THE COTTAGE

Information and Induction Document for

Housestaff
RYE ST ANTONY, OXFORD

Statement of Boarding Principles

Rye’s ethos is to provide an environment in which the full potential and individuality of each pupil
can be achieved. Education is understood to be concerned not only with intellectual development
but with the development of the whole person. This is a fundamental principle within boarding, and
Rye provides an exciting boarding experience for girls of all ages; full boarding, weekly boarding,
flexi-boarding and occasional boarding are all offered.

The School attracts pupils from all religious and cultural backgrounds; we welcome this, and ensure
that diversity of religion, cultural practices, language and race are respected. The School’s positive
and supporting culture helps pupils learn to understand and respect others and become aware of
their responsibilities to the wider community. Rye encourages pupils to accept challenges and learn
initiative and independence.

We endeavour to help pupils exercise a degree of freedom in a responsible way which develops
with age and maturation. Our intention is to develop a sense of courtesy, co-operation, integrity and
care for one another, while building positive relationships with peers and adults.

The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people
and the health, safety and well-being of all our pupils is of paramount importance. We aim to
promote an open and trusting ethos ensuring each pupil’s right to privacy, dignity and
independence.

Boarders are encouraged to approach members of staff at any time in order to discuss concerns or
share celebrations. A high staff – pupil ratio allows all members of the community to be known
well as individuals.

A spirit of mutual trust and friendliness permeates the boarding houses, and boarding gives scope
for girls to develop their talents in a happy and purposeful environment in which they are able to
play their part in the school community, thus learning to contribute to the future communities to
which they will belong.

April 2008

2
 Boarding Staff Induction

What Is My Role?

To assist in the day to day running of the boarding house as well as to gain useful
experience in other areas of school life.

This will involve the following:

• Wake up and bedtime duties; getting pupils up and putting them to bed.
• Supervisory duties during the school day (patrolling the House) and manning the
House office.
• Light administration in the House office; filing information and entering information
in the House diary; answering the phone.
• Collecting the post and morning papers.
• Completing food orders and collecting food supplies.
• Meal duties and organising morning and afternoon teas for pupils.
• Linen duties; supplying fresh linen and taking dirty linen to the laundry.
• Attending school events.
• Escorting pupils to appointments.
• Assisting in preparing the House for the start of term and clearing up at the end of
term.
• Supervision of evening prep.
• Assisting with evening and weekend sports activities.
• Assisting with boarders’ outings.
• Assisting with other activities for boarders e.g. crafts, baking and quizzes.
• Supervising Junior School playtimes and lunchtimes.
• Assisting with Junior School After School Care Club.
• Helping with school lessons or practices.

Above all your role is to be there for the pupils within the boarding environment. You are in
a special position, providing a link between pupils and teaching staff, and acting as a role
model for pupils.

The Senior Housemistress in charge of The Cottage is responsible for other Senior
Housemistress and Assistant Housemistress’s working within her House.

A copy of your job description is included at the end of this document.

3
What Is Expected Of Me?

As a member of staff in the boarding house there will be things expected of you.

• Supporting the ethos and practices of the School and House.

This is a major expectation of all staff. By working in such an environment, you are
embracing the ethos of the School. It is fundamental that staff are seen to abide by
the ethos and practices of the School and House. Documents relating to the School’s
ethos and statement of boarding are included at the end of this document.

• Being professional.

You are a member of staff and, as such, are expected to behave like one. All
behaviour must be above board. Remember you are a role model: dress and conduct
yourself accordingly.

• Loyalty to the teaching and boarding staff, especially those with whom you will be
working.

It would be unprofessional not to support House or School staff, especially if the

pupils become aware of your feelings. If a problem arises with another member of
staff discuss it so that it can be resolved.

• Respecting and understanding confidentiality.

This relates to several issues:

Any information passed on to you in confidence by School i.e. the Headmistress,

Deputy Headmistress or myself concerning any aspect of school, boarding or an
individual, must remain confidential.

Occasionally pupils may wish to speak to you confidentially about a personal

problem or situation facing themselves or others. In order to protect yourself and
others, it is essential that you do not make promises or agree to keep information
confidential. Always advise the pupil that you will listen but may need to pass the
information on. It is your duty to pass on any such information to the Senior
Housemistress, Deputy Headmistress or Headmistress. Never keep such information
to yourself, even if it means getting a pupil into trouble. You are obliged to pass on
any information if a pupil is in any danger. Do not however pass on other
information unnecessarily.

A copy of the relevant documents relating to Child Protection and Confidentiality

are included at the end of this document.

• Reliability in carrying out duties both in the House and the School.

Turn up in good time and ensure you fulfil your duties to the best of your ability.
Use your initiative if something needs doing. Complete tasks that are asked of you;
do not leave things for the next person on duty. Always ensure you note in the diary
anything important that happens. If you do not understand what is being asked of
you then ask.

4
 • Flexibility and adaptability.

Be prepared to do things at short notice such as cover in an emergency or giving help

to a colleague; it will only be for a good reason, and you would expect it to be done
for you. You do need to be prepared to do things over and above the call of duty.
Also be prepared to have a go at new things as well as offering to do things that you
have done before.

• Communication.

Communication is essential to the smooth running of the house as it removes the

likelihood of duplication of work and promotes good working relationships. Always
put up your name on the office door to enable staff and pupils to know who is on
duty and then refer to the diary to see if there have been any incidents since you were
last on duty that you need to be aware of, as well as any jobs that require your
attention. Please initial the diary on a daily basis. If you encounter any difficulties,
need confirmation on any matters or have any personal problems that need to be
resolved, do talk to someone and seek his or her advice. It is crucial that all staff feel
confident and comfortable in their working environment.

What Are The Pitfalls I Should Avoid?

• Over-familiarity with pupils.

Pupils may regard you as one of them and may try and manipulate you. It is highly
unprofessional to meet pupils socially out of school. It is also not acceptable
communicating with pupils on Facebook, other chat site or through casual text
messaging.

• Being compromised regarding alcohol, smoking or substance abuse.

Smoking by pupils is not permitted, and the school condones neither the misuse of
drugs and alcohol nor the illegal supply of these substances. As a member of staff it
is your duty to follow up any offences with the Senior Housestaff. As an interim
measure ‘gate’ any pupil found breaking School rules. Do not let pupils think they
can get away with breaking rules with your knowledge. Staff are not permitted to
smoke on school property nor drink whilst on duty. Cigarettes and alcohol should
not be in evidence in any duty room or office.

The School’s policy on smoking, alcohol and substance abuse is included at the end
of this document.

• Entertaining pupils in your bedroom.

Pupils should never be allowed in your bedroom, as this can lead to compromising
situations. Try and avoid being alone with a pupil in her bedroom for similar
reasons. If a pupil wishes to confide in you on a one to one, bring them to the Office
or a communal area of the House. If all else fails, prop the door open.

• Dealing with pupils unfairly or showing favouritism.

5
 Pupils must all be dealt with fairly and any favours or punishments must be metered
out with care. This is easier said then done, and is why Assistant staff in The Cottage
are reminded that they are not to give permission to pupils or punish pupils beyond
an immediate gating to keep them on site. Try to be fair when asking pupils to do an
extra duty or when pupils ask small favours of you.

A copy of The Cottage policy on behaviour, discipline and use of punishments is

included at the end of this section.

• Being seen as a push over.

Let the pupils know who is boss right from the start. It is far easier to be firm to start
with and then relax once pupils respect you and appreciate that they must do as you
request. If you are a push over and allow the pupils to dictate the rules, you will find
it very difficult to gain their respect. Be firm when asking pupils to complete house
duties such as clearing up the kitchen and common rooms, and when you send pupils
to get ready for bed or when turning lights off. Expect pupils to do as you say. Bear
in mind however, that there are ways of asking pupils to do things: ask politely and
do not dictate. ‘Please’ and ‘thank you’ go a long way in being seen as reasonable. If
you encounter difficulties do not let the pupil get away with disobeying you. Deal
with it immediately. Always ask a colleague for help. If you let a pupil get away
with disobeying you, you will continue to have problems with them, and find
yourself in a compromising position.

