BOARDING

As I write, our jam-packed calendar of brunches, afternoon teas, ceilidhs and other celebratory events are in full swing – it really is incredible to think how much things have changed since we returned to school in August when travel restrictions and pandemic legislation governed just about every aspect of life in the boarding houses. Yet, in the same breath, I must also articulate how thankful I am for the wonderful boarding staff, families and guardians at St Leonards who worked together to make the most of these trying circumstances; the well-known saying “it takes a village to raise a child” has never felt more apt. In partnership with pupils and their families, the positivity and ‘can do’ attitude of the staff has ensured that this year was not only filled with opportunities for the pupils to develop resilience, but also to have great fun and to build friendships that will last a lifetime. The pupils, too, displayed great strength in the face of adversity. Bishopshall, Ollerenshaw and St Rule truly are ‘homes from home’ filled with exceptional young people and staff who stand up for what is right, look out for each other, and seek to make a meaningful difference to the lives of others – I am very proud to be part of this family. What makes boarding at St Leonards, and indeed the school at large, such a wonderful place to live and learn is the warm and welcoming community, which is global in composition and outlook – everyone here is committed to fostering a homely and supportive environment in which pupils can grow and flourish. Our commitment to delivering a firstclass boarding experience for pupils means that we are always looking to refine the strategies and initiatives which underpin the wellbeing of our boarders. As part of her Master’s in Residential Education, Mrs MurrayTurner, Housemistress of Bishopshall focused on this very topic, and we were delighted that her innovative research and our exceptional pastoral care received national recognition at the BSA Awards, at which St Leonards was named the winner of the Boarding Research Award 2022. Looking to the future, St Leonards will continue to research and develop its boarding and pastoral care, implementing strategies to support current and future pupils and disseminating its findings to ensure that its sector-leading research benefits pupils across the UK and further afield. I hope that you enjoy perusing the colourful House pages that follow.

Gerry Young Deputy Head (boarding)

St Rule

Ihave said it before and I will say it again: being a Housemistress is an immensely rewarding role. It really is a privilege to watch children grow and flourish during their time in St Rule, and to be there for them when they need a bit of encouragement, a listening ear, or some additional support. Don’t tell anyone, but at times it doesn’t feel like work – I get to head up to arrange movie nights and go paintballing, to name just two examples! At the start of the year, a number of new boarders joined the St Rule family – for many, this was their first time away from home. Over the past year, it has been wonderful to watch these individuals come out of their shells, take ownership of their uniform and resources, and become increasingly independent individuals. Friendships blossom quickly in St Rule. I am immensely proud of the warm and inclusive atmosphere in our house: the pupils look after each other and are quick to scoop up anyone who is by themselves and invite them to join in. There is nothing better than seeing a new pupil arrive in the house and within hours be laughing with their

brothers and sisters in the St Rule family. In the Summer Term, we welcomed over 70 pupils from the Middle Years Programme to stay in St Rule for three ‘Give it a Go’ boarding weeks. The pupils were immersed into boarding life at St Leonards, and it was wonderful to get to know new faces and to see them settle into the house so quickly. We hope to see some of these pupils join the St Rule family on a more regular basis! The year has just flown by: there’s never a dull moment in St Rule. Evenings and weekends are filled with activities: karaoke, ice skating, pancake nights, s’mores, dodgeball, tennis, beach games, evening jaunts up to Jannettas for ice cream, cinema trips, Chinese New Year celebrations, and baking. My thanks go to Mr White, Mr Pennycook, Miss Baird, Ms Banks and Miss Mclean, my fantastic team of Resident House Assistants, who have helped to organise this jam-packed programme and to foster the family feel that characterises St Rule.

Julianne Pennycook, Housemistress of St Rule

Your friends become your family and help and love you like your siblings. The staff look after you, build you up and protect you like your parents. As boarders we learn to live and laugh together, and St Rule the St Rule family meticulously fills the void that might be created when you leave your family behind. KEYURI ADE, ST RULE BOARDER

Bishopshall

As soon as you walk through the front door of Bishopshall, you are hit by the warmth and vibrancy of the house which, this year, has been a fun and busy home to 50 girls from 14 different countries. As the year progressed and Covid restrictions continued to ease and lift, it was wonderful to see boarding life return to its pre-pandemic fullness with a vibrant programme of activities and social events. Highlights from the Autumn Term included toasting marshmallows around the firepit, painting pottery, making homemade pizzas, decorating gingerbread houses and, of course, our Christmas celebrations. The girls had a wonderful time searching for Elspeth Elf around the house, putting up festive decorations, and exchanging gifts as part of our house-wide Secret Santa. At the start of the Spring Term, the boarders submitted photos of the places where they had holidayed over Christmas and had a wonderful time guessing the countries and photographers. With mock examinations complete, the term gathered pace quickly and the girls enjoyed decorating clothes for Mrs Barlow’s new baby, and also learning how to make dumplings under the tutelage of Katrina and Cecilia for Chinese New Year. Great fun was had by all at our pancake party for Shrove Tuesday, as well as at the pamper nights and pizza evenings which took place throughout the term. To mark World Book Day, the girls and tutors shared their favourite novels and, as the term drew to a close, the pupils helped to collect and sort donations for Ukraine and continued to bake delicious cookies, cupcakes and more in the kitchen. Last, but by no means least, the Year 13 pupils had a great time for the newly-instituted supper parties hosted by Mr Brian and his wife, enjoying French feasts, Indian buffets, Scottish spreads, and other themed

