A-Z of Independent Living at Freemen's

Welcome to the Independent Living Programme

USEFUL CONTACT NUMBERS

Boarding House Landline: 01372 822 460

Boarding House Mobile: 07786 854 939 (available 24 hours)

Independent Living Space: 01372 279 161

BOARDING STAFF

Head of Boarding:

Mr Alan Auld

Deputy Houseparents:

Mrs Katie Moilliet

Ms Georgina Farrington

Duty Tutors and Graduate Assistants are also part of the Boarding Staff team.

ACCOMMODATION

The Independent Living Suite consists of four large twin bedrooms. Each bedroom will have a place to study and a place to store clothes required for the week. A large open plan modern kitchen with induction hub, start of the art cooking facilities, washing machine, dryer and dishwasher. A large fridge freezer means residents can store food for the week and prepare meals for themselves. There are three separate shared bathroom facilities. Residents should bring their own towels and toiletries.

ALCOHOL

Alcohol and all illegal substances are not permitted on the School premises. Any pupils found to be in possession of alcohol or illegal substances will be subject to very severe consequences, as set out in the Pupil Code of Conduct and Behaviour Policy. This is in order to keep all members of the School community safe. Pupils are not permitted to be drunk or otherwise intoxicated whilst on the School premises. Staff members have the right to test a pupil for intoxicating substances if they have a reasonable suspicion that School rules have been breached.

ARRIVAL

Residents will meet with Mrs Moilliet during form time on Monday afternoon. They will be taken through an induction process including rules and regulations.

BEDDING

Bedding will be provided but should a student wish to bring their own for single beds that is fine. There are limited spares of these for use in emergencies.

BEDTIMES

Remember – you may not think you feel tired, but the chances are that others in your room will be tired, so you should be quiet for the rest of the community. Extra sleep never hurt anyone.

BELONGINGS / VALUABLES

Students are provided with a desk and drawers next to their beds. A small amount of casual clothing is needed for after school. Students may bring their own laptop computer and any other belongings that make them feel comfortable and at home. Students are strongly advised not to bring valuable items to school, unless required for school use. Valuable items may be deposited with Boarding House Staff for safe keeping.

BREAKFAST

Often described as the most important meal of the day, this is perhaps even more true for busy teenagers with a long day ahead of them. Students will have the opportunity to prepare their own breakfasts in the morning.

CLOTHING

We encourage shoes to be taken off in the Independent Living Suite especially in the wetter, muddier winter months. Pupils should make sure they bring appropriate warm clothing for colder weather. Please work with us to maintain some sensible levels in the amount of belongings (particularly clothing) that your son/daughter brings to School for the week. Pupils must also ensure that they are always dressed appropriately when in the living suite. Staff on duty will visit the rooms and communal areas at any time during the evening, and pupils should be in a suitable state of dress to avoid embarrassment.

CHALLENGES

We will challenge residents to try doing new things during their stay. Iron a shirt? Use a washing machine? Cook a meal?

CLEANING

Residents will be responsible for keeping the space in an appropriate state and should be respectful of living with others. On departure the space will be thoroughly cleaned, and any damage reported. Should there be an accident that requires cleaning during the week then residents should immediately inform Boarding staff.

COMMON AREAS

Common rooms are places for leisure and relaxation. Students can use the smart TV. Board games are also available. We welcome residents to bring board games from home, if they wish to share with other residents.

DEVICES

Residents are welcome to bring gaming devices for their week. There is a smart TV in the communal living space where residents can log into apps to watch programmes and mirror from their own devices. The schools acceptable use of IT policy applies in this instance too, so we would not be expecting residents to be watching harmful or unsuitable content.

DISCIPLINE

We know that the vast majority of students are well behaved and follow the School and house rules at all times. However, inevitably there will be some breaches of rules which will require a disciplinary procedure to be followed. Minor offences will be dealt with in house by the tutor on duty and may require consultation with the Head of Boarding. More serious offences will be escalated depending on the offence in line with the school’s behaviour policy. Possible disciplinary procedures might include, but are not limited to:

• confiscation of a dangerous item, or an item that is causing anti-social behaviour or rule breaking;

• being sent home from the Independent Living Programme.

