Ratcliffe College Girls Boarding Information Handbook Welcome to Girls Boarding! 2014 2015
Contents Page Number Ratcliffe College Mission Statement 3 Section One General Information Welcome to the Girls Boarding House 4 6 A Statement of Boarding Principles and Practice at Ratcliffe College 7 10 Complaints Procedures 11 Girls Boarding Staff List and Responsibilities 2014 2015 12 Money Matters Guidance for Parents 13 Guardians Guidance for Parents 14 15 Returning Forms Guidance for Parents 16 Making Contact 16 17 Clothing List 15 24 Section Two Boarding House Routines House Routine Weekdays 25 26 House Routine Weekends 27 Day to Day Information, Routines and Guidelines 28 34 Emergency Procedures 35 Rooms & Facilities 36 38 Section Three Weekend Procedures Guidelines with Regard to Exeats and Exeat Requests 39 40 Trips and Activities 41 Taxis and Cars 42 Rewards & Sanctions 43 Tutorials 43 Girls Boarding Charity Work 44 2
Ratcliffe College Mission Statement Learning and Growing in the Light of the Gospel PURPOSE: With Christ at the centre of our learning community, we: help young people to achieve their greatest potential; guide their intellectual growth, nurture their God given talents, and inspire them to live in service to others; aim to develop honest, con ident, responsible and compassionate members of society, based on the educational values of Blessed Antonio Rosmini. We are a Roman Catholic school, welcoming and valuing all children because of their innate dignity. OUR CORE ROSMINIAN VALUES: Legis Plenitudo Charitas: Love is the Ful ilment of the Law. Our community recognises each individual as a unique part of God s creation, nurtures in each a sense of dignity and self worth, and fosters supportive and caring relationships. Rosminian Education pursues the perfection of both human nature and the human person. Our students intellect and talents are formed by a broad and balanced curriculum, responsive to and supportive of students needs and aspirations. Our students moral integrity is developed through the teaching, celebration and the living of Christian faith. Intellectual integrity leads us to the Truth. God is the source of all truth. Our staff are encouraged to foster intellectual curiosity, honesty and achievement in their students and within themselves. 3
Section One General Information Welcome to the Girls Boarding House Introduction The boarding staff have compiled this Information Handbook for girls who board at Ratcliffe College. It is intended not only to help those of you who are new to the school by providing as much information as possible about our boarding routines, activities and expectations, but also to help those of you who are current boarders by providing a useful source of reference about what goes on in the boarding house. The handbook outlines the daily running of the House and gives other general information that you may ind useful. Those of you in Years 6 13 also receive separate Information Handbooks, either for Junior School, Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 or the Sixth Form, which give a lot of detailed information about whole school matters. We have tried hard to avoid too much repetition in this Boarding Handbook and we ask you to use both handbooks as necessary. We hope that by producing this Boarding Handbook we will ensure that all boarders will feel well informed about what it means to be part of our boarding community. The Heart of the School The boarding community is irmly at the 'heart' of Ratcliffe College. The accommodation is on the irst and second loors of the main school building which means that you have access to all the facilities, both academic and leisure, that the school has to offer. Boarders play a full part in the life of the school and your presence in the evenings and at weekends provides an important continuity on the campus. We are very proud to be associated with the Girls Boarding House and we are con ident that you will feel the same way. 4
Staff All boarding staff act directly in loco parentis (on behalf of your parents) for the girls in the boarding house. The staff in the girls boarding house are as follows: Mrs Leite (Senior Housemistress), Mrs H Grant and Miss Dzierbicka (Assistant Housemistresses), Mrs D Grant, Mrs Nightingale and Miss Papadopoulou (Boarding Assistants). In addition, our Graduate Assistants, Miss Katarina Kulisa, Miss Jessica Mudge, Miss Laura Prentice and Miss Laura Prentice will do boarding duties. Mrs Leite and Mrs Grant live with their families in lats in the school building and Miss Dzierbicka lives in a lat attached to the girls house. Mr Michel (School Chaplain), Mr Sharpe (Assistant Head) and Mr Reddin (Second Deputy) live on the school campus, as does Mr Lloyd (Headmaster). We work as a team, with at least two of us on duty each evening and at weekends. We hope that you will feel able to come and talk with us whenever you wish. We are fully aware that there will be matters which arise throughout the school year. Please do not hesitate to talk with any member of the boarding staff if there is anything at all you wish to discuss. Community Life We want your time at Ratcliffe to be memorable, for all the right reasons. We try hard not to simply reel off lists of rules and regulations, but everyone in the boarding community must appreciate the importance of respecting others at all times. Inevitably, some rules must be in place to de ine the boundaries of community life. However, the key to success for all boarders is simple, in our opinion: If it is likely to upset other people, don t do it and If in doubt, ask irst. 5
The Start of Term The irst few weeks in boarding can sometimes prove very daunting. During these early weeks new boarders will be given a buddy to help you settle in and boarding house staff are always on hand to ask about any matters. There are regular house meetings throughout the year, but particularly at the start of a new school year we will do our best to ensure that you are given as much help and support as possible to help you to settle in to the routines of the boarding community. Feedback After you have had time to digest all the information in this handbook, if you have any ideas or suggestions that you feel might help us to help you further then please let us know. We are well aware that there is always room for improvement and we are keen that you should have an opportunity to give us your feedback about what you would do differently! Mrs Leite Senior Housemistress September 2014 Revised Feb15 6
