Young House Girls’ Boarding House
O
ur founding girls’ boarding house, Young House first welcomed girls in 1979 when Bishop’s Stortford College became co educational. Today, Young House is the home away from home for over sixty boarding and day girls. Young House is a thriving and close-knit community. The House philosophy is simple: to provide a happy and caring community atmosphere in which every girl is given the necessary structures and guidance to enable her to fulfil her individual academic, social and spiritual potential.
Pastoral Care Tina Hood took up the post of Housemistress (HsM) of Young House in September 2016. An experienced Mathematics teacher, Tina manages the staffing, organisation and resourcing of the House. She provides for the safety, good discipline and pastoral well-being of all pupils, staff and domestic staff in the House as well as managing the administration of the House, its maintenance and ensuring excellent communications with all parties. Tina and her family are resident in the House throughout term time. Both Tina’s children have attended the College and are now at university. Tina acts as Tutor to the 4th formers, inducting new pupils (and their parents) into the House system and overseeing a mentoring system. Tina is supported by an Assistant Housemistress and other Resident staff.
Communal Accommodation and Room Allocations The social hub of the House is the light and spacious Common Room where there is plenty of seating to relax on—the bean bags are a firm favourite. Here girls enjoy chatting, generally relaxing, watching TV or a DVD, playing games etc. Girls also have access to a kitchen for making toast, as well as other snacks and drinks with all meals being provided in the Dining Hall. There are large working areas, spacious changing rooms and showers. Boarders have modern study-bedrooms: the Fourth Form (Year 9) are in shared rooms for four girls. As they move into the Lower Fifth (Year 10) girls are usually given twin rooms and in the Upper Fifth and Sixth Form, as their House and study responsibilities increase, girls move into single study bedrooms.
Boarding Accommodation and Study Areas Spread over two floors, the boarding accommodation in Young House is comfortable, feminine and above all, wellloved by the girls who reside there. The first floor boasts 15 single rooms for Sixth Formers each with its own wash basin and private study area. There are an additional 3 singles for Upper Fifth and two twin rooms for Lower Fifth girls plus a twin room for Flexi boarders. The ground floor hosts 1 quad for Fourth Form girls plus study rooms for day girls as well as the Common Room and kitchen areas. The Ground Floor of Young House has level access.
Boarding House Staff Accommodation Mrs Hood, her husband Steve, and their family occupy an adjoining 3 bedroom house. Resident House staff are accommodated in the main building. On the ground floor, adjacent to the entrance is the House Office where the member of staff on duty can be found.
Boarding for Elite Sports Boys and Girls Many of our Elite Sports players, even some who live in Bishop’s Stortford have benefitted from boarding at the College. They have gained more training time as well as further opportunities to study, share social time with friends and relax.
Time travelling to and from College is ‘dead’ time, especially for those who live further away. Instead, this can be converted, into early morning and after school strength and conditioning or training sessions. It allows for more time in the library to study; particularly important for Sixth Formers, as well as spending down time with their friends or simply enjoying all our campus has to offer.
Boarding Life Young House is typical of the friendly, welcoming atmosphere of our Boarding Houses. We are confident that new boarders will settle in quickly and feel they belong. As with our other Houses, Young House girls quickly develop a strong sense of pride and ownership in their house, taking responsibility for the happy running of the House with genuine care for one another.
Weekends can be spent relaxing with friends, enjoying the school facilities, catching up on academic work or perhaps joining in organised Saturday evening activities and trips. All Full Boarders come together on a Sunday evening for a short Chapel service which is an important time for reflection, refreshment and preparation for the coming week.