DEPARTURE

The weekly experience will finish for residents at 8.30am on Friday. All items should be out of rooms, the kitchen and fridge should be cleared of food and

possessions can be stored at the top of the stairs by the lift ready to collect at the end of the school day. Key Cards must be returned to Mrs Moilliet in the dining hall by 8.30am. Any lost key cards should be reported immediately and will incur a £5 fee. Once the space is empty Mrs Moilliet will conduct an inspection to check for damages and unacceptable mess.

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

The Independent Living programme must maintain very strict rules on the use of electrical equipment to protect the health and safety of the residents and school community. For this reason we do not allow high risk items to be kept in rooms. These include, but may not be limited to, electric heaters, heated blankets, kettles and other cooking appliances. Duty staff hold the right to remove any electrical item that they think might be a potential hazard. Any removed item will be subject to testing before a decision is made on its authorisation for use. Standard electrical items such as alarm clocks, radios, laptops etc. are acceptable. Please be very careful when purchasing adapters and chargers that they are compliant with UK fire safety regulations.

EMERGENCY CONTACT

The Independent Living Suite landline number is 01372 279 161. The Boarding House mobile number is 07786 854 939 and the landline is 01372 822 460.

Pupils should not use the Independent Living landline for outgoing calls unless it is in case of an emergency. For non emergencies it is often better to email a member of staff directly.

FIRE ALARMS

The School has a sophisticated and sensitive fire alarm system with smoke and heat detectors. If the fire alarm sounds during the School day, pupils should evacuate with their class. If the fire alarm sounds when in the Independent Living Space pupils should leave by the nearest exit, leaving everything behind. The meeting point is on the patch of grass outside the front of the Junior school. As with all Fire Alarms, pupils should remain quiet and calm and respond quickly and efficiently to the requests of the member of staff in charge.

FOOD AND FOOD IN ROOMS

We recommend that residents work together as a group to plan meals and make a trip to the local supermarkets to purchase shopping items for the week. Basic items will be supplied such as milk, tea, bread. There is ample storage in the kitchen for food. Online delivery of food is discouraged because of the onus on grounds staff to carry potentially very heavy bags of food to the Independent Living Space and because the freshness of the products is compromised between delivery and collection. This experience is to give those a

chance to learn how to cook for themselves on a limited budget – not get takeaways every night! As a rule, pupils should not keep any food in their rooms. As we are a nut free school – no products containing nuts should be purchased, consumed or stored in the space.

HOUSE FACILITIES

The Independent Living space has excellent kitchen and laundry facilities for the residents to use. These are a privilege and it is imperative that pupils use these areas sensibly and safely. Each pupil is expected to tidy up after themselves, and part of learning to live with others is for residents to play their part in the general cleaning of the kitchen each night.

ICT USAGE

The ICT Safe Usage Agreement covers both School owned and personal devices. In particular, pupils may NOT use their own Wifi hot-spots which connect via the School internet as this can affect the Walbrook Wifi signal. Virtual Private Networks are also banned by the School. Pupils must also take particular care with pop-ups and cookies, which are often of an inappropriate nature and will be flagged up by the ICT department. Gaming is a popular recreational activity, but it should not be conducted in bedrooms. Gaming should take place in the common area to ensure it does not become unsociable.

INSURANCE

Students’ personal belongings are not covered by the School Insurance Policy. Parents are advised to include their children’s belongings in their own personal insurance and ensure they are adequately covered.

LEADERSHIP

This is huge part of the educational ethos at City of London Freemen’s School. Not only do we ask our pupils to lead themselves and take responsibility for their own actions but to think how their actions impact on others. This is especially prevalent when sharing a living space with others.

MEALS

Residents should aim to use this opportunity to learn how to budget, prepare and cook for themselves. We want students to learn from this experience, so they are better prepared for their next steps after leaving home. Basic recipes will be provided as well as sample shopping lists. We suggest parents giving students a budget of £50 to use for buying food for the week.

