The Boarding Community 1
Boarding at Westonbirt School – the general structure of pastoral care Westonbirt School has a long history of boarding, and we believe that the community atmosphere of the school is greatly enhanced by the presence of boarders. Boarding is offered to those pupils (from the UK or overseas) who wish to either full board, weekly board or flexi board. Boarders are an integral part of life at Westonbirt; they represent the heart of the school. There are five houses; each house has a dedicated live in Housemistress, an Assistant Housemistress or Housemaster and a team of associated tutors, whose pastoral work is essential to maintain the smooth running of the boarding community and to enhance the quality of life of the pupils whilst they are in school. Boarding at Westonbirt School is overseen by the Head of Boarding Mrs Lisa Bradbury.
Importantly, when a pupil boards at Westonbirt School, they don’t just join a House, they become part of an extended family. Pupils will feel a sense of belonging and know that they are accepted as an individual; problems will be shared and triumphs celebrated. Living and working within a caring community provides a safe training ground within which to develop critical life-skills, such as the importance of communication, consideration and compromise; lessons that cannot be taught as effectively in the classroom. Boarding at Westonbirt aims to provide a safe and nurturing environment that promotes the welfare of each individual and encourages their all-round development. It is a place where every pupil feels comfortable and accepted and where everyone is encouraged to discover and reach their full potential. The Houses are central to this ethos and are places where pupils feel secure and are properly looked after by well qualified and experienced staff. Through boarding, pupils receive an enhanced education, which offers greater access to school facilities and a wide variety of activities. Boarders form a cooperative, tolerant and purposeful community where valuable skills such as leadership and teamwork are developed.
Our aim is for every pupil to develop the confidence, independence and selfawareness needed to enable them to play an active and positive part in an ever-changing world. Through a great sense of community spirit, they develop a deeper cultural awareness and a greater respect for others. Their social skills develop and improve quickly, enabling each of them to gain friends for life. 2
The Boarding Community Through boarding, pupils receive an enhanced education, which offers greater access to school facilities and a wide variety of activities. Boarders form a cooperative, tolerant and purposeful community where valuable skills such as leadership and teamwork are developed. Our aim is for every pupil to develop the confidence, independence and selfawareness needed to enable them to play an active and positive part in an everchanging world.
Aims •To encourage, challenge and value everyone; promoting honesty, openness, tolerance and understanding. •To maintain a happy, disciplined and structured environment and to promote dignity, equality and respect. •To cultivate self-confidence, independence and responsibility, with pupils being encouraged to always think about others. •To support the growth, development and needs of the whole person.
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In Boarding we promote these aims by: •Producing an open and trusting ethos in which every boarder feels able to approach any other member of the community, staff or pupil, confident in the knowledge they will be treated and respected as an individual. •Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of each boarder, by providing an environment that is safe and secure.
•Providing accommodation that is suited to the needs of boarders, according to age and maturity, that provides adequate levels of comfort and privacy. •Providing a stimulating, enriching and forward-thinking environment for all pupils, where achievement, enterprise, creativity and leadership are nurtured and developed. •Providing pupils with the opportunities and structure in which to develop their own moral, spiritual and social values. •Providing a range of activities, hobbies and opportunities related to age and maturity that will assist in the personal, social and cultural development of each boarder. •Providing opportunities for leadership and responsibility within the boarding house.
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Boarding at Westonbirt School (cont.)
In order to achieve our aims, we provide: • Appropriate staffing levels in all boarding houses, comprising a Housemistress, Assistant Housemistress and Tutors, with regular pastoral INSET and meetings of House teams to promote and ensure an understanding of topics relevant to the pupils under their care. • An extensive range of extra-curricular, weekend and House activities.
• Clear and effective policies and procedures for Academic and Pastoral matters, Health and Safety concerns and Safeguarding and Child Welfare issues. • A wide range of opportunities for pupils to adopt leadership roles, at all levels, within the school and to contribute to the development of policy and change at House and school level.
• Age-appropriate, well-equipped living and sleeping accommodation. • Effective communication systems, including wireless internet, to enable pupils to maintain regular contact with parents, guardians and extended families.
