House Handbook Hall House 2022/2023 Information For Parents And Guardians
Page 3
Page 4
Introduction to Hall House
Contacts
Page 5 House Staff
Page 5 Prefects
Page 6 House Routines and Rules
Page 7
Sanctions and House Rewards
Page 8 House Daily Routine
Page 10 Other information
2 Contents
IHall House was first inaugurated in 1895 and its location was at the heart of the School. In those days the house was purely for boarding sons of Methodist ministers following the school’s move to Bath in 1850.
In October 2014 we moved into a brand new purpose built accommodation, on the west side of the school below Summerhill house. Our House takes its name from the fact that it originally occupied the space above the dining hall, and has an interesting history with its unique symbol of the constellation of Cassiopeia. Its colour is scarlet red.
Hall House consists (from September 2022) of one hundred and eighteen students, of whom thirty nine are boarders and the remainder are day students. There are five year groups in the House (Year 9 through to the Upper Sixth). I am immensely proud to have been appointed as the new Senior Houseparent of Hall house and as a new person in Hall I look forward to welcoming all the other new faces at the start of term. I live in the House with my wife and we have two children, both of whom will be starting at the Prep school this September. There are three assistant Houseparents, one of whom is resident within the house, Mr Jude Chua. Three non-resident housekeepers take care of the cleaning, laundry and other domestic responsibilities. There are also six additional tutors who do not have House mastering responsibilities.
The assistant Houseparents and tutors assist the Senior Houseparent in the pastoral care of all in the House. All the staff tutor a group of students and seek to monitor the academic and general development of those in their care.
The House, in the day, is mainly a social centre and each day student has a locker in main school where they can keep their books and equipment. Hall House aims to be a place where our students can grow, have a sense of responsibility for themselves and others, and learn to co-operate with and support one another, as members of a team. All are encouraged to work hard, to achieve their best in a secure, well-ordered home from home. Good manners, good humour and common decency are expected at all times.
In addition to the general aims of the school, Hall House aims:
• To encourage all to achieve their potential academically, and to participate positively in the wider aspects of school life;
• To provide a secure, supportive and friendly environment in which all can flourish;
• To foster a sense of personal and corporate responsibility, and a willingness to serve others;
• To help individuals acquire the skills needed for working and living with others;
• To give all the opportunity to develop leadership skills.
3
Contacts
Official House address: New Hall House College Road Bath
BA1 5RT
Hall House Office: 01225 734410
Hall House Mobile: 07436 152342
School Office: 01225 734200
Senior Houseparent: Mr Barney Brown (Year 9 tutor) 01225 734234 | 07436 152342 (bbrown@kingswood.bath.sch.uk)
If you wish to contact me there will always be a member of the staff in the House between 4.30pm and 5.45pm and again between 8.30pm and 10.30pm who will be able to take a message if I am not in. If you have an urgent message for me during the day please contact the school office. You can also leave a message on the House phone. I regularly check my emails and will endeavor to respond to them within twenty-four hours unless they require more urgent attention.
If you wish to contact one of the other members of the House staff please leave a message and I will pass it on to the relevant person, or alternatively, you can email them.
Please do not hesitate to contact me over anything with regard to your child. I would far rather deal with things as they occur and not let them develop into bigger issues. I will also ensure that I contact you if I have any concerns or if I feel things are going particularly well.
Barney Brown (Senior Houseparent, Teacher Design & Technology)
4
House Staff
Assistant Houseparents
All Houseparents can be contacted on the Hall House Mobile or Office telephone when it is their duty night (07436 152342/01225 734410).
Mr Jude Chua Resident, Year 13 tutor, Mathematics teacher (jchua@kingswood.bath.sch.uk)
Mr Tim Reeman Year 10 tutor, Director of Games (treeman@kingswood.bath.sch.uk)
Mr George Newbold Westwood tutor, History teacher (gnewbould@kingswood.bath.sch.uk)
Mrs Sarah Brown Hall Houseparent (sbrown@kingswood.bath.sch.uk)
Tutors
The tutors allocated to Hall have specialist knowledge in certain year groups and are allocated on this principle. They will contact you at the start of the term to introduce themselves and also ensure you have details of how to contact them should the need arise.