MEDICATION

It is imperative that staff know exactly what medication a pupil is taking at any time. As a consequence, ALL medication must be dispensed by the Medical Centre or Boarding House staff on duty. Pupils are NOT permitted to keep any medication in their own rooms and any pupil requiring regular medication should hand it in to

boarding staff at the earliest opportunity. This includes ‘homely’ remedies, such as those which can be bought over the counter to treat minor illnesses and ailments. Medication from another country, with writing in foreign language is particularly dangerous as we may not know what it contains. Boarding Staff are qualified to hand out medication and a full record of medication dispensed is kept confidentially.

NOISE

Noise levels should never interfere with other people’s sleep, study, or general comfort. Please keep down any noise (whatever the source) to a reasonable level and reduce it immediately if someone asks you to. We also have quiet hours in the space from 11pm to 7am every day, during which no noise should be heard outside your room.

NUTS

We are a nut-aware school, but we must be particularly cautious in the Independent Living Space, where traces of nuts can easily be transferred. As well as residents with nut allergies, we must also be aware that visitors to the house may suffer from allergies. Therefore nut-based products are NOT permitted in the Independent Living Space. This includes chocolate spreads that contain nuts, such as Nutella. These are potentially dangerous and will be confiscated if found.

PETS

Pupils are not permitted to bring pets into School.

POLICIES

Further information on many Independent Living Space issues, including safeguarding, behaviour and medical information can be on our website: www.freemens.org/policies

RESILIENCE

We do recognise that some pupils are spending time away from the comforts of home for the first time. There may be times when they might appear to be homesick or unduly stressed. The boarding staff and tutors are experienced at recognising this and we can reassure you that this is normal. The pupils will come through these periods with support from house staff, parents, teachers and friends. They are taught that it is okay to have bad days sometimes. The Independent Living Experience is like no other in preparing young people to cope with difficult situations, and they will develop a number of strategies to develop the resilience needed. If there is something we are not aware of regarding happiness and resilience, please let us know and we will do our best to offer support in the appropriate way.

RESPECT

Living closely with other people in the Independent Living Space demands consideration and cooperation from everyone. Everyone has different habits, preferences, and timetables, please consider other people. Communal living requires some compromise and you’ll be living with people who may potentially have different habits.

ROLL CALLS

These take place at 10.30pm each evening by a member of duty staff using our system Orah. This is compulsory and essential, as it ensures we are aware of the residents’ whereabouts.

SAFETY AND SECURITY

Main House and the Independent Living Space is regularly inspected by ISI and Fire Safety Officers and there are regular fire drills which form part of an active Health and Safety programme.

The residential areas of the Independent Living Space are private to the residents, and this should be respected. Each resident will be assigned a key card for use during their stay. This ensures that those inside remain safe from intruders, and that staff can monitor access. At no time should a pupil let a stranger or another day pupil into the space.

The main aim of the programme is to give students the chance to experience living independently. They will be unsupervised between the end of school and when a member of Boarding House Staff will be resident in the space from 10.30pm overnight. Should residents need help in between those times, Boarding House staff are available on the contact numbers provided (see emergency contacts). Boarding House staff will conduct spot checks during these times to check on the residents’ welfare.

SANCTIONS

Although no staff member enjoys issuing sanctions, from time to time it may be necessary to uphold the School or House rules, which are designed to keep pupils

happy and safe. Any pupils breaking a School rule should expect to receive an appropriate sanction, and pupils who persistently fail to meet expected standards, either academically, socially or behaviourally, should also expect to receive a sanction. Sanctions are designed to remind pupils of acceptable behaviours and deter others from committing offences.

SCHOOL UNIFORM

School uniform should be treated carefully and hung up on a hanger when it is not being worn. Pupils should familiarise themselves with the School rules regarding uniform. Anyone not meeting these standards may be sent back to their rooms to change.

SIGNING IN AND OUT

It is very important, and a legal requirement, that we know the whereabouts of all residents at all times. We use a digital signing in and out system (Orah) to enable this to happen. We require residents to submit a pass which informs staff where they are going and when they will return. Mrs Moilliet will explain how this system works to residents during the induction.

SMOKING

Smoking in school at any time, in any building, area within the school grounds, and when traveling to and from school, is strictly prohibited and there exists a system of sanctions to considerably reduce the

freedom of any offenders. This prohibition extends to the use of e-cigarettes and any vapourising device.