A Statement of Boarding Principles and Practice at Ratcliffe College Introduction The school has drawn up a statement of boarding principles and practice which summarises our aims for the boarding community and the ways in which we try to implement these aims. We believe that this Boarding Policy provides a clear summary of the way we provide pastoral care for our boarders, both boys and girls. Boarding offers the bene its of a fully rounded education academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually and contributes to the development of important transferable skills such as personal responsibility, communication, teamwork, self motivation and adaptability. All students are encouraged to participate in boarding during their years at school, as full, weekly or occasional boarders. The School s Mission Statement provides the guiding vision for the education provided at Ratcliffe College. This statement of boarding principles highlights those areas of pastoral care that relate speci ically to the school s boarding community and the ways in which the school seeks to safeguard and promote the welfare, health and safety of boarding students. Aims of Boarding To provide a secure, caring environment where each boarder receives the attention and support he/she needs To create an open and trusting atmosphere where each boarder learns to value truth and respect for others To make boarders feel the same con idence and comfort, as far as possible, as they do at home To provide the opportunities for each boarder to develop his/her intellectual talents To provide opportunities for each boarder to develop physically, socially, culturally, morally and spiritually To develop boarders qualities of leadership, ability to work as part of a team and self responsibility 7
To encourage boarders to integrate fully with day pupils in the life of the School To safeguard and promote the welfare of each boarder, by providing an environment that is, as far as possible, free from physical hazards and dangers To provide accommodation which is comfortable and suited to the needs of boarders, according to age and maturity, and which provides adequate levels of privacy To encourage links with parents in the support and development of their son/daughter as a boarder. Implementation How do we try to meet our aims? The school adheres to the regulations set out in the National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools, under the inspection framework of the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). The school s Pastoral Care Policy (as outlined in the Senior School and Junior School Parents Information Handbooks) details the provision of pastoral care given to all boarding and day students. Boarding staff are suitably experienced and quali ied to carry out their duties and receive appropriate staff training. They are suitably deployed to provide unobtrusive but friendly supervision of boarding students. Expectations regarding standards of behaviour and co operation with others are reinforced through the structure of boarding time, for example at regular boarding house meetings, Night Prayers, community meals and activities. There are well structured homework conditions, access to learning resources such as the Rosmini Sixth Form Centre (Years 12 13), the school library and the ICT facilities in the evenings and at weekends, and support from staff if required. Sixth Form students can work either in the Sixth Form Centre or in their rooms during private study periods in the daily timetable. Access is provided to a wide range of extra curricular activities sporting, intellectual, and cultural through a well balanced and extensive trips and activities programme at lunchtimes, in the evenings and at weekends. The participation of boarding students in activities is monitored and every effort is made to encourage students to take part. 8
The spiritual development of boarders is fostered through the RS curriculum and daily acts of worship (in which all students participate). Boarders also attend Sunday Mass and Night Prayers, where student contributions are encouraged and welcomed. Mr Michel spends time in school in the evenings and at weekends, to help with this. Boarders are given opportunities to show leadership in the boarding houses as prefects and monitors. Living away from home encourages teamwork and self responsibility and, in a boarding community, students learn the need for compromise and co operation. The integration of boarders with day students is promoted by boarders being allocated with day students to a Form Tutor group, as set out in the Pastoral Care Policy. Boarders are taught alongside day students in lessons and they take full part in the school s extra curricular programme. Boarders also share common room facilities with day students. All Sixth Formers use the Rosmini Sixth Form Centre during the day, in the evenings and at weekends. Boarders can put forward their views at meetings of the School Council and Boarding Council, where representatives chosen by their peers are invited to submit items to the agendas. Each group meets once per month. Appropriate induction is given to new boarders. An information handbook is given to each boarder at the start of the school year. On arrival, new boarders are allocated a buddy to help them to settle in to the boarding routines. The school s boarding arrangements are lexible, with an exeat system that offers boarders opportunities to go home at weekends once school commitments have been completed. The school encourages all students to participate as full, weekly or occasional boarders during their time at school; The school s Health and Safety Policy and security procedures ensure that the boarding environment is safe and secure. Boarding accommodation is well maintained and appropriate for the needs of boarding students. 9
There is close liaison with parents and guardians. This boarding handbook contains full contact details, together with other information relevant to boarding life. Boarding accommodation is well maintained and appropriate for the needs of boarding students. Conclusion Now that you know what we are trying to achieve in our Boarding Policy, you can try to judge how successful we are. If you have any comments about our aims for boarding and how we try to achieve them, then please do not hesitate to tell Mrs Leite, Mrs Grant or Miss Dzierbicka. 10