Life in Bishopshall is always great fun! This year, we enjoyed a wide range of activities including quiz nights, bonfires, ice skating and lots of Just Dance! For me, the highlight of the year was being able to get together in big groups again to bake together, attend socials, have in-person House meetings, and to help the community with organising donations for those affected by the conflict in Ukraine. Moreover, as the outgoing Head of House, it was great to work alongside my friends to organise House events. I know that the girls in the House Leadership Team next year will continue to make Bishopshall a ‘home away from home’! FLEUR ALLAN, HEAD OF HOUSE 2021-22

nights complete with good company and conversation on Thursday evenings. As Spring turned to Summer, the longer days and warmer temperatures facilitated evenings on Birdcage playing volleyball as well as trips down to the beach. Then, with examinations in full swing, the girls enjoyed study breaks in the kitchen making fresh fruit smoothies and indulgent ice cream sundaes. All too soon, we said goodbye to our Year 13 pupils. We wish them all the best as they move onto pastures new. I would like to finish by thanking Fleur, Sophie and Ida, our outgoing Heads of House, as well as Carolina, Josefine, Innes, Lotte and Cecilia who have been wonderful big sisters to the girls in the house and organised some fantastic activities. I am looking forward to working with our new team – Heidi, Hannah and Lixi – who have already introduced some fantastic new initiatives in Bishopshall including a mental health box, a new laundry system and a paper recycling bank. Finally, on behalf of the Bishopshall family, a huge thank you to Mrs Barlow, Miss Hoodcamp, Miss Maclean, Miss Walker and Mrs Young – your enthusiasm, energy and support have been invaluable. Here’s to another great year in Bishopshall! Jennifer Murray-Turner, Housemistress of Bishopshall

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Ollerenshaw

Ifeel immensely privileged to be the Housemaster of Ollerenshaw, a caring, globally-minded, and supportive community of learners where all are respected, welcomed and celebrated. Ollerenshaw has been a very happy house this year, with new friendships made and existing bonds strengthened. Whether it be scoring a screamer on a sunny Friday afternoon in the weekly football matches against the day pupils, cooking up a storm in the Ollerenshaw kitchen, venturing up town to work in a cosy café, blowing away the cobwebs whilst running along the breathtaking West Sands, or just chilling out in the social spaces downstairs, the boarders have shared many special moments together – memories that will last a lifetime. It has also been wonderful to watch the boarders get stuck into all areas of school life and be forces for good in our wider community, be that performing on the stage, representing the School in sports fixtures, taking part in the Golf Programme, receiving

The best things about living in Ollerenshaw are the great brotherhood spirit across the year groups, the staff, the activities, and the House nights spent watching sporting events, eating pizza and playing games. The Ollerenshaw family is a tight-knit community where you make friends for life, and an active and inclusive House where talents are discovered and perfected. DIEDERIK ZOETMULDER, HEAD OF HOUSE 2021-22

training as part of the Mentors Against Violence Programme, or sitting on the Pupil Council and Food Committee. This year, Ollerenshaw has been blessed with a fantastic pupil leadership team. My thanks go to Died, Leo, Charles, Klaus and Niko for their positive, innovative and proactive support – they have been great role models and will be sorely missed as they move onto their next exciting adventure. Over pizzas ‘up town’ in Mozza, they handed the baton to Ed, Ishan and Niko, the new Head and Deputy Heads of House, who are excited to build on the excellent foundations laid by their predecessors. In the spirit of thanks, I would also like to acknowledge and applaud Miss Campbell, Miss O’Donovan, Miss Banks, Miss Hoodcamp, and Mrs Barclay who have all been instrumental in fostering the family ethos which makes Ollerenshaw such a special place to live. The boys have worked hard and supported each other through the highs and lows of the CP and DP, holding firmly to the belief that family comes before all else. As our Year 13 leavers move onto pastures new, I would like to wish them all the best for their new chapters and hope that they will continue to be shaped and guided by their experiences at St Leonards and the values instilled in them during their time in Ollerenshaw. For those of us who will return for another academic year, I am excited to see what next year will bring as we continue to grow and learn together in this magical place. Gerry Young, Housemaster of Ollerenshaw

When I was assigned the role of Deputy Head of House, I wanted to give Ollerenshawback to the community that had taught me so much, helped me through my years at St Leonards, and had become like a family to me. Together with the other members of the Pupil Leadership Team, we worked hard to ensure that all the boys in the House were integrated and part of the community. It was great to interact with our fellow housemates across the year groups! CHARLES DE BEIR, DEPUTY HEAD OF HOUSE 2021-22 I have experienced a lot of great times in this community, and am thankful for the opportunities and the friendships formed throughout my time here. KLAUS KRZOK, DEPUTY HEAD OF HOUSE 2021-22 Over the past two years, Ollerenshaw has grown to be a sanctuary for me. Whilst hosting the warmth of a home, it maintained a challenging and motivating atmosphere for my peers and I to push ourselves. From trips to Edinburgh to in-house socials to coastal walks, we have continually been given the opportunity to interrelate with, and better understand a diversity of people from vastly different backgrounds. This, to me, was the greatest privilege of living in a house with people of so many other nationalities. Not only has it taught me much about those around me, but it has enabled me to reflect more on myself. It is the memories that have taken place in these walls, I will cherish the most when leaving St Leonards, and I wish those in the house many more to be created in the coming year. LEONARDO DI COSMO, DEPUTY HEAD OF HOUSE 2021-22 56