STAFF

Boarding House staff are here to keep the pupils safe and happy, and to offer pastoral support where needed. There will always be a staff member resident overnight in the Independent Living Space from 10.30pm. The Head of Boarding, Deputy Houseparents, Boarding Tutors and Graduate assistants on duty are always available for any issues that may arise.

TAKEAWAY FOOD

We discourage residents ordering takeaway food as one of the main purposes of this experience is to learn how to budget, plan and cook for themselves.

VISITORS

Under no circumstances should a visitor enter the Independent Living Space without prior permission from Mrs Moilliet – this includes other day students who are not signed up for that week.

Important Information: Electrical appliances

Mains electricity is extremely dangerous and can kill if misused. Be sure you know this basic safety information.

• Make sure that any electrical equipment you use has no exposed wires and is safe to use. Look out for the CE mark, BE mark, the BEAB safety mark or British Standard number on electrical equipment and adaptors. These things tell you the item was manufactured to accepted safety standards.

• All electrical appliances must have a fuse. Fuses stop the appliance overheating and causing a fire, but they need to be the correct size – 3amp, 5amp or 13amp.

• If you think any electrical equipment in your residence is faulty, or if it stops working, switch it off straight away and don't attempt to fix it. Tell residence staff immediately if the equipment belongs to the residence, or have the fault repaired by an electrician if it belongs to you. You must remove any dangerous electrical appliances, or we may confiscate them.

• Short flexes are safer than long ones. If the protective covering of a flex becomes frayed, split or worn, replace it at once. Never let a flex touch hot parts of a fire, toaster, cooker, iron, etc.

• Don't leave computer networking cables or telephone extension cables in the hallways, strung between rooms or on the outside of the buildings. It compromises fire containment if the fire doors cannot shut properly.

• Turn off your mobile phone charger when you're not using it, especially when you're out of your room, as they can overheat and cause a fire. Adaptors can also overheat, if you use one try not to run more than one appliance that uses a lot of electricity (like a kettle or TV) from it at the same time. Block multi-socket adaptors should not be used.

• Never put metal implements (such as a knife) in a toaster if it is still connected to the electricity supply.

• In microwave ovens, only use microwave-safe containers. Don't put anything metal in the microwave.

• Don't handle plugs, switches or any electric appliance with wet hands. Switch off and unplug all appliances before cleaning and make sure they are dry before use. The only items to be used in bathrooms are shavers and then only in the wall socket provided. Never use an extension lead to take electrical equipment into your bathroom.

Important Information: Fire Safety

FIRE DOORS, SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND BANNED ITEMS

The doors to your room and kitchen are fire doors and must be kept closed. They are fitted with metal door-closing mechanisms at the top to make sure that they close and prevent the spread of fire and smoke. Propping open a fire door is a disciplinary offence.

There are heat and/or smoke detectors in your accommodation. Don’t cover the detectors in any way as this will stop them working. Don't unscrew them either, as this activates the fire alarm and you will be fined. Smoke detectors are sensitive to quite small amounts of smoke, steam or dust.

There are extinguishers and fire blankets in your residence. Familiarise yourself with the location of the fire safety equipment and fire exits. Remember your usual exit route may not be available in a fire. The fire extinguishers have a tag fitted around the handle which shows that the extinguisher is in good working order and is ready to use. To use the extinguisher, tear off this tag and follow the instructions. If you notice any missing or damaged tags, report this to a member of staff immediately. You must also tell a member of staff if you use an extinguisher, so the contents can be replaced. If you don't do this, you will be charged for a new one.

Items not allowed in the Independent Living Suite because of fire risk:

• Portable electric or gas heaters.

• Items with a naked flame, e.g. candles.

• Electrical decorations.

Never leave the kitchen when you're cooking! Make sure you close the kitchen door and remember to turn on the extractor fan and open the window as well.

IF YOU DISCOVER A FIRE

If you know there is a fire then ring the fire brigade on 999 and set off the fire alarm and vacate the building as safely as possible.

