Protectionofpersonalpossesions

One boarder’s possessions will often be identical or similar to another’s, especially items of school uniform and electrical items. It is, therefore, essential for all personal possessions to be marked with name labels.

It is important for each individual boarder to take responsibility for the good care and security of their own property. Plymouth College does not accept liability for the loss of boarders’ personal possessions. It is also important that all boarders are able to trust the other members of the house not to interfere with their personal possessions.

The boarding houses are kept secure and boarders are asked to keep the security codes to themselves to prevent access by nonboarders.

Boarders are expected to keep their personal possessions in their own allocated space to keep them safe. Passports and large amounts of money may be handed into the House Parents who will keep them locked safely away in the safe within the staff office, if written consent is given by parents

Each boarder has access to a lockable drawer, either in the desk or wardrobe, where they are encouraged to keep valuable items, such as money, mobile phones and expensive possessions. Please bring a padlock for this drawer, preferably a coded one as keys can be lost. During school holidays all personal possessions must be packed away into clearly named suitcases or zipped bags and stored in the locked store rooms in each house.

Even though each boarder is provided with sufficient storage facilities possessions can be mislaid, borrowed and never returned and, on occasion, even stolen. It is recommended that parents ensure that expensive items are appropriately insured. Whenever a boarder cannot find a personal possession the loss must be reported to the House Parent. The House Parent will then do the following:

Lossofpersonalpossesion

Help the boarder re-trace his/her steps and think through when/where the item was last seen. Actively help the boarder to look for the item. Encourage the boarder to look in the school lost property and bag store and ask the Porters for assistance.

Announce the loss in House Meetings and encourage others to hand in ‘found’ or borrowed items.

If the item is not found and is valuable then parents will be informed.

In all instances of a theft being reported first ask – has the item definitely been stolen or could it have been mislaid? If it could have been mislaid then follow the points 1 to 4 above for ‘loss of a personal possession’. If an item is known to have been stolen then follow the next steps.

TheftofaPersonalPossession intheBoardingHouse

Take details of the stolen item, including time and place of theft, or the time and place it was last seen. Call a house meeting to alert everyone to the theft and ask for witnesses and information. Boarders are asked to co-operate in a search of the house including their own areas, which will only be searched if the boarder is present. The search will be carried out by a member of staff in the presence of an adult witness. If the search is successful the member of staff will record the outcome and inform the Head of Boarding who will decide what action to take.

If the search is unsuccessful, a short amnesty will be given so that the item may be returned either to the owner, or to a member of staff, or to a specified neutral point. If the amnesty passes without the item being returned the police will be informed via the website: Report My Loss

TheftofaPersonalPossessionon Schoolsite

Take details of the stolen item, including time and place of theft, or the time and place it was last seen. Inform the Deputy Head in writing of the allegation of theft. The Deputy Head will decide what action to take.

TheftofaPersonalPossession offSchoolsite

Take details of the stolen item, including time and place of theft, or the time and place it was last seen. Inform the police. The House Parent will inform parents.

In the boarding house personal privacy may be somewhat limited. It is therefore very important that each boarder respects each other.

Boarders may not enter another person’s room without permission and must always knock first before entering. Members of staff will always knock loudly before entering.

Boarders must be considerate when using a mobile phone when others are in the same room (find somewhere else to take the call).

Boarders may not use or borrow things without permission (things get lost this way).

Music should not be played so loudly that it may be heard outside the room.

When watching TV and using the common rooms boarders must be aware of reasonable noise levels and consider other people.

Guests must be accompanied at all times and must remain on the ground floors of the boarding houses.

Members of staff will do their best not to sensitive to boarders at all times.