Rydal Penrhos School's Boarding Principles and Practice.
Boarding Principles and Practice (Senior School)
Statement
There are certain core principles that Rydal Penrhos expects to see in the manner in which boarders are cared for: ‘House staff create a happy atmosphere in which each child is valued; proper discipline is maintained so that all know where they stand, and there is frequent, open dialogue with parents’.
Aims
Rydal Penrhos aims to provide a high quality boarding environment which promotes the welfare of each individual, and encourages his or her all round development. The school wants each of its pupils to be fulfilled and happy and, as a minimum, this requires that they must feel secure, are properly looked after by well qualified and experienced people who are well disposed to children.
We seek to provide an outstanding degree of pastoral care for day and boarding pupils through:
• professional staffing in the House and tutorial systems • spiritual development and fostered by the environment • the standard of health care • excellent welfare • good facilities
Organisation of boarding
There are two Boarding Houses (one for boys and one for girls) for pupils in Years 7 to 13.
Each House is led by a Housemaster / Housemistress (HoM) and an Assistant HoM (who is usually resident in the boarding house), a matron and 4 or more tutors with academic responsibilities.
These staff all report to the Head.
Admission criteria
• There is a detailed Admissions Policy supported by the Equal Opportunities mission statement and the SEND and Disabilities Policy. • There are academic hurdles for entering every academic stage of the school. Every pupil’s individual circumstances will be considered, particularly as the Rydal Penrhos population is drawn from an international community and many different education systems.
Facilities
• The Boarding Houses have a combination of small dormitories, double and single rooms. Each House has a meeting room and several indoor and outdoor recreation areas including a kitchenette, laundry, showers, toilets and baths. • The vast majority of pupils have study bedrooms, whose furniture is on a programme of constant replacement. • Up to two families live within the house (HoM, Asst HoM) • The House is open to pupils from 5.10pm, where they will always find an adult on duty. • The Houses are cleaned by cleaners and repairs and maintenance are generally carried out by the School’s works department staff. (all of whom are DBS checked) • The upkeep and maintenance of the Houses are monitored at least once a term by the HoM, the Estates Bursar, Domestic Bursar and the Housekeeper.
There no boarding provision at the Prep School
Welfare Support
• There is a Health Centre which provides the services of two nurses.
• The school has a counsellor who operates from the Health Centre. • Pupils have access to a school dentist and a vast number of medical experts including physiotherapists, and other specialist consultants in Colwyn Bay, Rhos-on-sea and beyond • There are good links with Social Services, education welfare departments, educational psychologists and the wider psychiatric community in North Wales
Special religious aspects of school
The School follows the Methodist tradition within its Christian foundation, but welcomes pupils of all religious beliefs and gives them the opportunity to develop and follow their own religious practices.
Special cultural aspects of the school
The School is proud of its liberal tradition, international community, and philosophy of tolerance.
Members of the school community are advised through the School Calendar of religious and other important cultural festivals. The pupils, Chaplain, staff and local charity workers use the opportunities of Assemblies and Chapel services to celebrate our cultural and religious diversity.
Principles
A boarding education not only provides any number of opportunities for the full development of individuals, but it is a fertile field for the transmission of values. It also brings the challenges of communal living.
Pastoral care is one of the principles which underpins the philosophy of the school and is reflected in the structure of the senior management of the school.
The best possible pastoral care enables an individual to flourish by building self –confidence and self-esteem. Houses aim to provide a happy, caring and relaxing family environment where pupils can find friends, relax, play and work together.
Skills and personal understanding will be drawn from the House team encouraging every individual to make the most of the Co-curriculum. Pupils fulfilled in this manner will thus be able to perform to the best of their own academic potential.
Rydal Penrhos aims to produce self- confident young people equipped for the world ahead of them armed with high aspirations, self-belief, tolerance and understanding of others and the world around them. Activities are organised on a House, subject, year and co-curriculum basis offering a wide range of opportunities and social mixing across the School.
Turning principles successfully into practice requires, among other things:
• Clear communication of these principles to and by those with boarding responsibilities.
• Acceptance and adoption of these principles by those with boarding responsibilities. • The design and implementation of appropriate policies and processes in the areas of pupil welfare. • Monitoring of effectiveness of policies and processes and measurement and evaluation of boarding standards. • The dissemination of good practice. • The development of a sound and effective model of pastoral care, appropriately staffed. • Appropriate physical conditions of at least minimum care standards. • Training and induction of those responsible for boarding. Practice • Agreed and understood expectations and policies. • HoMs meet each week with the Head. • Several ad-hoc meetings are held to discuss wide-ranging issues. • Common Room briefings – once a week, with a staff bulletin email also sent once a week – are often addressed by individual HoMs about matters of concern. • Several house staff members have undertaken the BSA’s Certificate of Professional Practice. • Responsibilities of the Deputy Head (TC) include close liaison with HoMs to ensure consistency and continuity of practice. This is reinforced by an appraisal system for HoMs. • Policies on problem areas and permanent issues (e.g. anti-bullying, PSHE) are constantly reviewed.
• Houses have senior pupils with pastoral responsibility for younger pupils. They are trained.
• The school employs two nurses, a chaplain and a counsellor (for which no charge is initially made). • There are a number of committees on which pupils sit – at School and House level. These include the School Council (whole school issues), Sixth form, Middle School and Lower School councils, Boarders’ Forum and Food Forum (food and catering matters) • There is a wide range of people to whom pupils can turn to for help or a listening ear and these are outlined in the school planner and on notices around the school. • There is dedicated formal time to spend with tutors (at least 30 minutes per week ) • Open House philosophy in the House encouraging informal opportunities for pupils to discuss important or inconsequential matters with a range of adults. • Pupils are encouraged to adopt self-responsibility as well as care of each other. • Rydal Penrhos’ approach to boarding aims to match families’ needs and preferences and working in partnership with parents thus further enables pupils to flourish. • The Core Pastoral Team is a group which meets to discuss pastoral issues, further good practice and ensure a smooth transfer of pupils between the different schools. It consists of the Deputy Head of the Prep School, three Heads of School, Nursing Sister, School Counsellor and Chaplain, chaired by the Head.
Other related Policies
Safeguarding & Child Protection, Discipline, Anti-bullying, Weekend Leave, Missing Children, Admissions, Smoking, Alcohol, Drugs and Substance abuse, Administration of Medicines, Head injuries, Health and Safety, Trips, Complaints Procedure, Crisis Management, Pupils’ Induction, Mobile Phones, Healthy eating.
To whom and how disseminated
To parents and pupils via the web site and to the pastoral staff through the manuals provided, and by the guidance of the Head and the pastoral teams through formal and informal meetings, training and induction., termly supervision and annual appraisal