6
Child Protection And Bullying

The Schools policies on these issues can be found in Dates and Information and are
included at the end of this document for reference. However the following ten tips can be
used as a checklist to guide staff towards an appropriate response to a child protection
concern.

• Don’t ignore it – stop and listen

• Take notes if you can and keep them

• Don’t promise secrets – you must get something done

• Get the pupil’s own story – beware of guessing or suggesting ideas

• Pass it on – immediately – you have no choice

• Don’t tell anyone else – unless you are told to

• Does the pupil need staff protection?

• Do a report – facts first and comments/impressions second

• Never investigate or sort it out yourself – there are staff to deal with it

• Ask for support and advice for yourself.

It is of paramount importance that you are aware of the procedures to be followed if you
suspect or are confided in that abuse or bullying is taking place.

7
Cottage Policy On Behaviour, Discipline And The Use Of Punishments

It is the aim for boarders and staff alike to live in a harmonious and safe community where
consideration and respect are shown to all. Individuals must be able to work, enjoy their free
time and sleep without disturbances from other pupils or staff. All pupils must be able to
feel that their bedroom is a sanctuary where they can enjoy privacy and solitude if they so
choose. As part of the community, all pupils are asked to fulfil any house duties in order to
ensure the smooth running of the house. Pupils are also requested to sign in and out of the
house and to follow the guidelines relating to their privileges.

In the event of inappropriate behaviour or the failure of a pupil to comply with guidelines
the following action will be taken:

1) The pupils/s concerned will be spoken to in order to ascertain their perspective on the
event.
2) Steps will be taken to try to resolve inappropriate behaviour, for example, disturbing
other pupils, through talking with the pupil/s concerned and reaching a compromise.
3) Pupils failing to sign in and out will be spoken to and helped to understand the
consequences of their actions in terms of safety issues. If the situation is ongoing the
pupil/s will be asked to sign in and out with the member of staff on duty in order to try
and raise awareness of this routine.
4) Pupils arriving late back from time off site will be asked to explain their delay. Often
pupils do try and ring to warn staff that they may be late. If a pupil is late back during
the school week, they are expected to forgo their next opportunity to go off site. Pupils
who are late back from an evening out on the weekend will be expected to forgo this
opportunity the following weekend. Any withdrawal of privileges is noted in the diary
and Sanctions Book.
5) In some instances where a pupil fails to comply with the house guidelines on a mounting
number of occasions, privileges may be withheld for a longer period of time; however,
this will be in consultation with the Headmistress or her deputy.
6) From time to time if it becomes evident that a pupil is behind in her work, or the
standard is deemed unsatisfactory, she may be asked to remain on school grounds and
use her time to better effect. This may affect some or all of her free time. Such measures
are taken only following consultation with the Headmistress and after a meeting with the
pupil, a Senior Housemistress and the Headmistress at which time these measures are
agreed as being in the best interests of the pupil.
7) Any matters of a more serious nature are followed up immediately with the
Headmistress and appropriate action taken according to the problem or offence.
8) Restraint will only be used to safeguard injury to self or others or to avoid damage to
property. Any instance will be recorded in writing.

Any incident leading to a gating, curtailment of privileges or punishment must be noted in

the diary and Sanctions Book.

8
Our Job

Be Professional!!

Take a professional approach to your work; be visible and available when on duty.
Remember you are now a member of staff and not a pupil. When you come on duty, always
put up your duty sign and details of where you can be found. If away from the Office leave a
sign so that pupils are aware of where you are. Always shut the Office door if you are
around the House. If you leave the building please lock it, as personal documents are kept on
file.

Please try and maintain high levels of professionalism in the Office. It should be kept tidy at
all times. Please ensure that all House business is recorded in the diary and matters of
importance in the Daily Log. Please initial the diary on a daily basis. Phone messages
should also be noted here or on the message pad if personal. Ensure that all phone messages
are passed on, especially if they have been archived. Please do not doodle on official
documents such as rotas, memos or messages; there is plenty of scrap paper. Empty boxes
and supplies boxes should be discarded or returned immediately.

Duty Responsibilities

When on duty, you are asked to be either in the Office or Room 2, but not bedrooms. All
morning duties should be based in the Office. Room 2 must be kept neat and tidy. Please try
and be vigilant when on duty. Check the common rooms, classroom and the Quiet Room
during lesson time to make sure that pupils are working. Make sure that pupils are not
watching TV other than at lunchtime. Remove TV leads if pupils are caught watching TV
and report them in the diary. Do not allow pupils to have music on loudly during the school
day; radios and CD’s should not be on in communal areas. Follow up daytime and evening
duties to ensure that they have been done properly and on time.

Use your initiative; if something requires some attention try and sort it out or report it. When
the laundry is collected it should be put away neatly by whoever is on duty.

Please do not give pupil’s keys for anything.

Please try and do your duties separately unless rostered on together. You need your time off
duty. Other than during your consecutive day and a half off, you are expected back in the
House by midnight and must sleep on site. If you are on call, you will be expected to remain
on school grounds having informed the person on duty where to find you if needed. Please
do not swap time off. If there is something that you particularly wish to do, please discuss it
with me as soon as possible. It is not always possible to do as asked, but the more notice
given, the more flexible the system. If off duty, please do not walk around the House in
pyjamas. When on duty you should be fully clothed at all times.

If you are asked to do work of any nature which takes you away from your timetable or
interferes with your time off duty please inform the member of staff that you must liase
with me in the first instance. Some staff do not appreciate the need to keep the House
covered. Unless it is an emergency cover for example, a hospital appointment, then see me
before giving an answer. If you choose to do work in your time off, the time will not be
made up. Similarly, from time to time an emergency may mean that you cannot attend
lessons with which you regularly help. In such circumstances please try and get a message to
the member of staff running the lesson. Please bear in mind that the House has to come first.

9
During the school day, please ensure that you visit the School Office before it closes at 5pm
in order to check for late faxes, messages or post.

Communication: The House Diary and Daily Log Sheet

Keep a note of any problems or events in the diary. Always check the diary when you come
on duty, as this is the main point of communication between staff. Do not assume that staff
are aware of something; always write it down. It is important for us to keep such a record for
Inspections and for school records. Any jobs requiring attention will be noted in the diary or
on a separate piece of paper. It would be appreciated if you would tick them off as they are
completed, or leave a message explaining why something could not be done. It is important
that House business is prioritised and completed as early in the day as possible. Please initial
the diary every day to indicate that you are aware of any eventualities. A daily log sheet is
used to note crucial daily information such as illness, incidents and communication with
parents, guardians or staff. The Senior Housemistress signs this off daily.

The Phone System

When on duty please ensure that you are near the phone. The phone should always be
answered in a polite manner; it could be a parent or a member of staff ringing. 217 is the
main line to The Cottage Office; it also rings in Room 2 and both Senior Housemistress’s
flats. If you have been on the phone, please check for any messages, as any calls will have
been automatically put into ansaphone. Please do not change the message on the phone.
Assistant Housemistress’s should use 250 for any incoming or outgoing private calls, whilst
Miss Mountford can be reached on 249 and Miss Tomlinson on 216. Each member of staff
is sent a phone bill once a month. You will need to identify any calls which you have made,
and you will then be sent a bill. It is essential to keep track of all calls that you make – date,
number called, by whom and duration.

The Cottage Office can be reached either externally on 01865 229217 or internally on 217.
An external call can be identified by a normal double ring, whilst internal calls are a longer
single ring. Once the School Office is closed and the phone system is switched on to night
service, any call made to the main school number of 01865 762802 will ring in both
boarding houses and at the Headmistress’s. When you answer the phone, please identify
who you are and where the caller has reached.

There is a card operated public pay phone in the House for girls use. Phone cards are sold to
pupils and the cost charged to their end of term account. The number for this phone and all
other extensions and emergency contacts are on the notice board next to the phone in the
Office. From time to time parents try and contact their daughters on the Office number. In
such cases please explain to them that they can contact their daughter directly on the pay
phone and give them the relevant number. Please do not allow pupils to use the Office
phone for making calls, except in an emergency. If a call is made, please note down the
number so that the pupil can be charged if necessary for the call.