IF THE FIRE ALARM SOUNDS

Always assume it's for real. Evacuate the building immediately and go directly to the assembly point. Make sure you’re familiar with these, so you know what to do in an emergency. Don't use the lifts. Don’t store bikes / bags/ suitcases or anything else in corridors, stairwells or foyers, as they can cause an obstruction in the event of an evacuation. Don’t return to your room until a Fire Officer or staff member gives you permission. There may be a delay between the silencing of the alarm and the instruction to return to your flat to allow safety checks to be carried out.

Unfortunately, sometimes the fire alarm is activated by someone deliberately but without reason. This is a criminal offence. Anyone who activates the fire alarm without good reason will be fined.

Important Information: Cleaning

What you need to keep clean and tidy:

• Your bedroom.

• Any other communal areas, such as kitchen and dining space.

This means:

• Wash up / load and unload dishwasher.

• Keep surfaces clear.

• Clean any microwaves, fridges or ovens.

INSPECTIONS

We'll inspect your accommodation at the end of the week. If your accommodation fails an inspection you'll be given a short time to improve it before we re-inspect.

CLEANING TIPS

Shared accommodation gets dirty very quickly if everyone thinks someone else will do the cleaning. Follow these tips to make your and your fellow residents lives easier:

• Tackle the issue of cleaning when you move in. It’s usually easiest to draw up a rota with your flatmates, so that you each take turns to do the housework.

• Take out the rubbish regularly. Be careful with sharp objects – wrap them in newspaper or take them straight to the external dustbins.

• Clean the cooker and microwave straight away after cooking. Burnt-on food is harder to remove. Use a damp cloth and, if needed, a multi-surface kitchen cleaning product.

• Soak dried-on food and tough stains with the kitchen cleaner and use a non-scratch scouring pad to remove. Avoid abrasive scouring creams or you'll damage the surface of the appliances.

• Wash up after eating. Don’t leave dishes and pans in the sink to soak – it's not fair on others who want to use it.

• If you spill anything in the fridge, wipe it up immediately. It’s much harder to clean later.

• Wash out baths / showers when you've used them and take hair out of the plughole to avoid blockages.

• Use a toilet brush and clean the toilet regularly.

• Sweep or vacuum carpets and floors.

• Please dispose of products correctly – only dispose of toilet roll down the toilet. Put anything else into a bin. This includes sanitary products, cotton buds, hair, and disposable wipes – even “flushable” ones. In the kitchen, don’t wash leftover fat, oil, greasy sauces, or food scraps down the sink.

Please remember to report any damage to your accommodation straight away.

HOW TO: Wash clothes in the washing machine

As with most appliances, there are a few tricks to using the washing machine that make a huge difference your clothes. Here are the basics of how to use different types of washing machine to their full potential, and get the best cleaning results for your clothes.

DETERGENT AND FABRIC SOFTENER

Front-loading washing machines come with a drawer to dispense detergent during the washing cycles – either liquid detergent or powder. Your machine might also have separate compartments for fabric softener (delivered during the final rinse). Some detergents, like capsules, are placed directly into the drum, so make sure to check the instructions first.

Detergent containers have guidelines as to the amount required per wash: quantities will vary depending on your water supply –whether it is hard or soft –, how dirty your clothes are, and what size the load is. Just add the product according to your needs (following the directions on the label).

WASHING MACHINE SETTINGS AND CYCLES

Different types of clothes require different settings to get everything completely clean, without problems occurring in the washing process, such as colour bleed. Putting a coloured t-shirt in with white tops for a wash will cause the colour to seep into your pristine white fabrics! This is why it is a good idea to separate, then organise your dirty laundry into their setting categories, before “wash day”. It’ll minimise the risk of any damage or discolouration significantly.

It is also important to always check the care label on your clothes, before putting them into a wash. The label will tell you which washing machine settings to use, as well as how to dry the item afterwards. Every washing machine will display their settings in a slightly different way.

It’s always a good idea to check the manual to familiarise yourself with the available settings and cycles. But what do these settings mean, and what is happening in each washing cycle?