• High quality medical, welfare and administrative support systems. • Efficient methods for reporting and addressing maintenance matters. • High quality catering services and access to drinking water at all times, with an opportunity for boarders to input directly with the school’s service over food issues, implementing changes where feasible/desirable. • A carefully planned and managed induction procedure, with close monitoring of systems to ensure continuity of care as appropriate.
• A broad and balanced curriculum to meet the needs of all pupils, with particularly close monitoring of EAL. 5
BOARDING AT WESTONBIRT - KEY MEMBERS OF STAFF Mrs Lisa Bradbury Assistant Head (Boarding) lisa.bradbury@westonbirtschool.uk
Miss Sally Gould Dorchester (Girls 7-11) Housemistress sally.gould@westonbirtschool.uk
Miss Lisa Allen Badminton (Boys 7-10) Housemistresslisa.allen@westonbirtschool.uk
Mr Giles Cuddy Beaufort (Boys 11-13) Housemaster giles.cuddy@westonbirtschool.uk
Ms Andrea Westmoreland Gloucester (Girls Y12) Housemistress andrea.westmoreland@westonbirtschool.uk
Mrs Diana Lambert Holford (Y13) Housemistress stephanie.barnes@westonbirtschool.uk
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DORCHESTER HOUSE Housemistress, Miss Gould
I have been at Westonbirt for 29 years, and it seems so much shorter! I have a real passion for my role as Houseparent and the school as a whole. My Springer Spaniel, Strumble, and I live in the middle of the boarding house, and he loves nothing better than a walk around the lake with the boarders.
I have lots of different interests including History of Art, classical music, and the theatre in all its forms. I love nothing better than a trip to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival every year. Strumble and I spend our free time in Pembrokeshire, and he has already learned to chase the seagulls off the beach!
I look forward to welcoming you to Dorchester House where I foster a sense of living as a family. If you have any questions prior to your arrival, please do not hesitate to email me. sally.gould@westonbirtschool.uk 7
BADMINTON HOUSE Housemistress, Miss Allen
I have worked at Westonbirt for four years, both as a Religious Studies teacher and Head of Key Stage Three. I am delighted to be the Housemistress for Badminton Junior Boys boarding, years 7-10. In boarding, the boys are encouraged to develop a sense of independence and responsibility. I think food, friends and fun are the order of the day for the boarders! I live in Badminton House with my own two children Scarlett and Jude. I love to spend time outside, and in my spare time to holiday in Cornwall especially Padstow. I look forward to welcoming you to Badminton House. If you have any questions, please contact me on lisa.allen@westonbirtschool.uk
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BEAUFORT HOUSE Housemaster, Mr Cuddy
I grew up in North London, (but I call West Wales home) and began my education at Christ’s College Finchley, before going on to read Ancient History at the University of Wales, Swansea. I pursued careers in travel, finance and medical devices where I developed my passion for coaching and education. I studied for my PGCE at the University of Buckingham while teaching history at Stowe School and was involved in both boys and girls boarding there for seven years. The pastoral side of education is where my passion lies and the drive to provide the best possible environment for all students is my goal, after all, pupils spend more time out of the classroom than in it. The boarding experience for every pupil is central to their happiness and enjoyment of education, providing a safe and inclusive community, where everybody's voice is heard is key. A fun and fair environment to grow, study and make lifelong friends is the focus of the best possible boarding experience that we strive to provide in Beaufort House the (senior boys house) .