Complaints Procedures We hope that you will never need to complain about boarding at Ratcliffe! However, we know that there will be times when you want to express your views. We encourage you to do this. You can talk to Mrs Leite, Mr Sharpe, Mr Reddin or any of the boarding staff. There is also a Boarding Council which meets every month. If you have views about boarding that you would like us to hear, then either come to the Boarding Council meetings or else tell the representative from your Year group who can put your views forward. The Senior School and Junior School Parents Information Handbooks give details about complaints procedures for both parents and students. In addition, they outline the structure of the school s committees and councils, where students are given opportunities to express their views on school matters. In the unlikely event that a complaint by a parent or a student cannot be resolved through the school s published procedures, the Children's Rights Director can be contacted directly. The address and telephone number are as follows: s: Of ice of the Children's Rights Director Ofsted Aviation House 125 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Tel: 0800 528 0731 11
Girls Boarding Staff List and Responsibilities 2014/2015 Mrs Leite Mrs H Grant Miss Dzierbicka Mrs D Grant Mrs Nightingale Miss Papadopoulou Mrs Hampson Miss Kulisa Miss Mudge Miss Prentice Anastasia Ben ield Dexter (Year 13 student) Resident Senior Housemistress, Learning Support Teacher Resident Assistant Housemistress, Sixth Form Centre Supervisor/ Travel Co ordinator Resident Assistant Housemistress Boarding Assistant Year 2 Class Teacher Boarding Assistant, Management Secretary Boarding Assistant Sports Coach Matron Music Graduate Assistant Sports Graduate Assistant Sports Graduate Assistant Boarding Prefect 12
Money Matters Guidance for Parents Funds for your son/daughter Every boarding student requires some money for extra expenses during the term. Weekly Boarders, who go home each weekend, need little money just for items from the School Shop. Full boarders will require more funds. It is dif icult to advise exactly how much they should have, as each student will have different needs. While the cost of all boarders trips are included in the boarding fee, Parents need to consider: Whether your son/daughter will need to purchase clothes or shoes during term time. How much they might need for optional extra food and items from the School Shop. What other items you would be happy for them to purchase during term time. In addition, students who live outside the UK and who do not go home during half term breaks will require extra funds for their half term expenses. The best advice we can offer to parents is that you should include a suitable extra sum of money when you pay your termly School bill. These funds can then be placed in a pocket money account for your son/ daughter. They can take out amounts of money as they need. You may also request that a sum of money is held by the School in reserve. This can be given to your son/daughter only when you give us your permission to do so. For overseas parents, in particular, this can avoid expensive extra bank charges which might arise if you have to authorise an extra payment between School bills. We must respectfully remind parents that the School is generally unable to forward funds to any student, as a loan to be paid on the next School bill. In rare cases of genuine emergencies, and at the discretion of the Director of Finance, small sums may be loaned to students, at the request of parents. 13
The Responsibilities and Role of the Guardian Standard of care Acting in the best interests of their son/daughter, the Parents are responsible for choosing a Guardian who is able to reliably provide a standard of pastoral care that will ensure the well being of their son/daughter and who meet the requirements mentioned in this document. To ensure these standards are maintained, we strongly recommend that all Guardians should be registered with AEGIS (the Association of Educational Guardians in Independent Schools). In order that they are able to effectively carry out their responsibilities, we also require that they should live fairly close to the School (within a 1 hour drive to the School: perhaps 40 miles/65 kilometres). [A list of AEGIS registered Guardians is available from the School on request.] Travel arrangements Pupils are not allowed to make or to change their travel arrangements for the start or end of a School holiday. In consultation with the Parents, the Guardian is required to inform the School of all travel arrangements. A travel form will be e mailed to the Guardian by the School; this must be completed and returned by the requested date. Travel arrangements must strictly adhere to the arrival/ departure times stated on the travel form. At times during the School year, Guardians need to assist with unaccompanied minors at the airport. Accommodation The Guardian is responsible for providing suitable accommodation (including a separate bedroom) and an appropriate degree of care and supervision for the pupil during all holidays if he/she is not returning home, and at any other time deemed necessary by the Parents or the School. Visiting the School The Guardian is required to visit the pupil for whom he/she is responsible at the School on the following occasions: To attend Parent Teacher Meetings at which academic progress and targets will be discussed. These meetings take place in the evening, starting at 6.30pm and inishing at approximately 9.00 pm. They are advertised on the website and in the termly calendar. To attend any meetings of a disciplinary nature, supporting the pupil and subsequently looking after him/her if a suspension or other sanction is imposed by the School. 14