Mr Tom Moat
Year 13 tutor, Head of Geography (tmoat@kingswood.bath.sch.uk)
Mr Gareth Edgell Year 12 tutor, Head of Computer Science (gedgell@kingswood.bath.sch.uk)
Mr Tristram Wright
Year 12 tutor, Economics teacher (Twright@kingswood.bath.sch.uk)
Mr Edward Peerless Year 11 tutor, Head of Physics (epeerless@kingswood.bath.sch.uk)
Mr Matthew Smith Year 11 tutor, Mathematics teacher (mdsmith@kingswood.bath.sch.uk)
Mr Jonny Moore
Year 10 tutor, Physics teacher (jmoore@kingswood.bath.sch.uk)
Mrs Natalie Brett
Year 9 tutor, Physics teacher (nbrett@kingswood.bath.sch.uk)
Mrs Amy Davidge
Year 9 tutor, Maths teacher (adavidge@kingswood.bath.sch.uk)
Prefects
The School’s philosophy is to give areas of responsibility to pupils where it is felt appropriate. Pupils are supported in undertaking these roles and training is provided along with regular meetings with senior staff. All House Prefects will be given written guidelines on how to effectively run a duty.
In each of the senior Boarding Houses there are a team of Prefects, overseen by a Head of Boarding, selected by the Senior House staff.
Ollie J W Head of House
Oliver H W Deputy Head of House
William W Head of Boarding
Senior Prefects
Daniel A
Bryan Au Y
Kenneth K
Kit M
Peter R-J
House Prefects
All Year 13 will automatically be House Prefects and be expected to carry out house prefect duties and responsibilities.
Housekeepers
Denise Grantham & Jason Seymour
We are lucky to have these excellent housekeepers. They look after the House cleaning, laundry arrangements and so on.
5
House Routines and Rules
1. Pupils are expected to behave with good sense, good manners and good will at all times.
2. Friendliness, helpfulness and sensitivity to others is expected of all pupils.
3. House members are expected to co-operate with the prefects and staff as they carry out their duties.
4. During prep, pupils work silently, and the use of personal electronic equipment are only permitted in consultation with House staff. Questions may only be asked during the prep breaks (7.25pm –7.30pm and 8.00pm – 8.05pm) and nobody should leave the prep rooms except to visit the toilet, in an emergency, or to go to an approved study area (IT centre/Art block/DT centre/Music block).
5. Visitors from other Houses are not permitted in bedrooms.
6. Visitors from other Houses are welcome but must be signed in by a house member and should only be in the common room. Their host is responsible for their good behaviour.
7. Everyone should observe the times to be back in the House, in their bedrooms and should be quiet after lights out. Nobody should be out of bed after lights out except to visit the toilet or in an emergency.
8. Everyone is responsible for doing their own washing up or loading the dishwasher.
9. Food should be eaten with a plate and may only be consumed in the common room. Everyone should ensure that rubbish is put in bins and appropriate items put into the recycle bins
10. Everyone is responsible for making their own bed in the morning and keeping his area of the room tidy.
11. Nobody should be back in the House during lesson times without specific permission from a member of the House Staff.
12. 18 certificate films and games are not to be shown or played in the House. Other films may be played but permission must first be given by the member of staff on duty.
13. Applications for weekend exeats (leave), should be made through Boardingware or via emails and these must be made by the Friday lunchtime preceding the relevant weekend.
14. Visits to Bath should only be made at the appropriate times and everyone should sign out using Boardingware. Year 9 & Year 10 boys must also seek permission from the member of staff on duty in the House before each visit.
15. To help promote a good night’s sleep, all boarders in Years 9-11 must ensure all electronic devices are put into their lockers in the locker room at bedtime. They will be allowed to recollect them again in the morning prior to breakfast.
16. Pupils are expected to be sensitive in their use of phones. Nobody should get calls after their bed times.
17. Mobile phones and Lap-top computers should not be used after lights out and should be used sensibly at all times.
18. It is highly recommended that items of value and sums of money over £10 should be deposited with the Houseparent in the office safe.
19. Pupils are expected to support House events and competitions whenever possible.
20. Smoking (cigarettes or e-cigarettes) or bringing alcohol or drugs into the House are considered very serious breaches of trust and will be dealt with accordingly.
6
In addition to the School Community Code, the following are rules specific to Hall House, or are a reiteration of School rules that are particularly important.
Sanctions
House Sanctions
House sanctions are recorded in the House Duty Log, and checked termly by senior management. For a day student to receive a House sanction it will be because of (i) persistent lateness in arrival to school or for registrations or (ii) persistent incorrect or untidy wearing of uniform. In the first instance a House detention will take place in activity time from 4.30pm –5.30pm, and secondly from 5.30pm – 6.30pm on a Friday evening with a member of the Senior Management Team. If your child is required to attend a Saturday morning detention, you will be notified at the earliest possible opportunity. A minimum of 24 hours’ notice will be given.
