Welcome to Dorms House - St Bede's School

Dorms HouseWelcome to2012—2013

ContactThe House address for all Housemaster, matron andstudent correspondence is:Dorms HouseBede’s Senior SchoolUpper DickerHailshamEast SussexBN27 3QHTelephone: 01323 443862Mr P Juniper, (Housemaster)E-mail: paul.juniper@stbedesschool.orgHello! It gives me great pleasure to welcome youto Dorms House. I’m sure that you will enjoy beingpart of our vibrant boarding community at Bede’sSenior School. In Dorms House all of the boys, tutorsand staff work together to make sure that there is areal team spirit and I’m sure that it will take no timeat all before you feel that you are very much a part ofthat team!This booklet aims to give you a general introductionas to what to expect when you start in September sothat you can make the smooth transition from yourcurrent school to ours. Of course it can’t answer all ofyour questions, but it’s a great starting point. If youfeel that there is anything more that you need to knowthen please email me and I will be more than happy toanswer any questions that you might have.WelcomeMr T Elwell, (Deputy Housemaster)E-mail: tom.elwell@stbedesschool.orgMatronsE-mail: dorms.matrons@stbedesschool.orgI’m really looking forward to greeting you in person inSeptember and welcoming you into the house. I’msure you will throw yourself into all that Dorms has tooffer and make a fantastic addition to the House!Mr. Paul JuniperHousemasterDorms House

Who’s who?House staffMr Juniper joinsDorms this year as theHousemaster. Previouslythe Deputy Housemasterof Stud House, he hasbeen with us at Bede’sSenior School for fouryears and has beenteaching for nine. Hepreviously worked in anall boys comprehensiveschool as Head ofA level Biology as well being aHousemaster:Mr. JuniperDeputy Head of Year. This experience, combined withnearly 10 years working as a keeper and curator invarious UK zoos have prepared him well for life runninga busy boys boarding house. He lives in Dorms with hiswife Joanna and two children Johnny (aged three) andEmily (aged two).House staffMr Hickman, moves toDorms from Crosswayshouse, bringing with him hispartner Faye and his twochildren Scout and Indy. Hehas been part of the Bede’sMedia dept for 5 years. MrHickman is never happierthan when on the set of astudent production. He hasa passion for food havingbeen a chef in another life.He spends all his spare timecooking and has been known to spendResident Tutor:Mr Hickmanan hour getting beans on toast just right. He will throwhimself into any extreme sport with enthusiasm if notwith skill. He believes a good house is built on respect,communication and a good game of frisbee every nowand then.Who’s who?Deputy Housemaster:Mr. ElwellThis will be Mr Elwell’s fifth yearin Dorms house. He began histeaching career here and is nowpretty much part of the furniture.A teacher of Geography, healso coaches the 1st XVRugby team and is involvedclosely in the sporting sideof Bede’s life. Mr Elwellhas tutored Dorm’s boysin every year groupand knows the currentDorms cohort extremelywell. He is passionate about houserepresentation, and is always pushing studentsto be their very best, both academically and in all walksof life.Resident Tutor:Mr StonemanBorn and raised in Lancashire,Mr Stoneman was originallyan Engineer by trade. Hevolunteered to teach parttimewhile he was doinghis degree in Cambridgeand has never lookedback. He arrived atBede’s in 2011 to teachMathematics and hasjoined Dorms thisyear from KnightsHouse. Mr Stonemanenjoys leading the ACF unit atschool and is committed to providingexciting opportunities in outdoor education. Healso enjoys kayaking and is out on the water wheneverpossible. Mr Stoneman says he’s looking forward toproving that Dorms is the best house in the school, evenif the other houses don’t know it yet!