Transferring Calls

If you need to transfer a call because it has come through to the wrong place you can do so
as follows:

Explain to the caller that you are going to transfer them.

Press R and the extension number you wish to transfer to e.g. 216 for me or 218 for The
Croft.

10
Announce who is calling and put the phone down.
If there is no answer you can speak to the caller again by pushing R.
Take a message if necessary or try transferring them to the extension again so that they can
leave a message for themselves.

If you receive a call for Miss Jones, substantiate whether it is important enough to disturb
her. Ensure that you get a name and the nature of the call before you attempt to put the call
through. She does prefer for all calls to be passed on. Never give out her number.

You may also receive calls from the front and back gate intercom. Establish who is at the
gate before operating the automatic entry by pushing R or recall followed by ‘13’.

Retrieving Messages

If there is a message on the system, a light should shine to indicate this, but it has been
known not to function. The cordless handset in The Office does not have this function.
Ensure that you check for messages at regular intervals, and always if the House has been
left unstaffed for any period of time.

To retrieve messages do the following:

Ring 529
You will be asked to enter your PIN number; this is 0000
A voice will then take you through the message retrieval process.

Once you have listened to the messages, please ensure that you archive them. The system
goes through how to do this.

Please do not change any of the set up options or the message. Please ensure that you let
staff know if you have archived a message for them or alternately leave them a note.

Remember, all personal calls should be made to and from Room 2 on 250 for Assistant
Housemistress’s.

We have a cordless phone so that we can be contacted whilst on duty, but away from the
phone e.g. putting away supplies or doing roll call. This phone is for duty use only and not
for private calls. Please keep this phone with you when away from the duty base.

Medical And Welfare Issues

Please consult the documentation written by the School Nurse before treating any pupils.

We are in ‘loco parentis’ for the boarders, which means that we assume total responsibility
for their well-being. You may administer paracetamol, ibruprofen, cough mixture and throat
lozenges. As a first aider you may apply ointments that are contained in the medical cabinet,
and you may treat general cuts etc. Please ensure that you ask the pupil if they are allergic to
anything and if they have had any medication earlier that day. An allergy list is kept in the
medication folder for reference. This should be checked, as should entries in the medication
log sheet before any medication is supplied.

After administering any medication please follow the procedures outlined below.

11
It is essential that all medication given and times etc are noted down in case of repeat
medication being required. It is also useful to note in the diary that a pupil has received
treatment. Always check in the medication folder before giving out medication, and ensure
that it is taken in your presence. If you are at all unsure as to what to do, seek help.

During the school day always send pupils to the School Nurse so that she is aware of their
problem. If a pupil is ill in bed, inform the School Nurse as soon as possible. She will speak
to you regarding the treatment for any pupil, or will leave a message or treatment form in
the diary. Ensure that the pupil is visited regularly and all is done to make her feel
comfortable. Never give a pupil permission to go to bed unless you have spoken to the
School Nurse. If a boarder has been off school during the school day, she should not be
going out at 4pm.

If the School Nurse is off site or in the evenings and at weekends, you may be the nominated
First Aider and will need to treat boarders and day pupils alike. If you are unsure of
anything seek a second opinion. Consult with Senior Management or another housemistress
if you are still in doubt. It is quite acceptable for a parent to be rung in order to gain
permission to administer anything. In the event of an emergency, call an ambulance and
escort the pupil to hospital. Always inform the School Office or other boarding house of
events, and note down in the diary. During boarding hours ensure that other pupils are aware
of who is on duty in your absence.

As we are responsible for the welfare of all the boarders in our charge, it is also necessary to
keep an eye out for any pupils with specific problems in terms of their health, as well as any
who may be suffering from stress or other personal problems for example. Any pupils
causing concern will be monitored by staff and the School Nurse, and matters will be
discussed at the Housemistresses’ meeting. Specific welfare plans will then be set up and
implemented as necessary in agreement with any of the following; the pupil, parents, the
School Nurse, School Doctor, Housestaff, Tutor and Senior Management.

The School Nurse will leave doctor, dentist and optician appointment slips in the diary for
passing on to boarders. This must be done at the earliest convenience. You may be asked to
take a pupil to an appointment, or in an emergency, to hospital.

All new housestaff undergo first aid training.

If you are ill, please see the School Nurse or arrange a doctor’s appointment. She may be
able to help you with this. Please let me know if I need to cover any duty times.

Handling of Medication for Boarders

When handling medication please use the following procedure:

• Ask the pupil if she has seen the School Nurse – all medication should be dispensed
through the School Nurse during the school day. Ring her if necessary on her mobile
number
• Ask the pupil if she has had any medication that day and, if so, what
• Check Record of Pupil Medication to see if and when the pupil last had medication
• Check Medical Protocol for advice concerning which medication to give, how much
and any contraindications to consider
• Ask pupil if she has taken that medication before
• Check allergy list for any notes relating to the pupil

12
 • Check expiry date on the medication package
• Give medication and ensure it is taken in your presence
• Advise the pupil to come back should she suffer any reaction to the medication
• Record all details fully in the Record of Pupil Medication
• If you have any concerns about the distribution of medication, please seek advise
from the School Nurse or Senior Housemistresses
• Day girls should only be given medication by the School Nurse. If the School Nurse
cannot be contacted then parents must be consulted before any medication is
dispensed.

Medical Emergency

In the event of a medical emergency the following action plan should be put in to place for
boarders or daygirls:

School Daytime:

• Contact the School Nurse

• Apply immediate First Aid as appropriate
• Do not give food or drink in case an operation is required
• School Nurse will organise hospitalisation
• Inform Senior Management
• If you are needed to escort the pupil leave a notice on The Office door and inform
the School Office and Senior Housemistress
• Take any relevant medical documentation, Bury Knowle information and petty cash
for refreshments, phone calls or taxis
• School Nurse will organise informing parents

During boarding hours or in the absence of the School Nurse:

• Apply immediate First Aid as appropriate

• Do not give food or drink in case an operation is required
• Ring School Nurse or Senior Housemistress for advice if required
• Organise ambulance or other transport to hospital – normally the Senior
Housemistress will drive the pupil and a junior member of staff to the hospital unless
the accident is severe, in which case a senior Housemistress will remain with the
pupil as far as possible
• If you are needed to escort the pupil leave a notice on The Office door, in the diary
and inform the Senior Housemistress
• If the Senior Housemistress is off site and you need help, contact The Croft Staff, the
Headmistress or the member of the SMT who is on duty
• Contacting parents will normally be done by the Senior Housemistress, but may be
done by the Headmistress or a member of the SMT in extenuating circumstances.
• Take documentation, a mobile phone and petty cash with you.

In most medical emergencies it would be the responsibility of the School Nurse or the
Senior House staff to take action. However, as an emergency may arise at any instant, it is
imperative that all staff are aware of the procedure. Ensure that all emergencies are reported
to the Bursary so that the Accident Book can be completed, and that a report of any
emergency involving a boarder is kept on her file. Also note it in the diary.

13
Giving Permission

Please do not give permission for anything that takes a pupil off site or out of the house
outside hours. You may think that something sounds all right, but there would be nothing
worse than giving consent for something inappropriate. If pupils approach you regarding
anything tell them that they must speak to me. I will discuss any requests with other Senior
staff and come to a decision. Anything requiring the giving of permission or the adding of
money to a school account can only be authorised by the Senior Housemistress in liaison
with the pupil’s parents.

Please do not give pupils extensions. Their privileges are perfectly adequate and if
something exceptional arises they will need to speak to me. For your information Year 11
should never be given an extension during the week; any plane tickets etc can be sorted out
on a Saturday. Only Year 12 and 13 may go out after supper. This is a Sixth Form privilege.
Pupils are not generally allowed to go out on a midweek evening, unless consent is gained
from or they are with their parents. If you do need to contact a parent in an emergency, there
is a file containing the addresses for all pupils. This can be found on the bookshelf

Boarders Off Site

Year 12 and 13 pupils may go out after school between 4pm and 6:15pm on weekdays,
before and after lunch on Saturdays and in the afternoons on Sundays. They must be back
in time for meals. They may ask me permission to go out for a full day. If this is granted
there will be a note in the diary. They may also go out on either Friday or Saturday night
from 7pm to 11pm. Do not let them miss attending supper or leave early. Remember that
you should not meet up with pupils in Town, as this is unprofessional.