Boarders who are unwell are usually looked after at School. On occasions, it may be necessary for the Guardian to visit the School in order to take the pupil home and look after him/her until he/she is recovered suf iciently to return to School. Similarly, in case of the pupil requiring treatment as a hospital in patient, the Guardian is responsible for visiting the hospital on a frequent basis, to provide support for him/her. Contact between School and Guardian Unless otherwise instructed by the Parents, the Guardian will be the irst person we will contact to discuss any matter relating to the pupil, including permission to spend time away from School at weekends. Similarly, the Guardian is responsible for contacting the School with any information relevant to the pupil, or to ask any questions on behalf of the Parents. Change of Circumstances The Guardian is required to inform the School of any change of address or contact details (phone/e mail), or if you will no longer be the pupil s Guardian. Change of Guardian Should Parents feel it is necessary to change the Guardian, we ask that this is discussed with Mrs Leite or Mr Cooke before the change takes place. Should Parents then wish to choose a different Guardian, they must inform the School of this decision and provide the details of the new Guardian before the change takes place. The new Guardian must also be registered with AEGIS and be subject to the conditions set out in this declaration form, a copy of which they must complete and return to the School as soon as possible. Please ensure that you complete the Parent/Guardian Declaration Form which has been forwarded to you by the Registrar. 15
Returning Forms Guidance for Parents There will also be times during the School year that you are sent additional forms, usually by email at the same time the mailings that are sent out at the end of each term. Please ensure that you complete all the relevant forms and return them by email to the relevant staff at the start of each term and as required thereafter. If this important paperwork is not returned to us when we ask for it, there may be times when we cannot discharge our legal and moral responsibilities towards your child as fully as we would wish. Making Contact We encourage as much contact as possible between parents and students and between parents and staff. The information on this page is sent to your parents to help them to make contact quickly, both with you and the boarding staff. However, you may also ind these contact details helpful. Contact with Students Mail: (Student s Name) Girls Boarding, Ratcliffe College, Fosse Way, Leicester LE7 4SG Student email: student@ratcliffe.leics.sch.uk E.g. jleite@ratcliffe.leics.sch.uk Payphones in the boarding house: St. Aloysius St. Gerrard s 01509 817037 01509 817058 16
Contact with Staff Senior Housemistress Mrs Leite Flat 01509 817080 Duty Mobile 07850 709881* E mail Assistant Housemistress & Travel Co ordinator girlsboarding@ratcliffe.leics.sch.uk Mrs Grant Duty Mobile 07850 709881* Assistant Housemistress Miss Dzierbicka Duty Mobile 07850 709881* Assistant Head Mr GJ Sharpe Mobile 07850 709883 E mail gsharpe@ratcliffe.leics.sch.uk Main Switchboard 05109 817000 School Fax 01509 817004 Medical Centre 01509 817016 07913 017280 * The duty mobile is held during the evenings and at weekends either by the Senior Housemistress or by one of the Assistant Housemistresses and so it is the easiest point of contact at these times. The duty mobile will not always be answered during the day due to teaching commitments. For an emergency during the day, please call the main school of ice on 01509 817000 and they will pass your message on. 17
Boarders Clothing List The following list is the school s recommendation for boarding students school clothing. It is not practical for the school to check every item on arrival and departure. Your parents have been asked to contact the Houseparents' if they have any queries about boarders clothing. Full details of the school s guidelines and expectations about uniform are contained in the Senior School and Junior School Parents Information Handbooks. Boarders should also bring appropriate casual clothing. This should be limited to a sensible amount, should be neat and tidy, and should not include extremes of fashion. Smart casual is sometimes used as the dress code for school events, and guidance on this is also included in this section. All items of clothing, both for school and for casual wear, must be labelled preferably with sew in nametapes. Uniform (Schoolblazer.com up to and including Year 11) Recommended Number School blazer with piping 1 Navy sleeveless jumper with gold inlay (long sleeve opt) 2 Blue strip revere blouse, long and short sleeve opt 3 Tartan kilt 2 Navy blue tights 7 pairs Natural tights (Sixth form only) 7 pairs Black leather lat shoes (Yrs 7 9), with a maximum 2 pairs 4cm heel (Yrs 9 11) (not suede or patent) Underwear 7 pairs 18
Uniform Options Sixth Form Only Uniform Recommended Number Suit formal style, with either skirt or trousers black, grey or navy blue; either plain or with a subtle pinstripe. (waistcoats should not be worn) 2 Skirts must be knee length or mid calf. 1 Shirt plain white or light blue (not denim, striped or check pattern) with a collar 5 Jumper optional, V neck navy blue or black. Prefects may wear a burgundy V neck jumper (no cardigans) 1 Scarves College style (schoolblazer.com) These can only be worn outside and not in the building. 1 Black leather lat shoes (Yrs 7 9), with a maximum 2 pairs 4cm heel (Yrs 9 11) (not suede or patent) Sports Uniform (Playerlayer.com) Weatherlayer Jacket 1 Trainalayer bottoms 1 Playing shirts white and navy 1 of each PE shorts 1 Skort 1 Swimming costume 1 Socks 2 pair Midlayer 1 Baselayer items opt see playerlayer website for information 19
Smart Casuals Dress Code Smart casuals are required for events at which formal school uniform is not required, but at which very casual or scruffy clothing is not appropriate. Such events would include some school trips and visits, church services and social events. There are many acceptable options, and the following notes simply focus on what is not considered suitable: Smart casuals do NOT include: Tracksuit trousers Denim trousers or jeans that are patched or faded Shorts Skirts or dresses that are considered too short Shirts or blouses without a collar or sleeves Flip lops or trainers High heels or stilettos Pupils and parents are welcome to discuss any aspect of these guidelines with boarding or other staff at the school. As with our other guidelines on uniform and appearance, we reserve the right to decide whether or not any pupil s clothing is acceptable as smart casual wear. 20