Who’s who?MatronsThe matrons are, without doubt, the most importantpeople in the house. They keep the house runningsmoothly and are integral to our daily existence.Matron Susan has been inDorms for 14 years and isextremely well experiencedand can handle anyproblem teenage boyscan throw at her! Shealso enjoys cooking andhas made some trulyfantastic cakes, whichalways go down well.Susan is alwayswilling to pass onher extensiveknowledge inthis subject! Sheapproaches work with apositive and humorous manner and isalways willing to try new experiences.Matron SusanHead of houseJosh Wilkin is our Headof House for 2012-2013.Josh has been at Bede’ssince the first year andrepresented the schoolin a variety of ways. Hewas involved in juniorsport, but excels inthe performing artsand is one of theschool’s foremostdramatists. Josh ispassionate aboutDorms house, andleads by example,involving himself in as manyhouse activities as possible. He alreadyhas a good rapport with the other students, and heis looking forward to Dorms moving from strength tostrength.PrefectsJosh WilkinWho’s who?Matron Fay has been in Dormsfor 12 years and is also veryexperienced in dealing withthe boys. She has a bubblypersonality, a good rapportwith everybody and has theknack of always knowingwhat is going on. Fayenjoys spending timewith her husband Tim,and her Grandchildrenwhen she can. Shealso works closelywith a local charity and hasraised thousands of pounds overthe last few years for children in Uganda.Matron FayWillSamJackyJamesRobertJosh

Dorms lifeYour first dayMost new students feel a mixture of excitement and afew nerves – that is perfectly normal. The good news isthat you won’t be alone. There will be plenty of othersstarting a new school and feeling almost exactly thesame as you. Secondly, there will be plenty of studentsand teachers around to help you.Over the first few days there will be lots of new peopleto meet, different things to do and places to get to. Youwill be helped to settle in by your Housemaster andtutor who make sure that you have lots of guidance andsupport.The aim of the first week is to help you quickly find yourfeet, make friends, get used to the new routines andfeel at ease as a new boarder. As well as the adults inthe school, there will be plenty of fellow boarders in theHouse, ’buddies’, Prefects and roommates to help youfind your feet.If you need personal guidance there are a number ofpeople at School who you can turn to for help: friends,senior students, matron, your tutor or Housemaster,another teacher, your Year Head, the School Nurseor Counsellor. If you wish to talk to someone outsideschool you could contact:What to expectThe School places great emphasis on catering for theneeds of the individual student. Academic timetables andco-curricula programmes are tailored very much to meeteach individual’s requirements. Just as important for eachindividual is the ability to get on well with other people andbe tolerant and understanding of the needs of others.The aim of our Houses is to help our students to learn thesocial skills and give them the sense of community andresponsibility which will equip them well for the rest of theirlives.To these ends, we aim to create a safe, secure and happyenvironment with an atmosphere which is relaxed and yetpurposeful. Individuals are encouraged to take increasingresponsibility for themselves during their time here, andas they become older to take on a certain amount ofresponsibility for others too. Our community is one whereother people are treated with respect, sensitivity andconsideration.We hope that our students will leave having gained theexperience and confidence to be thoroughly independent,tempered with a powerful awareness of the needs andsensitivities of other people.Dorms lifeDr Grimston (School Doctor) 01323 848494Childline 0800 1111Ofsted 08456 404040Pamela Lawrence (Independent Listener) 01323 843208Children’s Rights Director 0800 528 0731