We ask for day parents’ support in ensuring your child is dressed correctly on leaving home in the morning and in arriving to school punctually. For correct dress/jewellery code please refer to the pupil/parent handbook.
Boarder Sanctions
Late for breakfast
• Years 9-11 must be in Breakfast by 7.55am
• Sixth Form must be in Breakfast by 8.05am
SANCTIONS:
1. First late - a warning will be given by SMT on Duty and recorded
2. Second late within a fortnight - report to SMT on breakfast duty at 7.30am next morning
3. Three ‘lates’ within a fortnight – SMT inform SHS and pupils report to House staff 7.10am for a week
4. Repeated offence will follow the School’s Sanction Policy Levels 3 where detention and or service to the community will be given
Late for registration
• All boarders are expected to report for registration on time
SANCTIONS:
1. Boarders will be asked to report early for the next registration
2. For repeated lateness, without good reason, House staff may reasonably ask boarders to give back to the House Community in some way
Late return to house Friday and Saturday evenings
• No Sixth Form students should be returning alone from town to Houses
• On Friday nights all Sixth Form are due back at 10.00pm
• On Saturday nights U6 are due back by 10.45pm, L6 are due back by 10.00pm
SANCTIONS:
1. If a boarder is late, without good reason, town leave will be forfeited the following weekend
2. Second offence, if late without good reason, and with professional judgement made by the SHS, town leave denied for the week. Parents & Head of Boarding informed
3. Repeated offence, without reason, and with professional judgement made by SHS, town leave will be denied for half term. Deputy Head Pastoral will be involved at this stage as this constitutes a serious offence and breaches the community code
All other sanctions are in line with the School Sanctions (please see Pupil and Parent Handbook 2022/23)
House Rewards
There are several awards given to members of the house throughout the year including the Hall House Rugby Player of the Season in the Autumn term; Hall House Hockey Player of the Season in the Spring term and Hall House Hero awarded at the end of the academic year to a member of the house who encapsulates everything the house stands for.
The boarders also have the opportunity to be recognised with a Wyvern Award from the Head of Boarding. This is given to boarders who contribute above and beyond to the community.
7
House Daily Routine
MONDAY – FRIDAY
Boarders
7.00am Years 9-12 woken by staff on duty
7.45am Breakfast (Years 9-11 must be in breakfast by 7.55am L6 & U6 must be in breakfast by 8.05am
All students
8.25am Monday to Thursday: Registration in Theatre Foyer; Friday registration in Hall House Common Room
8.40am School routine begins
Boarders
6.25pm Year 9, 10, 11 participating in prep, to be waiting in an orderly fashion in the Hall House Common Room
6.30pm Prep begins for all year groups after registration
7.25pm Prep break
7.30pm Prep continues
8.00pm Year 9 prep finishes and can use kitchen/go to activities
8.05pm Prep continues for Years 10 and 11
8.30pm Year 9 to be in Houses
8.30pm Year 10 & 11 prep finishes
9.00pm Year 10 and Year 11 to be in House; Year 9 to own rooms
9.15pm Year 9 in bed; Year 10 to own rooms
9.30pm Year 9 LIGHTS OUT; Year 10 in bed; Year 11 to own rooms
9.45pm Year 10 LIGHTS OUT; Year 11 in bed
10.00pm Sixth form in the House; Year 11 LIGHTS OUT
10.15pm L6 to own rooms
10.30pm L6 LIGHTS OUT – Side lights on 10.45pm Final Duty staff check
8
SATURDAY
10.00am House check by MOD and registration
12.00pm House meeting and registration in Common Room
12.05pm Lunch
6.30pm House meeting and registration in Common Room
9.00pm All Year 9, 10 and 11 to be back in the House
10.00pm L6 to be back in the House
10.45pm U6 to be back in the House
11 30pm All lights to be out
SUNDAY
8.00am Light breakfast available in House
10.00am House check by MOD (No boarder to leave the House before the check without permission from MOD.)
11.00-12.00pm Brunch in dining hall
12.0 pm House meeting and registration in Common Room
5.30pm Supper
6.30pm House meeting and registration in common room followed by Quiet Time / tidying of house and bedrooms etc.
7.30pm Sixth form may go to Dixon
8.15pm Routine as for Monday-Friday until lights out
9
Other Information
House Fund
The House facilities include Plasma television with access to all Sky channels, a DVD player, a Bluetooth sound system, pool table, table tennis tabletop (that goes over the pool table), two computers (with skype facilities) and a well-equipped kitchen. A number of House social events take place during the course of the year, including theatre and cinema trips and termly parties. The School provides each House with a small allowance to help towards the cost of these, but I also have to apply a small annual House levy, which helps to fund House entertainment, which is added to the School account: £10.00 per Boarder and £5.00 per day pupil per term.