Year 11 boarders may go out between 4pm and 5pm Monday to Thursday and until 5:30pm
on a Friday. On a Saturday they may go out in the morning or afternoon and on a Sunday
they may go out after lunch until 6pm.

Whenever pupils go off site they must sign out.

All pupils are expected to attend every meal, except breakfast where Years 12 and 13 have a
choice. Lunch at weekends and all supper times are used to register pupils.

If pupils arrive back late please report this in the diary. They will be gated or have their
privileges reduced. Please do not cover up for pupils returning late.

When pupils plan to go away for a weekend or overnight they must seek written permission
from their parents or guardian and receive a written invitation. Some pupils have a list of
friends who their parents have agreed they may stay with without the need to seek
permission. These can be found in each pupils file on their personal information form signed
by their parents.

Roll Call

Roll call must be checked by the Senior housemistress on duty, but it may be carried out by
Assistant or Senior staff on duty. Roll call is done at 9pm at which time all boarders should
have returned to the house and the doors locked for the night. It is imperative that every
pupil is accounted for and ticked off on the list. Each pupil must be seen by the member of
staff carrying out the roll call – word of mouth is not sufficient. Any pupil who will be
absent overnight will be noted in the diary. On weekends, pupils who will be away over
night are detailed on the weekend arrangements sheet which is kept on the roll call board

14
and ‘absent’ is also noted in the relevant grid on the roll call sheet. If a pupil does not return
from an overnight stay or weekend away according to their arrangements then the member
of staff should contact the pupil concerned. This also is the case for weekly boarders who do
not return at their normal time and have not left alternative arrangements. Please ensure you
speak to a Senior Housemistress and the Head of Boarding concerning missing pupils
immediately.

Missing Pupils

If at any time a pupil is deemed to be missing it is imperative that action is taken

immediately to establish the pupil’s whereabouts.

If a pupil is missing from a meal, at roll call or at any other stage, it is the responsibility of
the member of staff on duty to return to the House and try and seek them out. Failing this,
the signing-out books should be checked, as should the Rendall Building and any other on-
site location. At this stage the Senior Housemistress and Head of Boarding should be
informed. Other housestaff should be asked if they have seen the pupil, as should the pupil’s
friends and other staff on site. As most pupils have mobile phones it is worth trying this
approach. At this stage the Headmistress or other designated member of the Senior
Management Team should be consulted and a plan of action drawn up. Action to be taken
may include ringing parents or the police, but will be judged in the light of the past history
of the pupil, recent happenings involving the pupil, as well as the time of day. A written
report must be kept of the incident and what action was taken to resolve it.

Organised Trips Off Site

You may be asked to help with or wish to organise a boarders’ trip off site. If you are
involved there are various things to bear in mind including:
• Check with Head of Boarding that the trip is viable
• Check that sufficient numbers of pupils would be interested
• Establish cost of the tickets/entrance for groups and accompanying adults
• Cost any meal requirements
• Cost transport to and from the venue
• Check insurance
• Establish staff pupil ratios – only a reasonable number of staff tickets should be
costed for pupils to pay for
• Complete a relevant risk assessment
• Check details with Senior Housemistress before proceeding – all letters and cheque
requests must go through the Senior Housemistress.

Once the trip has been approved, it will need to be advertised and letters of permission
signed by parents or the Senior Housemistress. Assistant staff cannot sign permission. On
the day of the trip it is necessary for an ‘Out of School Trips Form’ to be completed and
circulated to relevant staff. Accompanying staff must satisfy current staff pupil ratios and
must take the House mobile phone in case of an emergency. Assistant staff should not be
left in sole charge of an organised trip off site, or on duty in a boarding house.

Supervision Of Evening And Weekend Activities

All sport, craft and baking activities must be supervised by a designated member of staff in
order to ensure the welfare and safety of all pupils participating in the activity. Due to the
high risk of many of these activities, it is imperative that staff meet the following guidelines:

15
Sports Activities:
• Staff and pupils are suitably attired for the activity – any pupils failing to wear
trainers will not be permitted to take part in the activity.
• All moving of equipment is supervised by a member of staff and all equipment is
checked before use.
• Equipment is only to be used for its designated purpose.
• Staff need to actively supervise play and exclude any pupil who fails to follow
instructions or acts in any way that could cause harm
• All equipment is put away safely and store doors locked
• Pupils and staff are not allowed to use any PE Department equipment without the
permission of the Head of Department and without direct staff supervision.
• If the grass is wet or slippery, sessions should be abandoned.

Separate rules apply to the supervision of swimming sessions. All boarding staff involved in
the supervision of swimming sessions undergo an in-house training programme at the start
of the Trinity term. All housestaff are first aid trained.

Baking and Craft Sessions:

• Pupils should be asked to wear protective clothing if required according to the
activity.
• Pupils should be warned and directly supervised when using knives, machinery and
other sharp implements.
• Pupils must be warned and care taken in the presence of heat.
• Good hygiene must be practised at all times.
• Pupils must be supervised when asked to clear up after the sessions.

Whatever the activity, the organiser must be aware of where the nearest first aid kit and
phone are.

Food Orders

As many meals are served in The Cottage, it is necessary to keep a stock of items available
in the House, especially for breakfast, teas and for evening supplies. Supplies are ordered
each day on a requisition form kept in the main school kitchen, and we keep a copy in our
kitchen. It is important that enough supplies are ordered to cover breakfast as well as
replenishing the girls’ kitchen in the evening. Coffee, tea, milk, cereals, squash, bread,
spreads, margarine and butter are made available to the boarders each evening. Fruit juice
and other supplies are only for breakfast and must not be given out in the evening.

Supplies in the girls’ kitchen should be checked and re-stocked each day at 8:30pm. I
suggest you leave a loaf of bread, a jug of milk and some butter and margarine portions.
Refill cereals if necessary and spreads. Girls may request extra stores up until 9:30pm.
Please do not distribute stores after this time. If there is insufficient food for breakfast, then
do not hand out extra stores.

It is hard to gauge when to order a new box of milk for the milk machine. As a general rule
it would be every 2-3 days depending upon milk consumption. Do not re-order until it is
below a quarter full.

When placing food orders please complete a separate House copy that will be kept on the
main Duty board so that we can check off what is sent. Supplies for staff should be placed
on a separate form labelled ‘Room 2’. All orders should be checked in the school kitchen

16
and any missing items followed up immediately. Ensure that all trolleys and boxes are
returned to the kitchen. If you are staying on site during holiday time you will need to speak
to the Bursar regarding food arrangements.

Meal Duties

When you are on duty for a meal, you are expected to remain in the Dining Room or King
House until the meal has finished and clearing up completed. You should be actively
involved in supervising the meal and helping. At lunchtime please be prepared to help clear
up. Please follow up pupils on lunch or supper duty. Your help will be needed at supper, as
there is only one dinner lady. The Cottage girls and staff go up first on Mondays and
Tuesdays, whilst the Croft go up first on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Please ensure that all
tables are cleared and wiped and rooms left tidy. You may also need to tell pupils when to
go up table by table; do not let huge queues occur. Remember that grace is said at lunch and
supper in King House. The member of staff on duty leads this, or occasionally you may ask
a pupil. Any visitors are expected to wait until boarders and staff have taken their meal.

Fire Procedure

In the event of the fire alarm being activated then all staff must follow school procedure
whether you are on or off duty. Priority is to evacuate the building and ensure that
everybody is accounted for. Please refer to the main sheet in your file regarding fire
procedure, as this varies according to the time of day.

Each boarding house is expected to stage a fire practice once a term. Practices should be
held during boarding hours in the mornings and evenings, as well as at night.

The alarm is sounded by turning the key to ‘Access Level 2’ and pressing ‘Evacuate’.

Pupils leave the house as quickly and quietly as possible and congregate in corridor groups
near the Heads Office, as there is a light there. The Senior member of staff on duty will
nominate a member of staff to take a roll call. All practices are timed, and are logged in the
House Fire Alarm Book and in the Log held in the Bursary.

