The school's boarding provision is managed to a high standard and affords the pupils an excellent standard of support and pastoral care in all areas inspected on this occasion".
"The overall quality rating is outstanding". ISI boarding report 2008
"The good quality of provision for boarding supports the boarders' education and development well". ISI Inspection Report 2007
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Children may start to board at any time in their career at Highfield. It is advised that children moving on to senior boarding schools will board at some stage during their last two years. The majority of children board for the last two years.
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A number of children board at eight or nine years old. The youngest children board at Junior House, which accommodates up to 18 children in Years 4 and 5 with Year 3 children from Brookham joining this group as well.
We are delighted for Day Children to come in to board on a temporary basis to have a ‘taste' of boarding, providing there is space. We can also sometimes take children while their parents are away, if there is space. This can be arranged with Mr and Mrs Gray, and the cost is listed on the extras sheet .
Sleeping Arrangements
Boarding children sleep in brightly decorated dormitories varying in size from 3 to 9 beds and are grouped by age. There are adults who have bedrooms in each of the dormitory areas so that there is always someone on hand when needed.
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Children go up to bed between 7.30 and 8.15pm depending on which year group they are in. Prayers and lights out are generally 45 minutes after going upstairs.
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The Junior House, accommodates the youngest boarding children in the school. Here they live under the care of Mr and Mrs Hesselmann and Miss Carter, a School Matron, in a smaller 'family' environment with bedrooms for four or six children and a large playroom. These younger children go over to Junior House at 7.30 p.m. to have their baths and playtime. All children are in bed, with the lights out, by 8.30pm.
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Much thought is given to placing children in dormitories and it is not always possible or desirable for best friends to share a dormitory. One of the real benefits of a boarding education is for children to learn to co-exist with each other and to widen their circle of friends. At the end of each term children fill in a Dorm Slip listing the three friends they would like to share with. Great efforts are made to meet at least one of these requests and usually two. Each dormitory has a Captain who is responsible for alerting the Matron if anyone is unwell during the night. Children can alert the Housemaster or Housemistress, Resident Boarding Tutors, Resident Junior Assistants by using a simple alarm connected to their respective bedrooms.
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Children are encouraged to make their dormitories homely by bringing their own teddy or soft toys and suitable posters to school: the staff have the final say on what is deemed an "appropriate" poster! The wooden furniture incorporates a personal pin-board for each child as well as a hanging cupboard and a drawer. All the dormitories and corridors are carpeted, warm and comfortable.
Principles upon which boarding is based
The following are the ten principles upon which boarding in this school is based:
[a] The formation of the whole person and the communication of values;
[b] Being an open and trusting school, boarding is based upon mutual respect for all members;
[c] Each boarder has the right to be able to work, play, and relax free from abuse, intimidation, harassment, teasing and bullying;
[d] There is equality of opportunity and respect for all boarders, regardless of ethnicity, culture, gender or disability;
[e] Each boarder and each member of staff is to be treated as an individual and with respect by other pupils and staff;
[f] Although living communally, the staff and boarders acknowledge the right of each person to privacy. This applies to both boarders and members of staff;
[g] Each boarder has the right to extend his/her intellectual growth in an atmosphere of positive encouragement and in conditions which are conducive to work;
[h] All boarders should be able to develop spiritually, culturally, morally and socially during his/her time boarding;
[i] Although there may often be considerable distance separating boarders from their families, links with parents are seen as an indispensable part of the support and development of boarders in this school.
Aims of boarding
In boarding we aim to:
[a] Develop the whole person, a desire for truth and a respect for others;
[b] Produce an open and trusting ethos in which each boarder knows that he/she is able to approach any other member of the community (staff or pupil) confident in the knowledge that he/she will be treated and respected as an individual;
[c] Create an atmosphere of tolerance, openness and trust in which teasing, harassment and bullying would find great difficulty in developing;
[d] Provide the conditions for boarders to develop their intellectual talents through well structured prep, access to staff and other pupils, participation in activities and in an atmosphere which values effort;
[e] Provide a range of activities, hobbies and pastimes related to age and maturity that will assist in personal, social and cultural development of each boarder;
[f] Safeguard and promote the welfare of each boarder in providing an environment that is, as far as possible, free from physical hazards and dangers of any sort;
[g] Provide accommodation that is comfortable and suited to the needs of boarders according to age and maturity, and which provides adequate levels of privacy;
[h] Develop boarders' responsibility for self, for others and for his/her environment;
[i] Develop boarders' qualities of leadership and ability to work as part of a team;
[j] Provide suitable conditions for boarders to feel able to turn to members of staff to share the good experiences in their lives as well as being able to turn to them for advice, counselling and support during times of difficulty.