Parents' Guide to Boarding

13 + Transfers between Day and Boarding Transfers from boarding to day In order to maintain a stable boarding community, pupils who have entered the school as boarders are encouraged to remain so throughout their school career. The Head may consider transfers in the following cases: where the School has agreed in advance to keep a day place open at the end of the Lower or Middle schools or in special circumstances. In all cases transfer will be at the discretion of the Head and no automatic right to transfer should be assumed. Transfers from day to boarding Parents of dayboys who wish to transfer into boarding should contact the Admissions team and again transfer will be at the discretion of the Head. A change of house may be required even if your son is currently a dayboy member of a boarding house. Catering All meals are taken in the dining hall and boys are expected to attend. Menus are published in advance and considerable choice of hot and cold dishes is available. Pupils are encouraged to discuss catering issues and concerns through a polite, direct approach or through the School Food Committee or Boarders’ Council nominated representatives. Guardians and Weekends Away A list of accredited guardians is published on the AEGIS (the Association for the Education and Guardianship of International Students) website: www.aegisuk.net . Every pupil whose parents are resident overseas must have a UK based guardian appointed by his parents as a condition of entry into the school. A pupil may have more than one guardian. A good guardian should take an active and interested role in your son’s education and welfare and live close enough for the pupil to visit for weekends away and half terms and on the occasions when the school is closed . The typical role of a guardian would include: transport to/from school; accommodation during holidays; collecting the pupil in case of exclusion from school; to bridge the gap between term dates and flights to and from home. It is therefore important that your son’s guardian is able to accommodate your son whenever needed. Please take this into account when choosing a guardian. The provision of guardianship is monitored by boarding housemasters as well as by the parents who employ the guardian. In certain circumstances a housemaster may question the suitability of a particular guardian and we ask that, in such cases, parents take the necessary action in the best interests of his or her child. The School does not recommend or arrange guardianship on behalf of the parents. Responsibility for the welfare of pupils while in the care of their guardians, and while travelling to and from School, rests solely with the parents, not with the School. Flights and Punctuality Obviously flights become heavily booked up for the beginning and end of term dates as many schools operate a similar calendar. Early booking is strongly advised and term dates are published well in advance. We expect all boys to be here on the first day of term and leave on the last day. The academic programme runs from the very first day of term until the very last day and any absence will be detrimental to your sons’ learning. As such, late returns or early departures are strongly discouraged and require the prior consent. Requests should be made to your son’s Housemaster in the first instance, however please remember that they are unlikely to be approved, except in extenuating circumstances. Please note that classes always finish at 1pm on the last day of each term and 5pm the day before half term break.