Normal

Used for cottons and coloured, mixed fabrics. This cycle uses warm water (30oC or 40oC) to wash the clothes, followed by a cold-water rinse, with moderate agitation (machine spin) speeds. Modern detergents work just as well at 30oC as at 40oC; running your wash at a lower temperature will save energy and work out cheaper old in the long run.

Whites

Used for white clothing to get everything properly clean. This cycle generally uses the hottest water (60oC or 90oC) and strongest agitation speeds available to get the dirt out.

Delicates

Used for lace and other fabrics that could get damaged by a vigorous wash. This gentle cycle uses cold water and slow agitation speeds. It’s best to use a gentle detergent for delicate items.

Quick Rinse

Used for small, lightly soiled loads of clothing. This setting requires less water, and can save you energy.

Pre-wash

Used for very dirty loads that require extensive cleaning. The pre-wash counts as an extra rinse cycle, with cold water that does not use detergent.

WASHING MACHINE TIPS

• As well as the standard programs, your washing machine might come with a ‘load size’ setting: adjusting for small, medium or large washes will stop you from wasting water or energy, and ensure that clothes in a large load end up as clean as those in a small load.

• Make sure that you never overload your washing machine: its efficiency will be reduced, impacting the cleanliness of your clothes.

• Be sure to regularly maintain your washing machine to keep it cleaning properly.

• These washing machine tips will make the process of washing clothes simple, quick, and effective. Now you know how to use the washing machine more effectively and efficiently, you’ll be amazed at how much easier this household task becomes!

Fabric Care Symbols

HOW TO: Use an iron

1. Set up an ironing board – these are designed to absorb heat and moisture without suffering any damage.

2. Get your iron and fill up the water reservoir. This will be a compartment with a section that opens or detaches, and you can tip in water using a jug.

3. Lay out the wrinkly garment on the ironing board, arranging it so that it lies flat. If you iron over a wrinkle then you are just going to iron a creased line into your garment.

4. Turn on the iron. The metal section will begin to get hot – and fast. Suffice to say don’t touch it.

5. Run the hot flat side of the iron slowly and firmly over one side of the garment and smooth out those wrinkles.

6. Tackle each part of the garment separately. If it’s a shirt for instance, iron the collars, sleeves and cuffs and main body in turn.

7. Flip the piece of clothing over and smooth it out and repeat the process over on the other side.

8. Hang up the item on a hanger and you are done.

EXTRA RULES:

• For woollen garments, place a damp cloth between the item and the iron.

• For silk, turn the item inside out before ironing.

• Use a low setting on the iron for acetate, silk, wool and rayon, a medium setting for polyester and a high setting for cotton. The clothes label will tell you what the item is made from.

• If you are ironing different fabrics which need different settings, start from the bottom. Use the lowest heating first, then work your way up so that you don’t have to wait for the iron to cool down and to heat up each time.

• Don’t rest the iron on the clothes. They will burn.

HOW TO:

Cook simple meals

Why not try these ideas as a starting point…

OMELETTE

A basic omelette makes a fantastic budget breakfast, lunch or dinner when you’re in a hurry. Once you’ve mastered cooking and folding the eggs, the world is your oyster when it comes to flavours and fillings. Try cheese, ham, mushrooms, spinach, peppers, chorizo, shredded chicken, herbs and spices – anything goes! Serve with salad for a light lunch, or with crusty bread or potatoes for a heartier meal.

ROAST CHICKEN

This is a great dish for sharing with your new housemates. What’s more, a whole chicken is better value than individual pieces and the leftovers are perfect for turning into fast midweek meals. Chuck into salads, shred over tacos, stir into pasta, or simply stuff in a sandwich.

MEAT RAGU

Don’t be put off by the fancy title, learning how to cook a rich, meaty ragu will set you up for some of your favourite meals. With minced beef and chopped tomatoes, you’ve got the start of a bolognese or lasagne; add some spice and beans for a chilli con carne, or try lamb for a shepherd’s pie. Vegetarian? No problem, try a delicious mushroom ragu instead.

SIMPLE BATTER

It may sound too good to be true, but a classic batter of flour, eggs and milk can form the basis of many wonderful dishes. This same basic batter can be used for delicious pancakes for breakfast, brunch or dessert, for fluffy Yorkshire puddings to take your roast to the next level, or for a hearty toad-in-the-hole.