If the alarm sounds at any other stage, it must be assumed to be an emergency. In this
instance if pupils reach exits before a member of staff, they are expected to use the
emergency tools to gain access to keys to unlock doors. The Senior member of staff will
again nominate a member of staff to take a roll call, whilst she and another member of staff
check the fireboard to locate the site of the incident. They will then go to the site to inspect
it. If a fire is present the Fire Services will be summoned, and the girls will be taken to The
Croft.

Due to the sensitivity of the system, false alarms are quite regular. If staff are quite certain
that there is no sign of fire, heat or smouldering, or can see that the system has been
triggered by sprays, heat from hair dryers or a breeze, then the girls can be brought back into
the house. If there is any uncertainty then the Fire Services should be called.

On completion of the practice or incident, insert the key and push ‘Silence Alarm’ followed
by ‘Reset System’. If the alarm has been triggered by an incident such as a toaster fire, it can
take a while before the alarm will reset.

17
If a glass firebox is set off it will be necessary to call the Site Manager in order to replace
the glass. The system cannot be silenced until this has been done. If there are any problems
it will be necessary to contact Pyrotec for help.

If the fire alarm sounds during the school day, the house is evacuated as above, but pupils
and staff should congregate on the hockey pitch. Pupils will line up in their forms and staff
will be accounted for by a member of the Senior Management Team. The signing in/out file
must be brought out by the member of staff on duty in order to account for any pupils who
are off site. The staff signing in/out book should also be taken out. We do not have to note
down these practices or emergencies, as they will be dealt with by the Bursary. The school
day runs from 8.00am to 6.15pm where evacuation should take place to the Hockey Pitch,
any time after this is considered Boarding Hours and we would then evacuate to Langley
Lawn. The folder containing copies of house and school plans should also be taken out.

Visitors

Any visitors to the boarding house should be greeted by the member of staff on duty and the
reason for their visit established. Boyfriends or male visitors should be made welcome in
The Cottage entrance area, Dining Room, Year 12 and 13 Day Rooms or Common Rooms.
Boarders are expected to introduce any visitors on site to the member of staff on duty and
may not just meet them up at school. Pupils may not have boyfriends in their rooms. Parents
and guardians are welcome to escort pupils to their rooms and help them unpack. Please
make all parents welcome and offer to make them a hot drink. Pupils may, providing
permission has been sought from the Senior Housemistress and Headmistress and there is
sufficient space, have female friends to stay.

If Assistant House staff would like a female visitor to stay you need to seek permission from
me first and then complete a visitors form which is available from the Bursary. It is
imperative that we know who is on the premises at all times. Arrangements will need to be
made regarding where the visitor will stay. Please bear in mind that visitors should not
distract you or others from their work, and that the pupils should be served first at all meals.
Additional meals will need to be requested by speaking to the catering manager. Duration of
any visits should be sensible; this has caused problems in the past.

Computer Use

Use of the computer has raised a lot of complaints from pupils in the past. Please remember
that pupils must take priority and I ask you not to use Cottage computers during the
school day. There is a laptop in The Cottage Office for staff use. Priority of use is with duty
staff. When off duty it would be more appropriate for you to use The Croft computers
during the school day, and school computers in the evening. Staff are welcome to use
Cottage computers in the evening, but again girls must take priority. Mr Pocock will assign
you a user name in order for you to log on and access the system. This can be used to access
any computer in school. As it is staff level access, it is imperative that you do not pass on
log on codes to pupils. Please bear in mind that pupils are not allowed to use chat lines
during the school day, so please keep an eye on this. Daytime computer use is for
educational purposes only. Staff in the Staff Room have asked for Housestaff not to use
these computers during the school day as they are already in heavy demand.

Laundry

There are two washing machines and tumble dryers in The Cottage for the use of girls and
staff alike. The system is run on a ‘first come first served’ basis. Pupils are used to putting

18
all laundry directly into the dryers after washing. If you do not want your clothes to be
tumble dried, either leave one of the laminated signs on the washing machine or arrange to
be in the laundry room when the washing cycle finishes. Washing liquid and conditioner are
automatically dispensed according to the programme that you select. The Laundry should
not be used between 10pm and 7am.

Safekeeping of Valuables

Each boarder in The Cottage is provided with a lockable locker in their bedroom for the
safekeeping of monies and personal valuables. Pupils are regularly reminded of the need to
be responsible and safeguard their possessions. At the start of each term pupils are asked to
hand in all passports and travel tickets. These are held in The Cottage safe and are signed in
and out by the staff and counter-signed by the pupil. The safe is also used for the
safekeeping of pocket money or larger valuables.

Staff Signing In and Out

All staff need to sign out in the staff in and out book before leaving school site and sign
back in again on their return. This is the procedure for staff safety and must be done whether
you are on time off or leaving site as part of a duty.

19
WORKING BEYOND THE BOARDING HOUSE

Part of the weekly timetable for Assistant Housemistress’s will include work that is done
outside the boarding environment and may include Junior Duties, working in the Junior
School or Senior School with individual or small groups of pupils and perhaps helping with
PE, other lessons, the library or practices.

Junior Duties

This involves supervising the Junior School pupils at morning or lunchtime break. You
would normally be expected to collect the pupils from their classrooms and escort them out
to the play areas. The duty involves supervising the pupils as they play, ensuring that they
use play equipment fairly and safely, sorting out squabbles, watching that pupils do not
wander into ‘out of bounds’ areas and liasing with the School Nurse if an injury occurs. At
the end of playtime you need to encourage the pupils to return to class. Break duty is 11am –
11:20am. Lunch duties tend to be 12:40 – 1pm, 1pm – 1:30pm or 1:30pm – 2pm (this
includes a session of quiet reading).

After School Care

This involves going over to the Junior School for 4pm and serving those Juniors staying on
after school with their afternoon tea and then organising and supervising the planned activity
for that day. Pupils up to Year 3 should be collected by 4:45pm whilst pupils from Year 3
upwards are sent to prep in Newman, a classroom opposite the hall in the Senior School.
Once all the pupils have been dispatched to prep or home, tea needs to be cleared up and the
room left tidy. The pupils should be encouraged to help with this task. You should be
finished by 5pm. The duty can involve some playground supervision if the weather is fine or
indoor activities in poor weather.

Working With Classes Or Individuals

You will be given the opportunity to work with pupils in lessons, as long as arrangements
can be made that fit in with timetabling. In the past most help has been offered to the Junior
School, but try to take the opportunity to experience those areas of the school that are of
interest to you. You must bear in mind that the Junior School will still need to be offered
some help. It may be possible to arrange for some of you to work within Senior School
lessons, especially with pupils who may require extra help. A further possibility is to help
with PE lessons or lunchtime practices, if this can be fitted in to timetables. Once
arrangements have been made regarding class work, you will need to liase with specific
members of staff, and they will oversee your work. All staff will need to know that there
may be occasions when you will be unable to attend their lesson, such as if there is an
emergency in a boarding house and you are required to help out, or in the instance of staff
illness. If such an emergency did arise it would be necessary for you to inform members of
staff that you cannot attend their lesson. From time to time you may be asked by a member
of the school staff to do additional work or to escort a group on a trip. Please speak to me
before accepting any additional work, as it may not fit in with timetabling.

Once timetabling has been finished the Head of the Junior School will speak to you
concerning any duties involving work in the Junior School. Individual subject teachers will
speak to you about work in the Senior School.

If you encounter any problems with work which falls outside the boarding house, please feel
free to speak to me.

20
 HOUSEMISTRESS DUTIES

WEEKDAYS

7:10 am Collect cordless phone and keep with you during breakfast duty.
Put out a new dated signing-out sheet in blue file.
Check fire board. Unlock laundry room.
Wake up girls on breakfast duty and put all corridor lights on.

7:20 am Unlock both entrances to Cottage.

Put out breakfast items ready for duty girls.
Put kettles on. Switch on cold cupboard.
Empty dishwasher. Warm up toaster.