I love the outdoors and I am thrilled by the amount of space Westonbirt has for pupils to enjoy daily. The extensive grounds and playing fields and the ability to practice adventure training in the outdoors is a luxury most schools cannot compete with. My wife and I both love to travel, near and far, and enjoy exploring the local countryside and villages as well as our bigger travels abroad. When I'm not in the boarding house or the classroom or roaming the countryside, I am invariably at the sports fields, both my wife and I come from competitive sporting backgrounds and while we both love rugby, I am often found on a lacrosse field with a whistle or a stick in hand. I am a passionate fan of the game and have coached both men's and women's lacrosse at school, university, club and national levels. 9
GLOUCESTER HOUSE Housemistress, Ms Westmoreland I joined the Westonbirt community last year with my partner Mr. Giles Cuddy, Beaufort House Parent, and our dog Pippin, the Cardigan corgi. I have been actively involved in Boarding for five years in various roles ranging from Assistant Houseparent to Sixth Form Tutor. I am looking forward to running Gloucester House and providing the perfect blend of community and care to allow the boarders to thrive and develop. Alongside Houseparenting, I will be leading the Westonbirt PSHE department; I am passionate about mental health and wellbeing and aim to ensure that all boarders feel included, listened to and that they have a voice within both the Boarding and wider Westonbirt community. I was born and raised in Southern California and spent several years living throughout the United States. I attended the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where I enjoyed being a student athlete. In 2018 I began my life in the UK. I love to travel to destinations both near and far, I am art lover, a foodie, a podcast enthusiast and an avid reader. I can often be found in a coffee shop or wandering in a garden. I enjoy planning events and I am looking forward to bringing the boarding community together for celebrations and socials throughout the year. At Westonbirt, staff are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so you can feel confident your child is in supportive and safe hands. I look forward to welcoming your child to Gloucester House, if you would like additional information or have any questions or concerns, please contact me. andrea.westmoreland@westonbirtschool.uk
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HOLFORD SIXTH FORM HOUSE Housemistress, Mrs Lambert Joining the boarding team at Westonbirt in January 2024 is an exciting new venture. Having grown up in Gloucestershire, I have spent much of my career to date in the North of Scotland, but have also lived and worked in South East Asia and schools in England. My English teacher’s hoard of books has moved with me, as has my cat, Rosie, who will love the glorious and expansive gardens of Holford House. I have a particular love for poetry and the theatre, and a passion for the outdoors, whether walking, cycling, skiing or gardening!
Holford House is a Year 13 mixed boarding house in Tetbury; South facing and sitting in a 9 acre site and bordered by a vineyard, it is little short of idyllic. The off-site accommodation is the perfect preparation for our seniors before they prepare to depart for further study, adventure, or the world of work. Pastoral care and the understanding of every pupil as an individual has always been central to my personal ethos, but is, I believe, what has made Westonbirt a very special place to board. My aim is to ensure that the Holford community provides a stable, secure and happy environment from which the students can achieve of their very best in school, thus fulfilling their potential. To achieve this, teamwork sits at the heart of creating our community: the team of staff here at Holford, the pupils themselves and collaboration with home will help us to send happy and confident young adults into the next stage of their lives.
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Assistant House Staff Miss Scarlett Jones Badminton Assistant Housemistress scarlett.jones@westonbirtschool.uk
Miss Lottie Hill-Trevor Dorchester Assistant Housemistress lottie.hilltrevor@westonbirtschool.uk
Mr James Monteith Beaufort Assistant Housemaster James.monteith@westonbirtschool.uk
Miss Maisie Wills Gloucester Assistant Housemistress maisie.wills@westonbirtschool.uk
Mr Lucas Slowik Holford Assistant Housemaster lucas.slowik@westonbirtschool.uk 12
Facilities and Opportunities The boarding houses are upgraded and developed on a rolling programme. All houses have their own separate recreation spaces, kitchens, and bathrooms. The boarding staff provide an extensive programme of activities for the boarders during evenings and weekends and boarders have access to the impressive sports and recreation facilities within the main school campus. Boarders also regularly enjoy cultural activities such as celebrations of the Chinese New Year as well as, for example, organise and attend their own quiz nights, or arrange trips out for meals, entertainment or shopping. The Cotswolds naturally lend themselves to the outdoors and as a community, we certainly make the most of the activities available in this county, particularly at the weekends. Boarders can also participate in a flourishing Duke of Edinburgh programme and will be supported to attend any other extracurricular activity they would usually attend at home.