TOP FRIDGE-PACKING TIPS

• Store meat on the bottom shelf. It’s the coldest place in the fridge and packaged raw meat should live here. Yogurts should also live on the bottom shelf for the same reason.

• Eggs should be kept in their egg box and are most at home on the middle shelf. If you have a handy middle drawer, store cooked meats here. Otherwise place them on the bottom shelf too.

• Butter and cheese don’t need to be super cold, so are best on middle-top shelves. Condiments tend to be packed with natural preservatives so can live in the door or on the top shelf.

• Fruit and vegetables are happiest in the fridge drawers, where the atmosphere is a little more humid.

MEAL PLANNING

Meal planning is the fine art of working out how you can most cost-effectively buy and use ingredients, so that you‘re not having o visit the supermarket every evening or throwing food you haven’t used into the bin every week.

Your best bet is to find different ways of using the same ingredients to make a completely different meals with only one or 2 items substituted or added, so you have some variation without wasting loads or spending a small fortune. For example a pack of chicken breast could last a week and could be used to make chicken pasta, curry, chicken wrapped in bacon and fajitas. The veg you buy to go alongside this can be

utilised in multiple meals. Alternatively you could bulk -cook something in a big batch like a bolognese or a chilli con carne, which will require you to buy fewer ingredients. You can just heat these up whenever you are in a rush and can’t be bothered to cook or when you fancy something a bit easier.

STORE CUPBOARD ESSENTIALS

Before we leave home, it’s easy to take the fully stocked cupboards for granted. Setting up your own kitchen, it’s a great idea to keep some essentials on hand so that you can rustle up a quick meal, or add flavour with a pinch of this or a spoonful of that. Here are our recommended ingredients to get you started:

Cooking essentials

Olive oil (for cooking and dressings), plain flour (baking, batters and thickening), bicarbonate of soda (for baking and even cleaning), sugar, salt and pepper.

Cheap carbs

Pasta, rice and couscous (for fast meals, sides and bulkier salads – allow roughly 75g per portion), oats (for porridge, muesli, homemade granola and flapjacks to power you through those all-nighters).

Tinned veg and pulses

Chopped tomatoes, sweetcorn, beans, lentils and chickpeas (these can be whizzed into homemade houmous as well).

HOW TO:

Cook simple meals

Dried herbs and spices

Mixed herbs, dried chilli, cumin (for easy Middle Eastern flavour) and paprika (for a smoky hit).

Sauces and liquids

Stock cubes, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce (for a splash of instant flavour), coconut milk (for Asian soups and curries), sweet chilli sauce (for spicy dipping and drizzling), gravy granules (when only a roast will do…).

Jars

Pesto (for an immediate pasta sauce), mustard (for a hit with meats and fish), curry paste (for curry in a hurry), peanut butter (for snacking and sandwiches).

Fresh staples

Onions, potatoes, garlic, ginger (all keep well at room temperature).

Protein

Tinned tuna (ready to be added to pasta, salads, sandwiches or jacket potatoes), eggs, nuts and seeds (to add crunch to breakfast, salads, stir-fries and bakes)

SHARE THE COOKING

Cooking for one can sometimes be pricey, so sharing the cooking with your flatmates can not only help your money go further, but it’s also a fun way to get to know people and try some new recipes, too. Try making a rota so you don’t end up cooking every day, or plan a group dinner once or twice a week where you share the cooking (and the washing up…) together. This could be a speedy midweek meal, Friday night curry feast or weekend roast to get everyone together.

LEARN AS YOU GO

Learning to cook will be a bit of a rollercoaster at times – there may be some burnt bits and ruined pans along the way – but it should be an enjoyable journey, too. Whether you’re starting from scratch or expanding your existing skills, university can be a great place to experiment in the kitchen with dishes and ingredients you love. From sharing homemade nachos on the sofa with your housemates to beating morning tiredness with a hearty breakfast, every recipe you cook will help your kitchen confidence grow.