7:30 am Go around House knock on each door to wake girls and check
they are getting up.
Pupils on breakfast duty should arrive. One rings bell around
house, whilst other starts setting up as follows:
Hot bowl of soapy water for cutlery put on trolley, jams out,
cereals out, margarine and butter portions on to cooler along with
a jug of milk and one carton of each juice, glasses, cutlery and
plates/ bowls out. Fill sink with hot water to soak dishes.

7:45 am Pupil rings bell around house for start of breakfast. They make
toast to order and replenish supplies. Check all rooms again and
ensure all girls are up. If a girl is ill encourage her to get up, if
possible, and inform the School Nurse as soon as possible. Girls
must come to breakfast dressed and all Year 11 must attend.

8:00 am Pupil rings bell again.

You do final check of rooms – all pupils must be up and dressed
by 8am.

8:10 am Breakfast ends. Pupils on duty clear away and wipe tables. Dishes
are left to soak. Put fruit basket in kitchen. Check stock of
supplies and note down what needs to be ordered on requisition
form. Remember to order enough food to replenish stocks in the
girls’ kitchen for the evening. Check milk!! Lock kitchen and
grille, and ensure place is left neat.

8:30 am Send all Year 11’s to school. Do a quick check of House to check
neatness of rooms – beds made and curtains drawn open. Also
note any maintenance problems that need reporting. Write up on
pink forms if urgent or in Maintenance Book.

21
8:35 am Send all Year 12 and 13 girls to registration. Check room by
room.

9:00 am Go to main Kitchen and complete the Cottage requisition sheet.

Put any urgent Pink maintenance slips in to the Bursary.
Do any jobs (see diary). Patrol the whole House regularly during
the morning. Ensure ill boarders are checked regularly. Check
daygirl areas. Girls may use Common Rooms for work, but no
television except lunchtimes. Music should not be played in
communal areas during the school day.
Go and collect post and papers from the School Office. Put papers
and post in Dining Room. All staff post, messages, faxes and e-
mails should be put in the Office.

10:45 am Organise morning tea; make a pot of tea, put out 8 packets of
biscuits, coffee, sugar, jug of milk and mugs. Put on trolley ready
for 11am. Never leave kitchen unattended – lock if called away.

11:00 am Put out morning tea. No pupils are allowed in the Kitchen.
Supervise pupils – no food or drinks should be taken out of The
Dining Room. Keep cordless phone with you.

11:30 am Clear up morning tea. Routinely check House as described above.

12:30 pm Supervise Dining Room and help serve lunch if needed.

1:05 pm Fetch girls who are on lunch duty and help them with their duty.
Ensure Dining Room is left tidy. Keep cordless phone with you.

1:55 pm Check Common Rooms and turn off Tvs. Encourage girls to use
their time profitably. Ask girls to tidy rooms if messy, especially
if daygirls.

2:00 pm Collect supplies from main kitchen. Check against the order form
that all supplies ordered have been provided. Tick products off list
to confirm. If anything is missing please follow it up immediately.
Unpack and return all trolleys and boxes to the kitchen
immediately. Put away any supplies ordered for Room 2 or other
staff. Check House routinely during the afternoon as described
above.

3:50 pm Prepare afternoon tea; put out on trolley squash, afternoon tea and
glasses. Put out at 4pm, except Thursdays when it is at 3:45pm. If
it is cookies or muffins hand out individually from the Office or
Room 2. Keep sufficient teas separately for Year 11.

22
 4:45 pm Clear away afternoon tea; wash up cups and leave to drip dry,
wipe down trolley and tables. Lock back door.

5:00 pm Check Year 11’s have signed back in and doing prep in their
rooms. If they ask to work in the Rendall check they have signed
out and go over to check that they are doing prep. Pupils may use
this time for music practice. Quiet time in the House.

6:20 pm Ring bell for supper and actively send the pupils over to King
House. Take up trays etc from Afternoon Tea. Check that all girls
are present using the meal register. If anybody is missing go and
fetch them – it is your responsibility. Say grace and help serve
and supervise the meal. Remain in the Dining Room until
everything has been cleared up and all pupils gone. One staff
member on duty should return to the house as soon as possible.

7 – 8.15 pm Year 11’s supervised prep. Run any activities as planned.

8:30 pm Replenish stocks in Girls’ Kitchen

9:00 pm Roll call then lock the front door. Check Fire board.

10:15 pm Send Year 11’s to get ready for bed.

10:30 pm Year 12 kitchen duty; send them to do the duty then check that it
is done.

10:30 pm Ensure that all Year 11’s are in their own room with lamps on and
any music turned down low. This must be done room by room.

11:00 pm Sixth Form to own rooms. This must be done room by room. All
showers need to be taken before 11pm. Year 11’s should be
checked again and all lights turned off. Ensure Common Rooms
are tidy, kitchen appliances are off at plugs and all fire doors
closed. Turn off washing machines and dryers and lock the
laundry room. Ensure that girls have settled down before you go
to bed. You will need to patrol several times to achieve this.

Please note that all duties during the week up until lunch time should be based in
The Office.

Please ensure you have the cordless phone with you at all times when on duty.

Please ensure that the sign on the Office door states who is on duty and where.

23
WEEKENDS

8:30 am Unlock front door and put out a ‘weekend signing-out list’ in blue
file. Only the main front door is used at the weekend. Unlock
laundry.

8:45 am Staff on duty sets up breakfast as during the week, but there are no
girls on duty. Girls help themselves to toast etc.

9:00 am Collect Newspapers from Bun passage; 1x Times, 1x Telegraph

and 1x Independent. Leave them in the Dining Room.
Collect croissants from the main kitchen (Saturdays).

9:15 am Wake up girls who ordered a cooked breakfast and send them to
King House for 9:30am (Sundays).

9:30 am Ring bell for wake up and breakfast. On weekends girls may come
to breakfast in their pyjamas (not to King House though).

10:30 am Check that all girls are up and changed.

Put in food order.

10:35 am Clear up breakfast, rinse dishes, load dishwasher and turn it on if

it is sufficiently full. If there is only a small amount either wash it
up or put it in the dishwasher and leave it for the next day. Ensure
that kitchen is left tidy and that tables have been wiped. Lock
grille and door.

10:45 am Ring bell for Mass (Sunday) and escort girls over. Check that girls
all know what they are doing for Mass and that it has been set up.

12:15 pm Saturday lunch is in King House. Ring bell at 12:05pm.

12:30 pm Sunday lunch is in King House. Ring bell at 12:20pm.

12:30 pm Immediately after lunch collect food order and check it is correct.
If you use the Dispensary door ensure that you relock it, as this
door is kept secure at weekends. Take trolley and boxes back
immediately.

4:00 pm Tea. On Saturdays crisps and coke. This is only ordered for pupils
who are in on a Saturday. Please give out from the Office and
keep a note of distribution by ticking the Roll Call list. Please put
all spare stock in my flat. Check that House is tidy.

24
On Exeat weekends Saturday supper may be at 5:45pm in order to get to
church for the 6:30pm service or Sunday cooked breakfast may be ordered for
9:15am so that we can get to the 10am service. Pupils leave at 6:10pm or
9:40am respectively.

6:30 pm Ring bell at 6:20pm for supper. Take meal roll call. Check with
Sixth Formers to see who is going out. They must not go out on
their own.

9:00 pm Roll call and lock up. Check who is still out. Follow up any
problems immediately with a Senior Housemistress. Check Fire
Board.

On a Sunday most pupils out for the weekend and some weekly
boarders will be back. Check carefully; the roll call list will
show who should be back. Follow up any abnormalities.

10:30 pm Ask girls to do House duties. If duty person is away ask somebody
else to do the job and expect them to do it.

11:00 pm Year 11’s to own rooms and bed. Sixth Formers should have
returned from town. Report any problems or lateness immediately.
Ring the person on call when everybody is in.

12:00 pm Sixth Form to bed. Think carefully before giving TV extensions,

and only consider it if pupils ask well in advance. If possible they
should go into the Little Common Room so that they do not
disturb others. Ensure Common Rooms are tidy, kitchen
appliances are off at plugs and all fire doors closed. Turn off
washing machines and dryers and lock the laundry room.

Weekends are very relaxed. You may be asked to oversee a sports session,
craft or baking, or you may be asked to help with The Croft. Ensure that at all
times there is a note on the Office door telling girls where they can find you.