Welfare Pupils are provided with three very good meals each day when boarding and the sixth form also have access to the information environment of the school’s café. Drinks and snacks are also readily available in all of the houses, at break times and any help can always be sought through: class tutors, Heads of Year and Key Stage leads, as well as through the medical team in the Health Centre. Spiritual guidance is provided by the Chaplain. We have our own counsellor as well as a listener. Overseas pupils also have access to EFL lessons during the week. At Westonbirt School we also pay much attention to the ‘pupil voice’ through house meetings, committees, surveys and regular feedback.
Our Boarding Team All our boarding staff live within the boarding houses and the majority also teach at Westonbirt School. They help to provide a sense of community in a homely environment and are there to personally support pupils to give them the guidance they require right through until Sixth Form. Our boarding house staff are all trained in first-aid and work alongside our school nurses to provide day-to-day medical requirements.
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TRAVEL INFORMATION BOARDERS
Parents or guardians are asked to make travel arrangements for boarders for the beginning and end of term, for exeats and half term holidays. All travel arrangements should be made to coincide with the school’s term dates, which are published a year in advance. All pupils are expected to be in school for the start of each term.
Parents or guardians wishing to make travel arrangements at any other time, please contact our Travel team with the details and they will try to accommodate your request. The transport manager, Ms Clair Wilkinson, can be contacted through the following means, direct line 01666 881329, mobile 07919235410, or email at transport@westonbirtschool.uk
It is the responsibility of parents to book flights well in advance Pupils may not return late or leave early unless prior permission has been obtained from the Headmistress. Where transport is requested for travel to an airport, the return details for travel back to the UK must be provided at the same time. Parents are requested to check that Passports, Visas and International Health Certificates are up to date. Pupils holding non-British Passports, and who attain the age of 16 years during a term, will require 2 copies of their passport photograph for official registration if required by the Immigration Department. Girls will also be issued with a letter from the school indicating their attendance at Westonbirt.
LUGGAGE
Trunks Pupils travelling long distances may leave trunks at School during the Christmas and Easter holidays. Pupils who are resident abroad may leave trunks at School during the summer holidays. Arrangements will be made for clothes to be washed or cleaned and the cost charged to the pupil's account. Trunks must be clearly and permanently named on the end and on the lid. Suitcases and Hand luggage Please ensure that your child is aware of the weight limits for airport baggage allowances; any excess baggage charges must be paid by pupils and cannot be charged to school accounts. Pupils using school minibuses will only be allowed to travel with one piece of hand luggage and one suitcase.
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BEGINNING & END OF TERM Please note all travel and return arrangements must be with your child’s Houseparent no later than ten days in advance of the end of term. This allows good time to ensure safe and efficient transfer between school and home. Pupils are required to return to school by 5pm at the beginning of term. Please allow time for security checks at the airport and travel back to school when booking your flights. Train Transport is available by taxi to and from local railway stations at Kemble, Cheltenham, Chippenham, Gloucester and Bristol on request.
Flights First Day of Term Pupils will be met as near to their arrival time as possible, at the exit from the customs hall in the terminal at which their flight arrives at the terminal meeting points – so long as the information has been submitted to the school in advance. Pupils must remain at the terminal until the staff escort collects them. End of Term Please ensure that departures are after 8.30pm where possible. Where school finishes at lunchtime, please ensure that flights are booked no earlier than 4.45pm. Pupils are taken directly to the airport, and the staff escort remains on hand to assist with check-in if needed. To enable us to ensure the safety of pupils, FULL details of arrival and departure flights must reach the school no later than ten days before the end/start of each term. Details should be emailed to transport@westonbirtschool.uk and to the Houseparent. Heathrow Airport Heathrow is the major airport for all international flights to the UK and is only an hour and a half from the school. All information for the airport can be found at www.heathrow.com
Other Airports Bristol International airport is the local airport to Westonbirt School. There are daily flights to most European, and some longer haul international flight destinations provided by most airlines including budget operators. Destinations and airlines that fly to them can be viewed at www.bristolairport.co.uk
Birmingham and Gatwick are also options for flights but transfers to each will be more costly as fewer pupils use them on a regular basis. HALF TERM & EXEATS At Exeat weekends and half terms, the school can arrange transport to the local train station or airports. Details of departure and return travel must be provided at least two weeks prior to travel. Requests for transport should be emailed to the Housemistress and a copy sent to transport@westonbirtschool.uk. Pupils are required to return to school by 8.00pm – so please allow time for security checks at the airport and travel back to school when booking your flights. Boarders can stay at school for exeats, but this must be prearranged with the Head of 15 Boarding.