Other Items Uniform Recommended Number Outdoor trainers 1 pair Astro trainers (team players must have them) 1 pair Indoor trainers (not baseball/ basketball boots) 1 pair Hockey stick 1 Tennis racket (summer term) 1 School bag (max length 18 ) 1 Sports bag 1 Shin pads 1 pair Mouth guard (hockey & rugby) all students must have a mouth guard; the school recommends O Pro 1 Swimming cap (available from the School Shop) 1 Swimming goggles (available from the Director of Sport) 1 Tennis whites (team players) 1 set 21
Boarding Items Recommended Number Laundry bag (supplied by school) 1 Wash bag (soap/shampoo/ lannel/ toothbrush & paste etc) 1 Mug or cup 1 Duvet (provided by school) 1 Duvet covers & pillow cases 2 Pyjamas/nightwear 2 pairs Towels 3 Jewellery: girls with pierced ears may wear plain studs or sleepers (one pair only in the lobes). A watch, one ring and a necklace (to be worn out of sight) are allowed. Bracelets may not be worn, with the exception of one plastic charity bracelet. Any jewellery brought into the school is at the owner's risk. Jewellery worn as a result of body piercing, other than that listed above is not permitted at any time. Jewellery must be removed for all sports lessons and ixtures. 22
Make up: may not be worn by girls in Years 6 11 when in uniform. Light make up may be worn by girls in the Sixth Form (Years 12 and 13) when in uniform if they wish (no nail varnish). Hair: must be clean, tidy, neatly cut and must appear to be its natural colour. Any girls who return to school with dyed hair will be taken to the hairdressers and the cost will be added to the school bill. All hairstyles must be reasonable and hair must appear brushed or combed. Spiked or back combed hairstyles are not appropriate for School. All girls in Years 6 11 must tie their hair back for school. We believe our uniform and appearance guidelines offer a common sense approach and we ask parents to support us in upholding these guidelines. However, please note that in all circumstances it is the school that decides what constitutes reasonable standards. 23
School uniform and games kit can be purchased directly online from the following companies: School Uniform: Schoolblazer.com School Games Kit: Playerlayer.com 24
Section Two Boarding House Routines House Routine Weekdays 7.15am 8.00am Breakfast Years 6 11 must be in breakfast before 8.00am and in basic school uniform, Years 12 & 13 must also be in breakfast before 8.00am but may be in casuals, (not nightwear). All pupils must attend breakfast. 6th form boarders must leave the Refectory by 8.25am 8.15am 8.30am Bedroom Inspection Years 6 11; You must be in your room for the duty staff to inspect your room at 8.15am. 6th form must keep their rooms tidy and will be inspected each Sunday 8.45am Tutor Group Registration All boarders must go to registration, along with day students at 8.45am. Between 8.45am and 4.20pm, only 6th formers are allowed to return to the boarding house 8.55am Assembly/Year meeting/tutor time 9.10am 10.15am Lesson 1 All boarders must attend Assemblies, Year Meetings, and Tutor time. 10.15am 10.35am 10.35am 11.40am Break Lesson2 11.45am 12.50pm Lesson 3 12.50pm 2.00pm Lunch All boarders must attend lunch in the Refectory 2.00pm Tutor Group Registration You again join day students with your Form Tutor. 2.05pm 3.10pm Lesson 4 3.15pm 4.20pm Lesson 5 4.20pm 4.50pm Tea Years 7 11 must register in Tea. A drink and a snack are served in the Refectory. Separate arrangements for Year 6. 25
4.50pm 6.20pm Prep & Activities 6.20pm 6.45pm Supper You must go to supper. 6.45pm Laundry You must collect your laundry bag and clean laundry daily. 6.50pm Registration You register in the Girls Common Room or Study Room. 7.00pm 8.00pm Quiet Time See separate arrangements. 8.00pm 9.00pm Free Time & Evening Activities See separate arrangements. 9.00pm 9.10pm Night Prayers A time to re lect on the day for Years 6 11, Mon Thurs.. 9.30pm 10.45pm Bedtimes See separate arrangements. 26
Saturday 8.15am Continental Breakfast An earlier breakfast can be arranged if you have an early ixture please discuss with boarding staff 10.00am Morning Call 10.30am 11.15am Brunch All girls register in Brunch. 3.00pm Tea All girls register in Tea. 6.00pm Supper All girls register in Supper. From 9.45pm Bedtimes See separate arrangements. Sunday 9.00 9.30am 10.15am Call & Breakfast Registration & uniform Inspection Girls Common Room. 10.30am Mass All girls attend Mass in Church. 12.30pm Lunch All girls register in Lunch. 4.00pm Tea All girls register in Tea. 6.30pm Supper All girls register in Supper 7.00 8.00pm Quiet Time See separate arrangements. 8.00 9.00pm Free Time & Activities See separate arrangements. 9.00 9.10pm Room Inspections All girls to be present in their bedrooms 9.15 10.45pm Bedtimes See separate arrangements. It is very important that you get to know these routines as quickly as possible. Being in the right place at the right time is vital for the smooth running of the boarding houses. You must attend all registrations. 27
Day to Day Information, Routines & Guidelines Room Inspection What does your room need to look like? Rooms are inspected between 8.15am and 8.30am on weekdays and at 9.00pm on Sunday evening for everyone. All rooms must be clean and tidy: bed made, carpet visible, surfaces tidy, curtains open, wardrobes tidy. From Monday to Friday, all Years 6 11 girls must be in your rooms at 8.15 am, waiting for the duty staff to inspect your room and uniform. Year 12 13 girls will only be required for room and uniform inspection if there have been concerns about these matters. Break and Lunch Can you go into the House? Only Year 12 13 girls are allowed to return to the boarding house between morning registration and 4.20pm. Girls in Years 6 11 need to make sure that all the books and materials required for lessons 1 5 are stored in your bags or lockers. If in emergency circumstances you need to go back into house you must seek permission from boarding staff irst. This includes PE/Games kit. Prep When and where do you do your homework? All girls in Years 7 11 must sign in with a member of staff in tea, and say where you will be spending the two halves of the prep session. Year 6 girls will attend Junior tea and prep. Years 7 9 attend prep in the Maths Block, with day students. If you have work to do on a computer, you can choose to work in a computer room. Games practices, Music practice and other activities also take place during prep times. Years 10 13 can complete your prep in your rooms, the boarding study room or the Emery Library/Sixth Form Centre. You may play music but only with headphones as long as it does not bother others. Computers may also be used, but for work purposes only. 28