Sunday evenings are considered a weeknight for bedtimes etc, whilst Friday
and Saturday nights are the later nights with extensions. When you are on duty
it is imperative that you are within hearing and reach of the phone. When away
from the phone, please take the cordless phone with you.

25
 The Cottage Day

7:10 am Wake-Up for Breakfast Duty pupils.

7:30 am Wake-Up Bell

7:45 - 8:10 am Breakfast – all up and dressed; Year 11 must attend

8:35 am Registration

11:00 am Breaktime Refreshments in Cottage for Sixth Form

12:40 pm Lunchtime Sixth Form in The Cottage.

12:50 pm Lunchtime Year 11 in King House

4:00 pm Afternoon Tea Refreshments served for the Sixth Form

and Year 11 boarders

5:00 - 6:15 pm Unsupervised Prep for Year 11 in The Cottage

Quiet time in the House

6:30 pm Supper in King House – all must attend

7:00 - 8:15 pm Supervised Prep for Year 11

7:00 – 9:00 pm Clubs and Activities

9:00 pm Roll Call

10:30 pm Kitchen Duty by Year 12

10:30 pm Bedtime Year 11

Quiet time in the House

11:00 pm Year 12 and 13 to Rooms.

The Cottage will be locked until 7:15am

26
 The Cottage Weekend

9:00 -10:30 am Breakfast

9:30 am Wake-Up Bell

9:30 am Sunday cooked breakfast in King House

10:30 am All up and Dressed

10:50 am Sunday Mass in Chapel

12:15 pm Saturday Lunch in King House

12:30 pm Sunday Lunch in King House

3:30 - 4:00 pm Tea Saturday - coke and crisps

Sunday - occasional baked tea

6:30 pm Supper in King House

9:00 pm Roll Call

10:30 pm Year 12 Kitchen Duty

11:00 pm Year 11 to Rooms (Friday & Saturday)

Year 12 and 13 Return Time (Friday or Saturday)

12:00 am Year 12 and 13 to Rooms (Friday and Saturday)

Sunday evenings are considered a weeknight for bedtimes and duties, whilst
Friday and Saturday nights are the later nights with extensions.

27
 The Cottage

General Information For Boarders

Signing Out

It is essential that you sign in and out correctly to ensure your own and others safety in the event of
a fire or other emergency. There are two signing out systems:

i) Blue File:
This is for signing out when you go off site whatever time of the day.

ii) Exercise Book:

This is for signing out within the school ground outside school hours.

Whichever signing out system you require, you need to fill in the time you leave and your
destination. When you return to the House you need to write down the time of your return. Please
do not just tick the book to indicate that you have returned.

Going Offsite

Each year group is allowed to be offsite at various times. This privilege increases with age. If you
wish to go somewhere other than Oxford or Headington, permission must be sought in advance
from a Senior Housemistress. Please be aware that the Assistant House staff cannot grant such
permission. You must ensure that you sign out correctly, as indicated above, and that you return in
good time.

Weekend Arrangements

You will be asked for your weekend arrangements each Wednesday morning and these must be
firmed up by Thursday. Separate arrangements will be made for Exeat weekends, half and end of
term, when you will be asked to fill in details on a list on the Office door. You must ensure that you
have sought the relevant written permission from your parents, and that of the person you are
visiting. All pupils returning from weekends away or Exeat weekends must do so by 9 pm on
Sunday evening. Weekly boarders may return on Monday morning.

Meals

Please ensure that you arrive in good time for all meals. You are expected to attend every meal,
unless you have obtained permission from a Senior Housemistress. Grace will be said before the
meal is served. At the end of the meal please take responsibility for clearing and wiping your table.

Security

The security of the boarding house is dependent upon the vigilance of its occupants. Please make
certain that everything of value is locked away either in the safe, or in your personal lockable box.
Be vigilant at all times, and please inform staff of any suspicious behaviour. The front door should
remain closed at all times other than when a member of staff is on duty in the Office. If you would
like any windows unlocked please ask a member of staff, but ensure it is re-locked before the end of
the day. The far door will be locked at 5 pm and at weekends.

28
Safekeeping of Valuables

Each boarder in The Cottage is provided with a lockable locker in their bedroom for the safekeeping
of monies and personal valuables. Pupils are regularly reminded of the need to be responsible and
safeguard their possessions. At the start of each term pupils are asked to hand in all passports and
travel tickets. These are held in the Cottage safe. The safe is also used for the safekeeping of pocket
money or larger valuables. Items are signed in and out of the safe by Housemistresses and counter-
signed by the pupil.

Duties

All pupils are given responsibility in the form of duties. The requirements of the various duties are
outlined on a separate sheet. In order to maintain the smooth running of the House, you are asked to
be considerate and carry out your duties to the best of your ability.

Mass

Mass is held in the Chapel at 11:00 am each Sunday, and all full boarders must attend. Pupils are
expected to wear neat and presentable clothes, and contribute to the preparations for Mass.
Alternative arrangements are made on Exeat weekends.

Fire Alarm

In the event of the fire alarm sounding you must vacate the House immediately and quietly. During
the school day assemble on the Hockey Pitch. Out of school hours assemble outside on the path
leading to Miss Jones’s office. Please refer to the instructions to follow in the event of a fire, which
you will find on the back of your bedroom door.

General Behaviour

Please be considerate to others in the House. Keep music and noise to a minimum, especially during
quiet times. Please respect other pupils right to privacy. Please do not enter other pupils rooms
without their permission, and unless they are present.

Smoking, Drinking and Substance Abuse

You are reminded that smoking and drinking are not allowed according to the school rules. Sixth
Form pupils should take note that the privilege of being off site late on Friday or Saturday evenings
is dependent upon trust and responsible behaviour. Any pupil found in possession of, or using any
drugs will be punished according to the school guidelines. The use of such items is illegal.

Illness

If you feel unwell you must inform a member of the House staff. During the school day please see
the School Nurse, Mrs McIllvenna, who will organise any necessary treatment or appointments. She
will inform the House Staff of any ongoing treatment that may be required. Please do not assume
you may miss lessons – the School Nurse must give her consent and school will be informed. Pupils
who have been off school ill must consult with house staff if they wish to go off site. General
medication is held in the Office for dispensing. If you are taking any personal medication, House
staff must be informed and the medication must be kept locked up. Please be aware that pupils may
not share medication or provide personal medication to other pupils.

29
Bed Linen

Bed linen is changed every second week. Pupils choosing to use School linen need to bring their
bedding to the basket, and collect a fresh supply from the Linen Cupboard. Those pupils who
provide their own bedding need to launder it themselves.

Personal Washing

There are two washing machines and dryers for the use of both boarders and staff. Washing liquid
and conditioner are dispensed automatically according to the programme selected. If you remove
wet laundry from a washing machine, please put it in a dryer, unless the owner has left an
alternative laminated message. Please do not remove clothing from a dryer until it is fully dry, and
leave it folded neatly. Use of the machines is on a first come first served basis. Washing machines
and dryers may not be used between 10.30 pm and 7.30 am.

Common Rooms, The Quiet Room and Day Room

These facilities are available for use by all year groups in the evenings and at weekends. During the
school day pupils may use the Common Rooms. The television should be off during lesson time.
Year 13 and 12 Day Girls use the Day Room and Quiet Room for private study during the school
day. Pupils are asked to leave these facilities tidy at the end of the evening.

Supplies

Tea, coffee, milk and sugar will be available in the Girls Kitchen throughout the day. Supplies of
bread, spreads and cereals will be available to boarders after 8:30 pm on weekdays and throughout
the weekend. Supplies will not be given out after 9:30 pm. Pupils are reminded to be considerate of
others and clear up after themselves. Pupils are reminded that no food should be stored or cooked in
bedrooms, due to the risk of fire, as well as hygiene issues. Boarders are welcome to cook and store
food in the Girls Kitchen. All pupils are reminded of the need to store food hygienically both in
cupboards and in the fridge freezer. The fridge freezer is emptied and defrosted every half term.
Food stored in the kitchen should be labelled with the owner’s name and use by date, so that staff
may discard any out of date food. Pupils should not cook food during the school day or after
hours.