Boarding House Rules The boarding house is run mainly on trust and respect; hence the boarding rules are simple and straightforward, but it is important that they are followed correctly. Boarders need to keep all areas of the house clean and tidy regardless of whether they are communal areas or personal bedrooms. The staff will do regular bedroom checks. The boarders will also be required to join a kitchen rota for tidying away dishes.
Boarders can only enter another pupil’s bedroom when the pupil is present, or they have express permission from the pupil to enter the room. After activities/prep (P11), boarders can choose to follow a programme of activities devised for all boarders that includes going to the gym, sports hall, swimming pool etc. This programme is advertised in the house every term.
Weekend arrangements must be clarified in advance and the correct permission must be sought from both the parents of the boarder, the house staff and the parents of the pupils whose house they may be visiting. Under no circumstances must any boarder travel in a car, except for their family car, without the express permission of their parents and Housemistress. Boarders should ensure that they wash their bedding regularly and maintain their own high standards of personal cleanliness. The House signing out book must be used by boarders whenever students leave the school building in the evening or at weekends, e.g., to go to the Sports Centre, the tennis courts or out with parents. Students may only leave the school premises once they have received permission from House staff, and only then in groups of three or more. The main school is locked after supper, and students should then use the clock tower door.
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WHAT TO BRING WITH YOU All items must be clearly named or labelled.
Home Clothes 1 smart outfit for formal occasions 2 tops 2 pairs of trousers or jeans 2 jumpers Underwear and socks Pyjamas, a dressing gown and slippers Clothing appropriate to the term's weather (warm coat, scarf, hat, gloves and boots, waterproof jacket, shorts and trainers Name tapes (extra)
Accessories 1 linen bag for laundry 2 mesh wash bags for underwear laundry 1 duvet 2 duvet covers, visibly named on outside corner 2 bath towels 2 hand towels 1 mug 1 medium sized 'tuck' box for storing personal items 1 small suitcase or bag for weekend travel 1 hot water bottle 2 plug adapters (overseas students) Toiletries (deodorant, shampoo, shower gel) 1 hairbrush, a shower cap and hairbands/ties as appropriate 1 nit comb (nitti gritti) Family photographs Pocket money!
Accessories for school 1 iPad, laptop or similar for schoolwork 1 iPad or laptop case (we recommend a bumper case) Music instrument and case (insured under your home policy) Water bottle (there are several refill stations around the school) Stationery, writing paper, pens and pencils, scissors, a ruler, eraser and a glue stick Geometry set including a protractor and compasses Scientific calculator
Tuck A small amount of tuck may be brought to school or purchased from the school shop.
Permitted Electrical Items iPads/laptops and their chargers Mobile phones and their chargers Personal music players/speakers Small clocks Hairdryers and hair straighteners Small travel adapters
NOT permitted* Desk lamp Oil filled radiator Fan heater Travel kettle Rice cooker Travel iron Electric blanket Mini fridge *though the school may lend as required 17
POCKET MONEY
Pupils are encouraged to use their pocket money for purchases in the school bookshop and tuck shop. The amount varies according to the age and parents’ wishes; however, the guidelines published in the student handbook are as follows:
Year 7 Years 8 & 9
Years 10 & 11
£50 Resident in the UK
£75
Resident abroad
£100
Resident in the UK
£75
Resident abroad
£100
The bursary regrets that it cannot provide cash advances to be added to end of term accounts and parents are advised that those who wish their child to have additional pocket money may contact the bursary and request the following: •Pay the money directly into the school’s bank account: Westonbirt Limited Sort Code: 309589 Account Number: 54344060 •Send a cheque made payable to Westonbirt Limited. Please note on the back of the cheque that this pocket money and your child’s full name.
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