Evening routines Quiet Time Quiet time starts immediately after registration at 7.00pm. You must spend the irst hour completing any prep or other school work in the Boarding House, Computer Room, Emery Library or Sixth Form Centre. Older students are encouraged to work for longer than one hour. Activities Each term, there is a different programme of activities that take place between 8.00pm and 9.00pm Night Prayers These are an opportunity to re lect on the day. Girls in Year 6 11 must attend at 9.00pm, Mon Thurs. Sunday to Thursday Night time Routine When do you have to go to bed? Friday & Saturday Year In House Lights Out 6 to 8 9 10 After Night Prayer After Night Prayer After Night Prayer 9.30pm 9.30pm 9.45pm 11 9.45pm 10.15pm 12 13 9.45pm 10.45pm Year In House Lights Out 6 to 8 9.15pm 9.45pm 9 9.30pm 10.00pm 10 9.45pm 10.15pm 11 10.15pm 10.45pm 12 13 10.30pm 11.15pm Lights Out Once lights have been switched out, you must stay in your room. Lights must remain switched off and there must be no noise. Junior boarders may have an earlier bedtime if required. This is one of the most important rules in boarding please make sure you stick to it. 29
Mobile phones What are the school s rules? You do not need to have a mobile phone. There is easy access to two payphones in the Boarding House and to others around the school. However, you are allowed to have them in school in accordance with the school s mobile phone guidelines (these are in your Parents Information Handbook). It is strongly recommended that you leave your phone locked in your room during the academic day. Calls should be restricted as much as possible to parents and family friends. Phones must not be used after lights out. If girls are found using their mobiles after lights out, they will be con iscated. Under no circumstances should you lend your phone to anyone else. Failure to observe these rules will result in the loss of the privilege. Computers What are the recommendations? Guidelines about the use of the computer rooms, about laptop computers and about the use of the Internet are in the Parents Information Handbook. Boarders have access to the school computer suites in the evenings and at weekends. All students have Internet use and their own e mail addresses. During timetabled study times, Laptops and stand alone computers may be used only for schoolwork. Many boarders enjoy watching DVDs on their computers. This is acceptable so long as it occurs during their free time and not during study times or after lights out. Students must only watch DVDs that are appropriate to their age. Many students also enjoy using the Internet for leisure. The same timerestrictions apply as with DVDs. We recommend that students access the Internet only via school computers, which have ilters to reduce the chances of accessing inappropriate sites. Equally, we recognise that students will increasingly own mobile phones and other devices that allow unrestricted access to the Internet; indeed, Wi Fi is available in some parts of the school buildings, including the boarding house. 30
Students are allowed to use this technology on the understanding that they must do so responsibly and do not break the schools AUP. They must not access any age restricted, legally or morally inappropriate website. Several school computers are equipped with SKYPE software which students may access using their own headphones. In addition to these rules students are subject to the law of the land, including the Computer Misuse Act which includes prohibition of posting or sending offensive material, and the regulations concerning illegal downloads. We reserve the right to have students computers and other items checked to ensure that they are being used appropriately. Students who fail to observe these rules will lose the privilege of using their own computer or mobile phone/device. All students, both day and boarding, are issued with clear guidelines for using the Internet. Security How do you keep everything safe? To ensure safety, all entrances/exits to the Boarding Houses are security coded and the code is changed on a regular basis. The Girls House also has an intruder alarm which is switched on at night. For your safety and the protection of your possessions, do not tell other people what the codes are and do not leave the coded doors open for any reason. If you see someone you do not know in the House, tell a member of staff immediately. If you think that a coded lock is not working properly, also tell a member of staff immediately. Your room has a lock and a key to keep it secure. If you lose a key, then a charge of 5 is made for a new one. Incidents of theft are rare at school, but you must lock your room when you leave it and you must ensure that all your possessions are as secure as possible. You have a desk in your room with a lockable draw. 31
Pocket Money How do you get spending money? You must not keep large sums of money in your room. Pocket money must be handed in to boarding staff on arrival. The school of ice holds pocket money and you can collect money at any time during of ice hours from Reception. At weekends (Fri Sun), if you need access to your pocket money, then ask Mrs Leite. (Refer to Money Matters Guidance for Parents for further details). Passports and Tickets What do you do with them? You must hand these in on arrival each term. Mrs Grant will lock them away until you need them. Medicines What happens to them? You must hand in all medicines to Mrs Leite when you arrive and these will be checked by Sister where they need to be stored for safe keeping. If you need medicine at any time, you should see the Sister on duty (8.30am 7.30pm weekday) or the boarding staff. Medical appointments If you need a medical appointment this will be arranged for you by staff in our medical department. Older students may attend these appointments alone, though there will always be a member of staff who can accompany you if you wish. Valuables What should you do with them? You are responsible for your belongings, all of which should be clearly named and, wherever possible, security coded. It is not sensible to bring expensive items to school. They are not covered under Ratcliffe s insurance and we cannot be held responsible for loss, damage or theft. 32
