Q: How often can the children come Home at weekends?
A: We are very flexible with our boarding arrangements. Children may go Home any weekend you wish. There are no set exeats. A simple weekend card system is all that is needed to arrange weekends out of school.
Q: May my child go out of school unsupervised?
A: Children may not leave the school premises except with an appropriate adult. There are many excursions from school particularly at weekends. However when children enter Year 7 they may go shopping in Sidmouth with one or two other Year Eight children on certain weekends provided their parents have given their consent to the Headmistress.
Q: What happens if my child falls ill?
A: All the matrons are experienced and have the immediate backup of the local Doctors` surgery. If they are not sure about the health of a child they will arrange to take them to the doctor.
Q: What kind of day will my child have?
A: During the week the children are woken at 7.15a.m. and are called for breakfast at 7.40 a.m. After breakfast they tidy their bedrooms, clean teeth and get ready for school. All children have to be in class for registration by 8.25a.m. The school day goes on until 4.50p.m. at which time the children have either free time or take part in one of the many clubs and leisure activities. Supper is at 6.30p.m. after which the younger children go upstairs to bed. The older children have a supervised Homework session (prep) until 7.45p.m. and are asked to be upstairs preparing for bed and ‘wind down’ at 8.15p.m. Lights out for the older pupils is rarely later than 9.00p.m. during the week.
Q: What about weekends?
A: We enjoy a very different kind of day at the weekends. For a start, we get up a little later. Normally after breakfast the tuck shop is open for a short while and then a variety of activities take place. Quite often (weather permitting) the whole boarding community will go out on a whole day excursion. We may go ice-skating in Plymouth followed by a trip to the National Aquarium or we may go trekking on Dartmoor. Bowling in Exeter is popular as well as visits to the local swimming pool or beach depending on the weather. Other excursions may include theatre visits, trips to local museums or other places of interest. In the winter months we often enjoy a film on a Saturday night in our own cinema.
Q: How do boarders get in touch with parents?
A: We have several ways of doing this. The most popular way remains the telephone. Boarders are allowed mobile phones (without camera) and can use these at certain times. They will be locked away at night for safety. While we do have a pay phone in the school the more popular method particularly for children who live abroad is for the parent to ring their child at a set time each week. All boarders have an email address, which is increasingly popular, and boarders have to write a letter Home each Sunday to their parents or friends. We still feel that this is an appropriate skill all children should learn and they enjoy receiving letters more than any other form of communication.
Q: Can children choose where they sleep?
A: The matrons are very experienced in placing the children in the most appropriate places to ensure the best for all members of the community. We do try to answer children’s requests but sometimes it is not appropriate to respond to them since some children forget the needs of others and may disrupt the comfort of those nearby.
Q: Can children bring their toys to school?
A: Since we view the boarding environment as the children’s Home then of course they may. They will have to consider carefully the kind of toys that may be appropriate to bring to school. All children are given a lockable locker for their personal possessions. Personal electronic equipment should be insured from Home if it is worth over £50.
Q: What do the children wear at weekends?
A: The children wear their own clothes at weekends. Generally this tends to be tee shirt and jeans although children have their own tastes and styles. The general rule is make sure that it is practical!
Q: How much pocket money should the children have?
A: We generally recommend about £20 to £40 for UK based boarders (this can always be topped up at half term) and between £75 to £100 for overseas boarders. The money is put in the house bank that is run by the Housemaster who keeps all the children’s accounts for them. Children get a statement of their account at the end of each term and any money still in the account at the end of the year (July) is returned to the children to take Home.