be taken out of School during term time, term dates are published a year in advance.
For safeguarding, Parents must email the Boarding Housemistress if anyone other than the parents/guardian is collecting the student from the Boarding House.
Guardians
If Boarders’parents live overseas, they MUST have a legal UK guardian (UK National or holding settled status) aged 25 or over residing in the UK Parents should consult the School’s Guardian Agreement Policy for further information regarding pre-requisites for guardianship.
Parents must inform the school of any changes to the (UK) emergency contact details as soon as they occur and ensure that an updated guardian agreement form has been completed.
Health & Wellbeing Centre
The Health & Wellbeing Centre (HWBC) is run by nursing staff and pupils have access to facilities such as doctors and counsellors through the Centre. If boarders feel unwell for any reason –physical or mental – they should speak either with house staff or directly with the HWBC. Further information can be obtained from the house notice board, duty member of staff or from the LVS Senior School Handbook Surgery times:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday - 08:00 - 20:00 Thursday – 8:30am – 4:30pm Saturday – 8:30am -13:30
Counselling
Confidential Counselling Services are available to all students at LVS Ascot Counselling is a safe space for young people to explore whatever is bothering them. Boarders can arrange to see a counsellor by emailing the counselling service directly at counsellor@lvs.ascot.sch.uk or by speaking in confidence to the House Staff.
Medication
Every Boarder is required to register with the School Doctor and, should you require treatment during School holidays, you should register as a temporary resident with your local Doctor. Pupils may not possess any prescribed medication unless these have been approved by the Medical Centre and a self-administration form has been completed. Any medication prescribed or otherwise, including vitamins, supplements and indeed protein shakes or powders for shakes, must be declared on arrival and must be approved by our Health and Wellbeing Centre staff before being used. If students are found with any medication of any sort it will be confiscated and may be clinically destroyed for safety reasons.
Term Dates
and finally..