Laundry How and when do your clothes, towels and bedding get washed? You must make sure that all items of clothing are clearly named, preferably with a sew in nametape. Clothing which is unnamed is much more dif icult to recover if it goes missing. Laundry Bags You are provided with an opaque laundry bag (red for girls and blue for boys). The opaque bags mean that private items are not left in either see through bags or baskets. These bags are named, either by a sew in name tape provided by parents or by a label written in indelible ink and sewn on. Laundry Delivery Arrangements You must take your washing to the laundry before you go to school. Bedclothes are to be taken to laundry every Friday morning and replaced with clean ones. Laundry bags should not be left in the corridor outside the laundry. Laundry Collection Arrangements Laundry is washed as soon as possible after it has been delivered. Clean laundry is stored upstairs in the Laundry on named shelving. 33
The laundry is opened and supervised by boarding staff each evening after supper so that you can collect your clothes. You must not touch anything that does not belong to you. Matron, Mrs Hampson, can help you with any laundry/clothing issues Electrical Items All electrical appliances in the school are annually tested for electrical safety. A green label is ixed to items that have passed the test, and any items that have not been tested and labelled by the school must not be used. One 4 gang extension lead may be used. However, it must contain a 13 amp fuse. Multi socket adapters must not be used at any time. The block type or overseas types (which there are various sorts) are not allowed. The foreign plug on the appliance should be converted with an adaptor that is to EU standard and then plugged into a 4 gang trailing socket if required please see Mrs Leite if you are in any doubt. The following items are speci ically not permitted to be used in boarders bedrooms: toasters, kettles, cooking appliances, televisions, heaters of any kind, including electric blankets. Fairy lights may be used once checked by staff. The school reserves the right to con iscate any electrical items that pose a health and safety risk. 34
Emergency Procedures Fire Alarms The school has speci ic guidelines about what to do in the event of a ire. These guidelines change according to whether the alarm sounds during the day or at night. You will have the evacuation procedures clearly explained to you, and there are regular ire drills, at different times of the day and night. Intruders If you see an intruder, you must not approach the intruder, but must inform a member of staff immediately. Intruder Alarm If this should sound, you must stay in your room until it has been deactivated by a member of staff and the all clear has been given. 35
Rooms and Facilities Bedrooms Boarders rooms are situated on four corridors. All bedrooms have a bed, wardrobe, chest of drawers, desk, chair and a sink with a mirror. St. Aloysius Three bedded rooms St. Gerrard s Single and twin rooms St. Teresa s Years 12 13 Single rooms St. Jude s Year 13 Single rooms Location of Staff St. Aloysius Miss Dzierbicka lat is located at the end of this corridor. Mrs Grant s lat is located just below St. Aloysius corridor, as is Mrs Leite s. St. Jude s and St. Gerrard s The girls staff of ice and overnight duty room are located at the ends of these corridors, where a duty member of staff sleeps at night. Common Room Facilities Girls Common Room This is the social centre of the Girls House and it is used for watching television (with Sky TV), and DVDs (both age appropriate), playing music and board games. The Common Room also contains kitchenette facilities. Study Room This is a quiet area where any students can go to do work. There are also two networked computers. The Boarders Lounge and Cafeteria These are co educational common rooms which are available to all boarders during the evenings and at weekends. This area is the social centre of the boarding houses and is used for watching television and DVDs, and for playing music, pool and board games. Students may prepare snacks in the Cafeteria. The Senior Kitchenette On St. Jude s corridor, kitchenette facilities are available to Year 12 13 girls. 36
Other Facilities Rosmini Sixth Form Centre Facilities in the Rosmini Sixth Form Centre include a lounge area with comfortable chairs, television and DVD, as well as a cafe area with a shop, stereo and pool tables. All Sixth Form students, both day and boarding, may use the cafe at break, lunchtime, after school (before prep starts) and in the evening. Students also have access to a staff supervised bar on Wednesday and Saturday evening in the Sixth Form cafe. Social events such as boarders parties, bands and speciality food nights take place throughout the year. Library and computer rooms Internet access is available in accordance with the school s guidelines for use of these facilities. If you supply our own headphone, you can use SKYPE on some of these computers. The Sports Hall, Astroturf and Swimming Pool These are available to use under staff supervision only. Square a central play area, which can be loodlit at the weekends and in the evenings until 7:00pm. Access to the Music. Access to the Art and Food Technology Departments under supervision. The School Shop This is open for a short time at 8.00pm on weekdays and at various times at weekends for boarders to purchase snacks and drinks. This is where you can get pocket money at weekends. Large amounts of money request will need to be cleared by a Senior member of staff. Sixth Form Flat The sixth form lat was irst available 2009 10. It is a self contained accommodation with three single study bedrooms, a large lounge/dining room, bathroom and kitchen. There are facilities for cooking and laundry. Our aim in providing this facility is to give sixth form pupils experience of a more independent life style, such as they are likely to encounter after leaving School. Groups of three boys or three girls can apply to live in the lat for two weeks during term time. 37
