WELCOME TO MULLINER
Welcome to Mulliner
We are thrilled to have you here with us in Mulliner and we really hope you will be happy here.
Your final year is something very special It’s something that you have been working towards throughout your time at Sherborne Girls Moving from your old house to Mulliner is a step towards your life beyond school but it is also an important rite of passage in itself. A successful year will see you become the person you really want to be when you leave us.
You will want to exercise independence, take personal responsibility for decisions and reflect on your academic and personal ambitions Supporting and respecting each other as a strong family unit will be just as important; it’s also your chance to further solidify friendships that you’ll have for life. Our aim is for you to leave here confident, open-minded, considerate, and aware of your future capabilities.
This booklet is a guide to living in Mulliner We rely a great deal on trust in this House In return for the trust we place in you and the freedom we give you, we expect certain standards of behavior and maturity. This is all part of the process of learning good habits for life.
We hope you enjoy your time here, and that your last year at Sherborne Girls will be more memorable for it This year is what you make of it and the whole Mulliner team is behind you!
Mrs Cole Housemistress
Impor t ant cont act det ails
House
Mrs Cole (Housemistress) 01935 818218 k cole@sherborne com
Assistant Housemistress: Miss Kirsty Gammack
Matrons: Mrs Gemma Pollitt (resident), Mrs Amanda Furber-Smith and Mrs Maggie Barlow
House email: mulliner@sherborne com
House landline: 01935 818219
House mobile: 07808 775580
School
Mrs Briggs (Senior Deputy Head Pastoral) 07711 002937 deputypastoral@sherborne.com
General SG Emergency Number 01935 818333
Please add these details to your phone It is important that you can get in touch with the House at all times. The House phone is answered by the Matron during the day, and the Tutor on duty in the evening.
Community
Mulliner is a unique House because you will live with the rest of your year group. Those who get the most out of Mulliner enter their Upper Sixth year with an open mind – they are ready to work hard, embrace new challenges, and make the most of social opportunities and the chance to expand friendship groups.
We are not a cliquey House. We adopt a ‘University Halls’ approach to rooming, where you are all mixed up Some people admit to finding this a little nervewracking at the start but all agree, you are never more than two minutes from good friends from your previous House. After the first week, they are glad the House is mixed, as it makes for a truly united year group and gives you the opportunity to get to know more people.
Our Mulliner community is strong because we are considerate and look out for one another. The Upper Sixth year is a chance to adopt a mature approach to communal living You will work hard but also have a lot of fun.
There are midweek optional socials to break up the working week such as DIY facemask sessions, relaxation colouring, craft nights and House competitions. There are also bigger events such as CourtsFest and formal suppers where the whole House comes together In the past, Prefects have also organised House trips to Flip Out to go trampolining and to a pottery-making workshop. You can bring your ideas to the House Prefects and they will help make it happen, whether that is an inhouse student cookery course, a Come Dine with Me series of suppers in the Snug or a Karaoke night
Ethos of the House
In Mulliner, we are here to encourage you to exercise independence but also give you any support you need as you navigate your A Level year. You will have different challenges to the other year groups in the School and Mulliner is a place where you can get specialist advice, concentrate on your goals, be surrounded by friends experiencing the same things and enjoy the privileges of being an Upper Sixth Former. We treat each other like family and celebrate each other’s talents and interests
Each year group has a different feel to it and we are keen that you all contribute to making this a successful and enjoyable final year at Sherborne Girls The Mulliner Prefects (selected by the first Exeat) play a vital role in this, running socials, organising midweek activities and leading meetings or prayers Mrs Cole and the team want you to feel at home enough to take risks and develop into the person you want to be when you leave Sherborne Girls. Mulliner is a stepping-stone to life beyond school – we know that you will want to make the most of it!
Bir thdays
Many of you will be turning 18 during your time in Mulliner, which is an exciting milestone. We mark the day in House with your name on the birthday board and present you with a small cake made by Paula, our amazing pastry chef.
You or your parents are also welcome to bring in your own cake to share with friends. Larger parties are to be saved for Exeats and holidays In line with the joint Sherborne School and Sherborne Girls alcohol policy, if your parents come to take you out for supper midweek, you may have one glass of alcohol under their supervision to toast turning 18
Visitors Communication
Girls from other Houses and boys from Sherborne School are very welcome to visit us here in Mulliner. There is a visitor signingin book that everyone must sign Please let the member of staff on duty know that a visitor has arrived. It is very important that they are introduced to the member of staff on duty. Boys are not allowed upstairs You must stay in the drawing room, snug or the dining room
Family members are always welcome to the House but nobody is allowed upstairs, including parents (unless it is the start or end of term).
In a large and busy house, it is essential that you are on top of your emails and also that you check the ‘What’s On’ whiteboard at the entrance daily for up-todate notices We also have a House WhatsApp group which both the girls and staff can use for important messages.
