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Boarders and day pupils are
integrated together in all the seven houses. First and
Second Form boys and girls join Plunkett House (divided
into Ramsay and Ullathorne). Third-Form (Year 9) boys
spend one year in a separate house, Powell House, before
moving up to one of three senior Houses: Barlow, Roberts
or Smythe, for their four senior years. Third Form (Year
9) girls join Caverel or Isabella House, for girls aged
13 to 18.
Each Senior House has its own spirit, character and traditions.
They are not greatly different, and are subject to overall
School rules and discipline. Pupils have friends across
the Houses but compete in inter-House games, drama, music
and other activities.
The House
Master/Mistress is in overall charge of each House, helped in particular
by an Assistant, a team of Tutors, a House Mother and
the Chaplaincy Team. The House Master/ Mistress at Downside
has a vital role to play in the development of pupils,
and under the Head Master acts in loco parentis while
pupils are under the School’s responsibility. The House
Master/ Mistress is resident in the respective boarding-house
and is formally ‘on duty’ six days and five evenings
a week, and every weekend.
The Assistant
House Master/Mistress deputises in the House
on one day and two evenings a week, and is normally
also a Tutor. Tutors support the House Master/ Mistress
in general pastoral duties on a regular basis, but
also take specific responsibility for a group of pupils
within the House. This takes the form of academic advice
but also pastoral support and encouragement (see page
14). The house pastoral team will also support and
be involved in a wide range of house activities. House
Mothers are accessible to all boarders during the day.
They take responsibility for a wide range of the needs
of boarders but they also offer invaluable pastoral
support and a ready ear to listen to pupils’ problems.
The Health Centre staff are also available 24-hours
a day and the Chaplaincy Team, under the School Chaplain,
assists the House Masters/Mistresses in providing for
the spiritual needs of the pupils. Particular attention
is given to the need for pupils to have access to different
members of staff for advice and help.
House
Prefects, usually in the Upper Sixth Form, are given
duties and responsibilities which help with the smooth
running of the Senior House. The Prefects should act
as role models for younger pupils and they assist the
Housemaster in solving pastoral issues and problems.
The Head of House is automatically a School Prefect,
as is the Deputy Head of House who has a particular responsibility
in overseeing the duties of the Third Form Monitors.
These monitors, usually in the Lower Sixth Form, also
assist the House Master/ Mistress and have specific responsibilities
in helping the Third Form pupils. Third Form Monitors
helping in Powell House come under the direction of the
House Master of Powell. The Headmaster also appoints
two pupils to be Head Boy and Head Girl. All prefects
and monitors receive induction at the start of their
term of office and are subject to continual supervision
and monitoring of their role.
All pupils have the opportunity
to contribute their views on aspects of the pastoral
system through a school council, house councils, Tutorial
meetings, and confidential appraisals and surveys. There
is also a clearly stated complaints procedure for pupils
and others wishing to make formal complaints about any
aspects of school life. The whole pastoral system is
formally monitored and supervised by the Director of
Pastoral Care and the Deputy Head Master (who is also
the designated Child Protection Co-ordinator).
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