Valuables
Personal monies and articles of considerable value pose security problems. Members of the House are free to bring laptops, personal music players and musical instruments Year 10 and above boarders can bring in games consoles and monitors but these must not be used as televisions. Lap-top computers and tablets are also a major part of ‘everyday’ equipment, as are mobile phones; while members of the House are free to bring the above equipment with them, borrowing and lending is strongly discouraged and the owner must be entirely responsible for his own property. Every pupil has a lockable space and is encouraged to use it for valuables. Boarders are asked to give me air tickets, passports and larger sums of money etc. for safe-keeping.
Domestic Arrangements
Will all pupils ensure that all their possessions, including School and casual clothes are clearly marked, as they will be laundered at the School laundry. There is a depressing amount of lost property that could be returned if items were named.
For Years 9, 10 and 11
Please could you ensure that your child uses a kit bag to bring sports clothes to School (day students). They will have an allocated space in the Locker Room to store their bag. In addition, please make sure that you clearly mark all your child’s clothing before it arrives at School to help avoid items going astray. Each student must also provide a padlock for their locker It is recommended that a spare key is kept in the Senior Houseparents’ office.
Any queries about domestic arrangements should be addressed to the Senior Houseparent in the first instance. Health and medical needs are dealt with by the Medical Centre.
Day Pupil Prep
Day pupils have the option to do their prep at school from 6.30pm – 8.30pm. Day pupils can sign in at registration for supper and prep on the morning of the day they want to stay. For day pupils not staying for prep the earliest time of departure for Years 9, 10 and 11 is 5.30pm. If for any reason your child has to leave before this time on a certain day, I need to have written notification from you. Sixth form day pupils may leave at 4.35pm if they have no further School commitments that day.
10
Day Pupil Absence
If your eventuality, please phone possible e.g. between 8.00am and 8.25am or email using the following address: registration@kingswood.bath.sch.uk
Alternatively, a message can be left for me at the School office, or a note sent if possible before the absence occurs, but certainly when your son returns to School. The School is required by law to keep detailed and accurate registers and documentary evidence is required from parents to cover every period of absence. Registration takes place at 8.25am and in every lesson and your help in ensuring that your child arrives on time or is accountable for is much appreciated. If they are late for any reason, they must register in the school office.
Exeat Arrangements for Boarders
If you would like to take your child home for the weekend or allow them to visit a friend's home, please correspond using Boardingware or email to confirm arrangements. I will also need correspondence from the host parents if your child is visiting a friend. May I remind you that team or other school responsibilities must come first, and pupils must ensure that nothing is missed.
Holiday and Travel Arrangements
Please indicate your child’s holiday arrangements for the coming year or term, by completing the pro-forma that will be sent to you by the School office. It should contain details of dates and methods of travel. The School dates are pre-published and should be adhered to where possible. If, due to exceptional circumstances, your child needs to miss School to travel home or to a guardian etc. please contact the Headmaster, Mr Gordon-Brown to obtain permission.
11
Additional Support for Pupils
There are a range of services at Kingswood designed to offer students support, their tutor and house parent are the initial points of support but if a student wants to, they can communicate with any member of staff they feel comfortable speaking with. This could include speaking with the Deputy head pastoral/designated safeguard lead.
The additional support systems in place include the school counsellor, the medical centre, Off the record, Childline, Frank, the riverside clinic, office of the children's commissioner. The medical centre/wellbeing hub can also be accessed by pupils during the school day.
The contact details for these services are displayed in the school and on the boarding house notice boards.
House Events
Hall is twinned with the girls’ house Fonthill. During the course of the year, several House events take place and are competed for as paired Houses: These are:
House Music Competition
House Debating
Swimming
Athletics
Autumn term
Autumn term
Summer term
Summer term
At the end of each term we have a House Social with Fonthill and all of the students are expected to attend.
We compete with the other boys’ Houses in various events including:
Rugby Autumn term
Hockey
Spring term
Cross Country Spring term
Cross Country Relays
Summer term
There are also various other trips for boarders ranging from team building activities, skating, bowling, cinema, Thorpe Park, shopping trips. These are family style activities with a member of staff. Rather than contacting you to give permission on each occasion, a form is sent to you to enable you to give consent for your child to attend any trips which will cost under £30.
Barney Brown Senior Houseparent, Design & Technology August 2022
12
