Boarding
MS MARGUERITE DUNNE, HEAD OF BOARDING
As one of the largest all-girl boarding schools in Australia, Fairholme College continues to be a leading education facility in the residential care of young women. In 2019 there were many successes and highlights to be celebrated. Ranging in age from ten to 19 years, the boarding students constituted approximately 30% of the student body in the Middle School and over 40% of the Senior School, with a small number of Junior School Boarders. The majority of Boarders came from country areas of Queensland and New South Wales, with smaller numbers from the Northern Territory, Western Australia, and the ACT and some from metropolitan areas and overseas countries.
At the start of the year the College welcomed over 40 new boarding students and families to our modern and vibrant ‘first class’ boarding facilities which include comfortable bedrooms with individual study areas, vanity units and ample cupboard spaces, and relaxing common areas with kitchenettes available on each floor; and a fully equipped Health Centre offering 24/7 medical care. The vertical structure of the Boarding House, where all age groups are mixed across the various floors creates an environment that fosters friendship and support amongst all the girls. Learning to live in a community is a vital skill for life, and boarding at Fairholme offers the girls many opportunities for enrichment and enhancement. The boarding students form close, often lifelong, friendships with their fellow Boarders and develop values such as independence, tolerance and resilience.
2019 was a year full of many special moments and the Fairholme Boarders, with their endless spirit, were well represented across the breadth of College activities, and celebrated many successes in their academic, sporting and cultural endeavours. Of note were the outstanding academic results gained by the 2019 Year 12 boarding cohort, with over 70% receiving an OP 1- 10. Study routines and supervised ‘Prep’ (homework) time throughout the week assisted the boarding students in their academic work and the availability of academic staff to help with study in the evenings supported the girls’ academic performance. The Boarders attended Sunday Services at the College Chapel and at numerous local churches. The Boarding House Bible Study Groups (Junior, Middle and Senior) have continued under the guidance of the Assistant to the Boarding House – Pastoral Care.
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