House meetings, sometimes led by Mrs Cole and sometimes the House Prefects, are an important time when the House comes together to discuss events that are happening that week and to organise the running of the House. As well as a place for hearing important notices, this is a forum for every member of the House to contribute their thoughts and ideas for Mulliner
Day pupils and day boarders
Day girls have a space to call their own in Mulliner. The Hive is the dedicated study space where you can base yourself during the school day, where you will have a locker, desk space and areas to work and relax. There is a kitchen with tea and toast making facilities, a dishwasher and a breakfast bar area. There are various work spaces for you to use and a comfy corner to relax and socialise. You can use any showers and toilets in the House to change for games and will have space to store your sports equipment, art work or musical instruments.
You are expected to be at School and sign in at 8.00am, ready to attend assembly, prayers or other
morning commitments which start at 8.10am. You may leave School after 5.00pm providing you have fulfilled all your school commitments, and of course sign out
If you are attending the Saturday evening social, you will leave from Mulliner at the start of the evening and return to Mulliner before going home Please do not arrange to be collected from town If you would like wristbands for ‘Stick’ (the joint social with Sherborne School), then you will eat supper in Mulliner beforehand on the Saturday
If you are a day boarder, it is really helpful for us to have an idea of your weekly routine so we can book meals accordingly
Dress code
The Sherborne Girls Sixth Form suit comprises a jacket and skirt or trousers, available from the School Shop only. Suits should be worn throughout the School working day Sixth Form pupils should not walk around the campus without wearing their jackets. Games/drama kit should only be worn in the session in which there are games/drama lessons; pupils should change back into their suits at the earliest opportunity
Compulsory regulation School Uniform available from the School Shop only:
• Sherborne Girls navy suit jacket
• Sherborne Girls navy suit skirts and/or trousers
• Sherborne Girls shirts, from a range of styles and colours
Skirts must not be shortened or rolled up They must be no shorter than 2” above the knee If a pupil is unable to wear the required uniform correctly then she will be issued with the appropriate item from the School shop with the cost being added to her School bill
Compulsory regulation School Uniform available from a retailer of choice:
• Shirts (buttoned, collared. Long or short sleeved that must not hang below the jacket)
• A black, navy blue or white polo neck jumper may be worn in place of a shirt
• Plain, low-heeled (less than 2.5cm) black or brown leather or leather-look shoes (no trainers, boots, ballet-style shoes, suede or canvas) suitable for walking round the School campus
• Plain black, navy or skin colour tights or black/navy/white ankle socks
Attire must be appropriate for a School working environment. The following are not permitted during the school day:
• Ostentatious designs, patterns, logos or images
• Strappy tops/vests - shoulders must be covered
• T-shirts
• Zipped tops
• Hooded tops
• Baggy or chunky jumpers or tops
• Clothing that does not fit smartly under the suit jacket
Optional Additional Uniform:
• Fine-knit jumper of any colour provided it has no obvious branding or pattern Please note that jumpers should not be so long that they extend beyond the length of the suit jacket, or the hems extend beyond the jacket sleeve length.
Hair, jewellery and make-up
The following are permitted:
• One earring in the lobe of each ear: only studs, no hoops and no other visible piercings
• One fine gold or silver chain necklace with small pendant
• One unostentatious ring (not to be worn in science lessons or Leith’s classes; it is the pupil’s responsibility to ensure it is removed and kept safe)
• Hair must be a natural colour, sensible in style with no extreme variation in length, kept clean and tidy and may be worn up or down Pupils who return to School with dyed hair (or dye their hair whilst at School) will be booked into a local hairdresser to have the colour removed, dyed or cut at their own expense The same applies to outlandish hair styles/cuts
• Discreet make-up and natural (clear or nude tones), unchipped nail varnish (no patterns/designs, no glitter, no nail extensions or acrylics) may be worn
• All jewellery must be removed for PE/games
Tattoos are not permitted. If a pupil has a pre-existing tattoo prior to entering the School it may not be visible at any time
Weekends Exeats
Going home at the weekends is flexible in Mulliner and at the discretion of the Housemistress.
In considering such requests, it is expected that you show a mature attitude to your studies, as you will not benefit from being away for the majority of weekends. You may not miss Sunday at School if there is an Abbey service If you are going to be away at the weekend you enter this in the weekend book by Wednesday evening. Parental permission should accompany this request, by email to mulliner@sherborne.com It is your responsibility to check that permission has been received. You should return in time for Evening Service.
On a Monday we place the weekend book in the dining hall By Wednesday evening you need to have filled this in stating your weekend plans and which meals you are staying in for
Exeats work the same as in other Houses. You are expected to wait until the end of the school day to go home at an exeat, even if you do not have timetabled lessons, as this is valuable study time.
Exceptions to this are handled separately between Direct of Sixth Form and HM of Mulliner The one difference is that in Trinity Term, Mulliner remains open for the first exeat, while all other Houses close. This is to allow you to stay in and study, should you wish.
Please be aware that Mulliner is often used for Lets in the holidays You may be asked to empty your room during the school holiday for this reason.
Going
out
Always remember to sign in/out and to have your access lanyard with you. You should never give your lanyard to someone else.