Dorms lifeYour dormAll areas of the House are cleaned regularly. It is importantthat you take care of the environment where you live andyou should keep your bedroom and bathroom areas tidy.No items should be left on the floor except shoes andbags. Anything that you notice in the House which isdamaged, not working or in need of repair you should bereported to the member of Housestaff or matron on dutystraight away.You will share your bedroom with other boys of a similarage to you. There is storage space for essential itemssuch as your uniform; a limited amount of casual andsmart clothing; and school equipment. However, all yourbelongings will need to fit in your wardrobe, drawers, deskarea and book shelf – an area much smaller than yourbedroom at home! Therefore take care when packing.The School provides all the bedding you need but youmay bring your own duvet cover if you prefer – as long asit can be machine washed.There are pin boards in every bedroom if you wish to putup posters. Please do not attach photographs or picturesdirectly on to the walls or furniture.Personal possessionsMost of your clothes will be washed in the House by matronso it is important that all of your belongings are named.Your laundry should be placed in the washing basketsprovided by matron in the morning before School startsand collected from her the next day. Any items that needdry cleaning are sent off once a week. Items of clothingnot suitable for machine washing and drying should not bebrought to School unless you wish to pay for them to bedry cleaned. Sheets and pillow cases are sent to the linenlaundry once a week - or more often if required.Essential School equipment (such as stationery) andpersonal items (such as toiletries) can be obtained at theSchool shop which is open almost every day. There is alsoa small and very popular ‘village shop’ which boarderscan visit. In addition we provide transport for afternoonshopping trips and recreation to at least two local towns(usually Eastbourne and Hailsham) each weekend.Valuable items of any kind should not be brought to schoolunless (as in the case of cameras for example) they areneeded for study. Under no circumstances should pupilsleave cash in their rooms unattended.Dorms lifeThere is a supervised prep time each weekday evening.For junior students this may take place in a common areaof the House or in a classroom. Sixth Form pupils cannormally do their homework in their study bedroom, theLibrary or other staffed area of the School (such as the Artrooms or Music rooms) by agreement with the member ofHousestaff on duty.For the safe and private storage of personal items, eachboarder is provided with a small, lockable cupboard or safe.Padlocks are available from matron. If, for any reason,boarders do have to have valuable items at school theseshould be immediately handed in to the Housemaster ormatron who will record their receipt of the item and secureit in the House safe.There are certain times of the day and the week when– subject to signing in and out - students may visit eachother’s Houses. These times will be advertised in theHouse and visitors may only visit common areas i.e. notbedrooms.Any items lost or missing must be reported to theHousemaster of Deputy Housemaster immediately.

Dorms lifeThe School DayThe school dayMonday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday6.45 Wake Up Wake Up Wake Up Wake Up Wake Up Wake Up Registration and BreakfastRegistration and BreakfastRegistration and BreakfastRegistration and BreakfastRegistration and BreakfastRegistration and Breakfast7.008.00 Chapel8.30 Assembly Lesson 1 Lesson 1 Lesson 1 Lesson 1 Lesson 19.30 Lesson 2 Lesson 2 Lesson 2 Lesson 2 Lesson 2 Lesson 210.30 Break Break Break Break Break Break11.00 Lesson 3 Lesson 3 Lesson 3 Lesson 3 Lesson 3 Lesson 312.00 Lesson 4 Lesson 4 Lesson 4 Lesson 4 Lesson 4 Lesson 41.00 Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch2.00 Registration Registration Registration Registration Registration2.10 Lesson 5 Lesson 5 Lesson 5ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES3.10 ACTIVITIES Lesson 6 ACTIVITIESEnd of day4.20 End of day End of day End of day End of day End of dayEvening routineMonday to Friday4.30 House time 5.10 Role call5.20 Prep6.45 Lower school supper7.00 Sixth form supper7.30 House registration7.35 Quiet time8.15 End of quiet time9.15 1st years in house9.30 L5 in house, 1st years in room9.45 1st years lights out. L5 in rooms10.00 U5 in house. L5 lights out.10.30 Sixth form in rooms 11.00 All lights outDorms life