Telephones

There is a card phone located on the ground floor of The Cottage. It may be used for incoming and
outgoing calls. Please be considerate when using the phone and keep calls short when there is a
queue. Other phones can be found in the Rendall Building. If you answer the phone please ensure
that you find the recipient of the call, or take a message. The telephone is not to be used after 10:30
pm by Year 11 and after 11:00 pm by Years 12 and 13. Phone cards can be purchased from the
Housestaff.

Faxing

Should you need to send a fax, this can be done from the School Office during the school day. The
cost may be added to your end of term account.

Post

Incoming post will be collected daily and left on a table in the Dining Room. Should you wish to
post any letters or cards, you will find a posting box in the Rendall corridor opposite the School

30
Office.

Computer Use

All pupils are allocated a computer log in code which allows access to all the computers on the
school site. There are eight computers in the Cottage; four in the Quiet Room and four in the Year
13 Day Room. Printers are also available in each room. You are asked to log off when you leave a
computer and to be aware of other pupils needs. Housestaff will ask pupils to log off at 10:30 (Year
11) or 11 pm (Sixth Form) and closedown, so that the school system can perform a back up
overnight.

Music Practice

Pupils may use the Music Block up until 9 pm for private music practice. If the block is locked,
please sign the key out with a member of staff.

Independent Listener and Child Line

Sometimes it is necessary to seek the advice of someone other than a friend, parent or member of
staff. This is the role of the Independent Listener and, for more serious issues, Child Line. The
phone numbers for these services can be found near any phone box in school.

31
 Information Sheet For Year 11 Boarders

Welcome to The Cottage!

You are now embarking upon an important stage of your education at Rye St. Antony. Life
in The Cottage is more relaxed than you may have experienced to date. The emphasis at this
stage transfers to you taking more responsibility both as an individual and as part of the
wider community. Benefits include more privileges and greater freedom.

Boarding and the School Day

When you leave The Cottage at 8:30 am your base for the day will be your form room and,
as such, you need to be well organised. Any study periods which you may have should be
spent in the Library. Please remember that when you return to the House to change for P.E.
that you do so quietly so as not to disturb the Sixth Form who will be doing private study.
Lunch will be served in King House.

Prep

Early prep is unsupervised and takes place from 5pm - 6:15 pm. All boarders should do prep
in their own study rooms. If you wish to work elsewhere you must gain permission from the
member of staff on duty and sign out.
Late prep is supervised and takes place in The Cottage from 7:00 - 8:15 pm. It is your
responsibility to ensure that you arrive at prep in good time. Please check in with the
member of staff on duty at the start of late prep.
Housestaff will liase with your Form Tutor and other teachers in order to establish your
progress. In the unlikely event that work is not being completed satisfactorily, steps will be
taken to help structure your free time and study time so that you can work more
constructively. Please remember that if you encounter difficulties with any aspect of your
work Housestaff are available to help you.

Duties

As a member of the community you are asked to make a contribution to the smooth running
of the House. Year 11 help with breakfast duty. Rotas will be posted up advising you of
your duties. It would be appreciated if duties were carried out willingly and with good grace.

Privileges

Weekdays: You may go out to Headington between 4 pm and 5 pm Monday to

Thursday, and between 4 pm and 5:30 pm on Fridays.

Weekends: Saturday: You may visit Headington or Oxford before lunch or between
12:30 and 6:00 pm.
Sunday: You may visit Headington or Oxford after lunch between
1:00pm and 6:0 0pm.

Please ensure that you return to school at the agreed times.

32
 Information Sheet For Year 12 Boarders

Welcome to The Cottage!

You are now embarking upon an important stage of your education at Rye St. Antony. Life
in The Cottage is more relaxed than you may have experienced to date. The emphasis at this
stage transfers to you taking more responsibility both as an individual and as part of the
wider community. Benefits include more privileges and greater freedom.

The School Day

Registration takes place at 8:35 am and 4 pm during the school week. Please be on time.
This will be followed by assemblies on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and form time
on Tuesdays and Thursdays. During the first few days of term you will be given your
timetable. On your timetable you will find a number of study periods. During these times
you will be expected to be working in your room or at an alternative location which you
have nominated. Please ensure that you maintain a quiet working environment in The
Cottage during these periods.
After 1 pm you may leave the school grounds during any study periods. At all other times
permission must be sought from the Deputy Heads or Headmistress.

Prep and Study

Now that you are in the Sixth Form you are expected to devise your own personal prep and
study timetable. You need to consider things such as when you work best, allowing for
breaks, being realistic and avoiding distractions. Although you will have some study periods
on your timetable, you will need to accommodate longer periods of study in the evenings
and at weekends. If you encounter any difficulties, please approach any of the Housestaff, as
we are here to help you.

Duties

As a member of the community you are asked to make a contribution to the smooth running
of the House. Year 12 are responsible for kitchen duty and sometimes prep supervision.
Rotas will be posted up advising you of your duties. It would be appreciated if duties were
carried out willingly and with good grace.

Meals

Breakfast and Lunch will take place in The Cottage Dining Room at 7:45 – 8:15 am and
12:40 – 13:10 pm. Morning and afternoon tea will be available at 11:00 am and 4:00 pm.
Supper and all weekend meals, except breakfast, are eaten in King House Dining Room.
Meal times at weekends are slightly different, with lunch being served at 12:15 pm on
Saturday and 12:30 pm on Sunday.

Privileges

Weekdays: You may visit Headington or Oxford between 4 pm and 6:15 pm

Weekends: You may go out at any time during the day, bearing in mind the following:

33
 - You are expected at all meals, unless permission has been given
- You are expected to attend Mass on Sundays.
- You should remember your workload and plan around it.
- If you would like to go out for a full day, please speak to the Senior
Housemistress well in advance to see if your plans are suitable. Please
remember that Junior Housemistress’s cannot give permissions.

Evenings: You may go out after supper until 11 pm on either Friday or Saturday,
assuming parental consent has been granted. Please bear in mind, that should
you fall behind with your studies or are irresponsible, then some privileges
may be withdrawn.

Year 13 may go out mid-week between 7 and 9 pm on occasion with consent

from a Senior Housemistress.

34
 The Cottage Pupil Information Sheet

Name: _______________ Year: __________________

Parent’s Contact Address: Guardian’s Contact Address:

(for overseas boarders and emergency contacts for WB)
_____________________ _______________________

_____________________ _______________________

_____________________ _______________________

_____________________ _______________________

Contact Phone Numbers:

Home: _______________ Home: _________________

Work: _______________ Work: _________________

Mobile: ______________ Mobile: ________________

Fax: _______________ Fax: _________________

Email: _______________ Email: _________________

Medical Information

Please note down any medical condition, allergy or injury of which staff should be
aware when treating your daughter:

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

Please note down any personal medication taken by your daughter of which staff
should be aware:

_________________________________________________________

Please note down any food issues, eg vegetarian or no fish:

____________________________________ (Please turn over)

35
School Outings and Materials

From time to time girls are offered the opportunity to go on outings relating to their
studies. They may also require items of equipment. Normally Senior Housestaff give
consent for such items to be added to your end of term account up to the value of £35.
Please tick below if you agree to this practice.

Evenings Out

In the Sixth Form girls are allowed out from 7 pm until 11pm on either a Friday or a
Saturday night. Girls may also go out from time to time for a full day on a Saturday
between 9 am and suppertime. This must be arranged in advance with the Senior
Housemistress. If you are not happy for your daughter to go out in the evening or for
full days, please speak to Miss Tomlinson so that parameters can be established.

I give permission for my daughter to go out in the evenings.

I give permission for my daughter to be out for full days.

Weekends Away

Boarders are often invited out by their friends for the weekend. In such circumstances
we ask for a letter of permission from the boarders parents or guardians and an
invitation from the parents of the girl inviting your daughter. If however, there are
pupils whom you are happy for your daughter to visit without the need to gain
permission on every occasion, please list their names below. Please also add any
guidelines which you would like the staff to bear in mind regarding weekends away.

Signature: Date:

Thank you for your time and consideration in completing this form.

Miss Helen Tomlinson

Senior Housemistress, The Cottage

36