RICE AND PASTA

These will become the mainstay of your university meals, for two very good reasons: they are cheap and filling. It’s crucial that you know how to cook them. Both rice and pasta come in wholemeal or white varieties. The white versions are what you are probably familiar with, but it’s worth trying the wholemeal varieties as they are much better for you.

HOW TO COOK PASTA

There are enough shapes and sizes of pasta to eat a different one every day. In the pasta recipes that follow we’ve told you what pasta shape to use for any given dish, but you don’t need to stick to it. Quantity wise, ½ pint or 1 mug of dried pasta shapes will be more than enough per person. All shop-bought pasta will come with cooking instructions for you to follow.

Tips

Timings on the packet can vary, so check for doneness a minute or so before the allocated time is up, and check again just before draining.

Method

Cook pasta in loads of simmering water with a teaspoon of salt added to it. Once your pasta is cooked, season it with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper.

If you cook too much pasta, leave it to cool completely, cover and refrigerate. To reheat, simply immerse in boiling water for 2 minutes.

HOW TO COOK RICE

There are two kinds of rice and they need different cooking methods. Long-grain, easy-cook rice is simply added to a generous amount of boiling water and drained when cooked. It’s almost impossible to get wrong. Having said this, it is also the worst rice for flavour.

The best type of rice is either basmati or jasmine, cooked using the absorption method. No, we haven’t stolen the term from a chemistry textbook — this is a real cookery method, and this is how you do it to get two portions of perfectly cooked rice.

Method

Pour a mug of rice into a saucepan that has a lid. Pour in enough water to cover. If you have time, leave the rice to soak for 15 minutes. Carefully pour out as much of the water as possible. With the mug you used to measure the rice, pour in 1½ mugs of fresh water. Place the saucepan over a high heat and bring to the boil. Once the water is boiling rapidly, place the lid on top and reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting. Leave the rice to cook like this for 6 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to sit with the lid on for a further 5 minutes. You now have perfect rice.

HOW TO: Cook simple meals

CHEAP AND EASY MEAL IDEAS

Pasta

• Spaghetti and meatballs

• Spaghetti carbonara

• Penne pasta with chicken and bacon

• Pasta with chicken and pesto

• Pasta bake – tuna / pancetta/ veg

• Mac n Cheese

• Lasagne

Eggs

• Omelette

• Spanish tortilla

Noodles

• Stir fry

• Pad Thai

• Noodle with soy sauce and edamame beans

Chicken

• Chicken wrapped in bacon with cheese and pesto

• Chicken in soy sauce

• Chicken stir fry

• Chicken fajitas

• Chicken korma

• Chicken tikka masala

• Chicken pie

Meaty Dishes

• Sausage and mash

• Sausage casserole

• Sweet and sour pork

• Chilli con carne

• Thai green curry

• Shepherd’s pie

Fish Dishes

• Salmon Fillet with rice / noodles and veg

• Fishcakes

• Baked fish

• Paella

Veggie

• Baked aubergines

• Vegetable bake

• Pizza

• Halloumi and avocado fajitas

• Pea and asparagus risotto

• Sweet potato and vegetable curry

Breakfast ideas

• Eggs

• Porridge

• Granola and yoghurt

• Muesli

• Cereal

• Bacon / sausage sandwich

• Avocado on toast

I feel too unwell to go to school. You should contact Boarding House staff on 07786 854 939, email your form tutor and the Head of Boarding Mr Auld know asap. We can arrange for you to be seen by the medical centre and a decision will be made on how best to proceed.

I have broken something, or something is not working.

Please email Mrs Moilliet katie.moilliet@freemens.org as soon as possible and she can arrange for it to be fixed.

I am miserable and want to go home…

Don’t worry we all feel a bit low at times. Let us know how you are feeling, and we can try to help.

My fellow residents are too loud / not tidying up / annoying…

Learning how to live with other people is a key skill you will need to embrace. Try talking to them about how their behaviour makes you feel. If you feel this approach is not working then let Mrs Moilliet or Mr Auld know.

This place is amazing, I want to invite my friends here in the evening. Sorry no guests that aren’t enrolled in the week can visit the Independent Living Suite.

I have football / netball / judo training in the evenings – can I still go?

Yes of course. Just make sure you are back by 10pm.

What do I do if...