Need to knowSafetyYour safety whilst at school is of the utmost importance.There are many safety features and procedures in placearound the campus and in the House. It is vital that you:a) familiarise yourself with the layout of your House andits surroundingsb) are aware of the dangers, safety features and proceduresin your House via the information provided to you inHouse meetings, tutorials, assemblies, chapels and otherformal situationsc) are aware of the danger, safety features and proceduresaround the School, paying particular attention tothe roads, the lakes and ponds, high buildings, exteriorstaircases, wooded areas and strangersd) follow safety instructions and the School rules carefullye) report any dangers or concerns to a member of staffimmediatelyf) never leave the House without informing staff whereyou are goingg) never leave the School without specific permissionFireEvery precaution must be taken to guard against fire. TheHouse has a fire safety policy which you will be told aboutand as part of this fire drills are carried out from time totime in your House to ensure that you are aware of theevacuation procedure. There must be no naked flames(e.g. matches, candles, joss sticks). All electrical itemsmust comply with UK PAT standards. The only electricalitems permitted to be used in bedrooms are laptops, mobilephones, hairdryers and chargers.FinancesThere is no access to a bank in Upper Dicker thereforewe recommend that boarders deposit their pocket moneywith their Housemaster to be placed in the House bankaccount and / or have the use of a debit card for their ownbank account. Pocket money left with the Housemaster ismonitored by him and can be accessed each weekend.The House Bank is open each evening immediately afterdinner from 19:30 until 20:15 during quiet time. You canonly use this facility if you have money in your account!Pocket money (cash, or cheques made payable to DormsHouse) is paid into the House Bank by your parents andyou can withdraw it when need arises. Please bank cashwith Mr Juniper rather than keeping significant sums withyou or in your Dorm.Contact with homeYou can contact your family and friends at any time,before bedtime when you are free. There is wi-fi internetaccess around the School and in Dorms House. SKYPEand Facebook for example are available. Most boarderswill have their own mobile phone to use when they arefree. In addition there are a number of public telephoneboxes in the Houses and around the campus; there arePCs in the Library which can be used. If you are havingtrouble getting in touch with those at home by yourself,then the matron or Housestaff will help.NoiseNoise is one of the hazards of communal living – and itcan get intrusive unless everyone is thoughtful about theimpact they can have on others. During prep time theremust be complete quiet so that work can be concentratedupon. Please always be considerate about the level ofnoise in the House.Need to know

Need to knowFoodThe School provides three meals a day, taken in theDining Room.Food (unless locked in a tuck box) should be stored andeaten in the Dorms House kitchen and is not to be takeninto your room. Only true tuck items, such as crisps or fruitshould be consumed in your room. All hot food (includingtoast and noodles) or food requiring a spoon/knife or forkshould be eaten in the kitchen or the Common Room only.It is compulsory for all boarders to attend all meals whilstin school unless you have permission to do otherwise.There is a wide choice of dishes available each meal timeand the menus are published in advance on the Schoolintranet. If you have any special dietary needs thenyour parents / guardians should have already informedthe School. However, if you are having trouble findingsuitable food then let your tutor, matron or Housestaffknow so they can guide you in to appropriate choices. Inaddition to eating in the dining room, it is possible (outsidemeal times) for you to get or make snacks in your Housekitchen. Some food stuffs are supplied by matron or youcan bring in your own favourites food items. It is importantto follow the food safety guidelines on display in the Housekitchen e.g. you must not bring raw meat into the kitchen.Fresh drinking water is also available in the House, diningareas and sports hall at all times.HealthIf you are unwell your first port of call would normally bethe matron on duty in Dorms. (However, all of the boardingstaff at School are trained in the delivery of first aid andadministration of medicines and can give you treatmentif necessary.) If matron is unable to treat you herself shemight refer you to the School Nurse. There is also a Doctorwho visits the School once a week. If you are taken ill inthe night you can get help from your Housemaster (MrJuniper) or Deputy Housemaster (Mr Elwell). There is asick bay in the House where those who are ill normallystay until they get better. Matron can also arrange for youto see a dentist, optician and physiotherapist althoughthese appointments would normally be arranged duringthe holidays.You must never keep medicines in your room: they mustbe handed in to the matron or the School nurse for securestorage and administration by them.The School employs its own independent SchoolCounsellor. All students will have access to the SchoolCounsellor at the discretion of his Housemaster or Tutoror via the School Nurse.Final thoughtsNeed to knowOn special occasions (e.g. a friend’s birthday) you maywish to prepare a proper meal, but generally the Housekitchen is for the preparation of snacks, not for meals.Please clear up any pots, pans and wrappings – andrespect others’ precious pesto, chocolate spread etc. Itis an obvious point of courtesy and honesty but, if youare feeding others, please do so from your own stocks.There is almost nothing so designed to irritate and annoyas ‘borrowed’ food.If you are unsure of anything simply ask.Matron, House staff and teachers are always happy tohelp.

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