They will have lunch and tea in the refectory but will prepare their own breakfast and evening meal. They will also be responsible for getting up on time in the morning, going to bed at a sensible hour in the evening, keeping up to date with their work, doing their laundry and for keeping the lat in good condition. The lat is located in the newly refurbished St Hugh s area, outside the coded boys boarding area. Daily checks on the lat are carried out by members of staff. At the end of the day, a member of staff checks the three pupils are present then sets an alarm that will sound if anyone opens the door to the lat. This is de activated early the following morning. Should the punctuality or academic work of pupils using the lat give cause for concern, this will be discussed with the pupils and, if necessary, their use of the lat will be cut short. However, it is our expectation that they will both enjoy and bene it greatly from the use of this facility. If the lat is not in use at the weekends, we allow groups of sixth form students to go up there and cook meals together. It is a good opportunity for them to enjoy each other s company in a relaxed atmosphere. 38
Section Three Weekend Procedures This section of the Handbook gives details of the procedures for exeats. Although these procedures are largely written to give information to your parents, nevertheless it is important that you are fully aware of the school s expectations with regard to exeats. Guidelines with Regard to Exeats As boarding students at Ratcliffe College, you have many opportunities to go on exeats, often more so than students at other boarding schools. We are generally very happy for boarders to have access to as many opportunities as possible in terms of where you go for your exeats, but all school commitments must be honoured e.g. sports ixtures. Please note that exeats are primarily designed to take place at weekends. Midweek exeats are not normally allowed and they will only be considered in exceptional circumstances, for example for a birthday meal. Whilst we make every effort to ensure that all arrangements during an exeat are suitable for our boarding students, it is important that your parents realise that we cannot realistically be aware of exactly what activities may take place during an exeat, particularly with regard to social arrangements that might be made by older students, which might involve visits to local places like Leicester and Loughborough. We therefore tell your parents that the school cannot take responsibility for what happens during an exeat weekend and it is therefore our strong recommendation that all parents of boarding students make contact with host families prior to permission being given for an exeat. This will allow arrangements to be agreed in advance which should give additional peace of mind to all concerned. 39
Exeat Requests To Home Parents/guardians must inform Mrs Leite by Thursday evening. To Other Homes The host family needs to complete an Exeat Form which needs to be handed in to Mrs Leite before the end of Thursday evening for permission to be considered. Blank forms are available outside the Staff Of ice in the Girls Boarding house. Permission also needs to be given by your parents/guardians by Thursday evening. Telephone E mail 07850 709881 (Call or text) Girlsboarding@ratcliffe.leics.sch.uk Exeats Full weekend exeats are allowed between Friday 4.20pm and Monday 8.30am, but you may go on exeat for shorter periods between these times. All school commitments must take precedence over exeat arrangements. School ixtures are published in the termly school calendar. Students with a Saturday commitment are strongly discouraged from going on exeat on Friday evening. All girls must sign out with the duty staff when leaving school and must report to duty staff on their return. If a member of staff is not available, they must use the signing in/out book in house which will be checked. 40
Trips out of School Each weekend, there is a programme of trips and visits out of school usually to a shopping centre on Saturday and to a variety of other locations on Sunday (see separate programme). The cost of all boarding trips and visits is included in the full boarding fee, so you are encouraged to make full use of these opportunities, organising your work during the week to allow yourself the time to enjoy yourself at the weekend. If you are a weekly/casual boarder you may also attend these trips at an additional cost. You will be invited to sign up for trips earlier in the week (or sometimes earlier, if places have to be booked in advance). It is important to understand that once you have signed up, you must then attend the trip. Other Weekend Activities The school runs an extensive programme of weekend activities, including many opportunities for students to do their own cooking in the Food Technology department. For reasons of hygiene, cooking is not allowed in study bedrooms. With permission from staff, students may order takeaway meals, though only on Friday and Saturday evenings. On some Friday evenings, there is a trip to MacDonald's (and sometimes to KFC). Some boarding students may, from time to time, wish to be involved with other activities outside school; for example, playing in club or county sports teams or taking part in horse riding at a local stable. If your parents wish you to take part in such an activity, we must have written permission for it. Your parents must also be aware that while we will make every effort to arrange appropriate transport to and from these activities, usually by booking taxis, it is unreasonable to expect boarding staff to leave the campus to take students to outside activities. 41
Taxis If you need to use a taxi to travel to or from school, you must see Mrs Grant or Mrs Leite, who will book one for you with permission from your parent/ guardian. The cost of this will be added to you school bill. You must not book a taxi yourself. If your parents make your taxi booking, these must be paid in cash. The school uses Blueline Taxis for all journeys, because we know that their drivers are safe and reliable. Cars If a Sixth Form boarder is given permission to bring a car to school, it must only be for the purpose of travelling to and from home. On arrival at school, your car keys must be handed to the senior member of staff on duty. Permission to leave school will only be granted to boarders during the week in exceptional circumstances and with the speci ic permission of Mrs Leite. 42