BOARDING
U6 in the Sixth Form. Moving to the U6-only house Mulliner actively prepares the girls for the next stage beyond A Levels so we feel that pastorally, we are supporting and preparing them for their next big leap.
JESSICA BRIGGS INTERVIEW Joining a new school mid-pandemic could have been incredibly daunting, but new Deputy Head, Jessica Briggs, has taken it in her stride and is already very much part of the SG family with a clear view of how she would like to see the boarding and pastoral care develop. With a school of more than 470 girls, I am very impressed by the way the teachers, tutors and boarding staff very quickly get an understanding of each girl. The focus is on ‘her’ as an individual and the aim of all staff is to do everything to make sure she absolutely flourishes at SG. Boarding I absolutely understand parents who are anxious about their daughters boarding. However, there are so many benefits. Firstly, they learn about key life skills much earlier. Sharing a house, a dining room, a dorm with others teaches you about empathy, respect and compromise. These are actually fairly mature adult skills and yet the girls experience and practise these qualities from when they join us aged 11 and 13. These skills are honed and developed by being around people from different backgrounds. They learn about other cultures and beliefs and learn to celebrate diversity – it is such an empowering environment and I believe the girls truly celebrate a unique unity because of their differences. 05
The VOICE Autumn/Winter 2020
It certainly prepares them for the adult world: it is an education through pastoral care. By the end of their time in the Sixth Form, we are confident our girls are equipped emotionally to head out to the world of work, university or other education path and that is due largely to the experiences they gain through boarding. Transition I love that we have Aldhelmsted West and can offer a safe, nurturing environment for our youngest boarders. During those first couple of years we can help them make the transition to a mixed-age boarding house through a carefully designed programme of active preparation. When they make the move up to Year 9 (L5), they can feel confident, settled and yet they also experience a new phase at the same time as those girls who join us aged 13. It is an incredibly successful process, which many parents will vouch for. Again, the same care and attention is levelled for the transition from L6 to
Fabric of the Boarding Houses My focus as Deputy Head (Pastoral) also examines the physical attributes of our boarding houses. The interior spaces and facilities should reflect the needs of the girls, so it’s quite right that we review and evaluate the houses to ensure they provide the best possible home, social and study setting. We have actively encouraged the girls to voice their opinions and become involved with the management of what is essentially their home. So, for example, if they would like to see changes to the menu, we now ask
