What should I expect when I get to Marymount?

Arriving On Campus

When you arrive at Marymount, you will meet your Houseparents, who live in your Halls and who are there for help, advice or just a chat, day or night! The Houseparents will support you with all personal, academic, social and medical problems.

The Houseparents and members of the student Boarding Council will meet you when you arrive on campus. They will show you to your room and provide a tour of the Boarding Hall. You will be given time to unpack and to meet the other girls in your Hall. Once you have unpacked, you will take your suitcase(s) to the Trunk Room, found on the lower floor adjacent to the Dining Hall. Suitcases remain here and are collected when needed in order to give you maximum space in your bedroom. Please make sure your name is marked on each item you store in this space. Over the summer holidays, you do not need to take everything home; you can store at school up to 2 medium crates and a bag with duvets and pillows.

You will be required to hand in several items for safekeeping: any money (over £50), your passport, and all medications. We will store your passport safely in the Boarding Office which you will sign out as needed (holidays or weekend trips, as necessary). Medication is not permitted in your room; please discuss this regulation with your parents in advance of your arrival. See details on medication and what to do if you become sick on page 13.

Finally, a special Induction Programme has been prepared to help you find your feet. The schedule for this event will be available on the School website so that you may look ahead to see what we have planned.

Swipe Cards and Security

The Marymount campus is a safe and secure environment for all students, and we have CCTV cameras, coded gates and security personnel to ensure your safety on Campus.

Boarding has a swipe card system to enter the Halls. On arrival, you will receive a swipe card and cardholder, a lanyard, and a padlock for the lockable drawers in your room. This swipe card gives you access to your Hall and your room. If it stops working, you can swap it for a new one at the Boarding Office. However, if you lose it, you will need to buy a new one (£5 charged to your School account).

You are responsible for your personal belongings and should always make sure that they are securely stored when leaving your room. You need to return the lanyard, swipe card and padlock at the end of the year. In the unfortunate event that an item is misplaced please report it to your Houseparent straight away. She will help you look for it; if it cannot be found, together you will complete a Lost Property Form. We recommend all belongings be clearly named.

Day One

• Meet your Houseparents • See your room and tour your Hall • Meet the other girls in your Hall • Unpack and store your suitcase(s) • Hand in items for safekeeping • Receive your swipe card and cardholder • Attend the Induction Programme

What is the food like?

Our catering staff work hard to provide a variety of healthy food choices at every meal, and they meet often with the Boarding Council Food Committee to keep abreast of the needs of the Boarding community. If you have any food allergies or dietary restrictions, please inform the School Nurse and Head of Boarding; if possible, bring a letter from your doctor outlining these needs.

The Dining Hall is located on the ground floor of Butler Hall; this spacious, light area is used for socialising as well as meals. We gather here for special Boarding events/Hall meetings, study here over the weekends, and enjoy snacks/ games together in the evening and weekends. All students who are on campus during mealtimes must come to the Dining Hall and register with the duty Houseparent. If you choose to prepare something for yourself or are planning to order take-out (weekends only), we ask that you still come down to register with us so we can catch up on your day and make sure you are well. If you are ill, please find a quick way to inform the Houseparent on duty, by either telling your roommate or communicating through the Boarding Teams page. Please help to keep our Dining Hall clean by tidying your table and placing your tray on the tray stand after you finish eating. Fruit is the only food to be taken out of the Dining Hall. If you have been off campus and brought food back with you, or you have ordered take-out on the weekend, you can eat this in one of the Lounges or the Dining Hall. Remember to always wear footwear in the Dining Hall.

Can I bring my own food?

You are welcome to bring some of your own food to Boarding. If occasionally you would like to prepare something for yourself in the Lounge, you are welcome to do so as long as you register first in the Dining Hall. The Lounge contains a small fridge, hob, and microwave. The Halls all have filtered drinking water machines. Dry food may be kept in an airtight bag in your room. It is important to be considerate of space in the room. Please do not eat hot food in your rooms; this is to avoid strong smells and spillages which might encourage little creatures to join us in Boarding! Out of care and consideration for students and staff with serious nut allergies, Marymount follows a strict ‘no nut’ policy. Restricted items include Kinder Buena, Ferrero Rocher, Nutella, and almond milk.

Take-Out Orders

So, you feel like a pizza? Sushi? Chinese takeaway? Burger and Fries? Well, you can have that, on weekends at the times listed below.

The Security guard on duty will receive your order from the delivery person, and you can pick it up from the Boarding Office. Please do not go to the gate. You may eat your food in the Lounges or in the Dining Hall. Friday: 17:00 - 20:30 Saturday & Sunday: 12:00 – 20:30