1 During the day (and for wholeSchool events in the evenings or at weekends such as services/ lectures) you may slide your magnet in/out
2 After each school day you need to sign in/out in the books by the office and state where you are going – even if you are going somewhere on campus
3 If you need to go off site during the day, you will need to both move your magnet and sign the book.
On weekdays you may go into town in the afternoon after lessons (after 5.00pm) if you have no other commitments.
On weekdays you should be back on the School site by 6.15pm.
On weeknights you must be back in House after prep by 9.30pm, and on
Saturdays by 10.30pm. Exceptions may be given if requested beforehand.
The first Saturday you are allowed to visit local public houses is in the Lent Term and at the discretion of the Head; visits will only be in the evening after 7.30pm. No one may visit a pub during the week or on a Sunday at any time.
You will be breathalysed before and after a School event and Saturday night pub visits where alcohol is served. The expectation is that no pupil should drink anything other than soft drinks, cider, beer or wine (maximum of two glasses).
School rules with regard to smoking/vaping apply at all times.
Yeovil, Bath, Salisbury and Exeter:
You are allowed to go to the above places on a Saturday or Sunday with permission from the member of staff on duty You may not miss any school commitments or services When there, bars and public houses are out of bounds.
Driving lessons
You may choose to take driving lessons in your Upper Sixth year. Please remember that your academic studies take priority and you are not allowed to miss school commitments for driving lessons. Driving lessons can be arranged during study periods, after school or during free time at the weekend.
The sourcing and arranging of driving lessons is a private arrangement between parents/guardians and the driving school We recommend that parents ask driving schools about appropriate checks for their drivers, such as a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check.
Once driving lessons have been arranged, please email mulliner@sherborne.com to provide: the name of the instructor, the name of the company and the instructor’s contact details and your parents’ permission. Matron keeps a record with the time and date of all driving lessons so that you can be signed out correctly If your lesson time changes, please let matron know.
Pupils are not permitted to bring, or drive, their cars onto school site, or to drive themselves, or others, to and/or from school.
Medication Goodnight
We dispense all paracetamol, ibuprofen and cold/flu remedies from the House office. Please hand medication in and we will dispense when you need them.
If you need to take medication every morning, please come to the office between 7.45am and 8.10am.
You must come down in person to the benches outside the Mulliner office between 9.00pm and 9.45pm to say goodnight to the evening duty member of staff. This is the final registration of the day.
There are no official ‘lights out’, but we do expect everyone to be in their own room doing something quiet by 10 30pm so that those who want to sleep can without being disturbed
If you wish to go to bed earlier than 9.00pm, please come and find a member of staff to let them know Duty staff then go around the corridors to check on pupils, turning off lights and ensuring all is quiet by 10.30pm.
Health Centre Health and Safety
If you feel unwell, please let the member of staff on duty know or go to the Health Centre after 9.00am. You may not absent yourself from lessons or school commitments for health reasons; this must go through matron and the Health Centre.
In Mulliner you are responsible for arranging and cancelling appointments, organising vaccinations and collecting some medications. The email address you should use to contact the Health Centre is health@sherborne.com Your link nurse from your mixed age house stays with you as you enter the Upper Sixth.
We have toasted sandwich makers, a nutri bullet, kettles, a coffee machine, microwaves and heaters for you to use in House. Please do not bring in your own coffee machines, electric fans, heaters, rice cookers, candles or electronic diffusers – these are not permitted as they are fire hazards.
There is a refrigerator and freezer provided in the snug, where you can cook and socialise You are expected to take responsibility for labelling and properly wrapping all food that goes in there. Once a week the communal fridge is cleared out, so your name and the date must be clearly visible on anything you put in there It is everyone ’ s responsibility to clean up after themselves in the snug and the house provides dishwasher tablets and all the necessary equipment needed to keep it in good order Great practice for house sharing at university!
In your room we ask that you do not overload sockets or leave your phone charging on your bed Any fairy lights should be battery operated. House staff do regular electrical checks to reduce the risk of fire, and anything deemed dangerous will be removed Before you arrive, please check there are no bare cables on any of your chargers and please do not bring box adapters.
Many of the bedrooms and communal areas have recently been refurbished, so please take care not to mark painted walls, especially with Blu Tack. There are pinboards available to decorate to make your room cosy and personal
Laundr y
Each House has a laundry room with industrial washing machines and tumble dryers Everyone can use these machines and must manage their own washing. They are automated and dispense detergent and fabric conditioner for you Anyone who needs to use specific washing powder for allergy reasons (or because you like the smell of ‘home washing’!) can use this as well.
If you do not name your clothes, they are likely to get lost or mixed up with someone else’s laundry and it can become difficult to identify whose washing is whose. If you buy new clothes during term, then borrow a Sharpie from Matron’s office and label them with it It will save Matron a lot of time trying to sort through unclaimed, unlabelled washing. Bedding and towels can be washed centrally each week if you wish This washing is collected on Monday morning and is brought back to House on Thursday Each House has a laundry cupboard where spare bedding is stored.
Who can I t alk to?
A R O U N D T H E
C L O C K S U P P O R T
Everybody has worries or problems at some time in their lives. Although there may be times when you do not want to talk about worries, it is usually sensible and helpful to talk to someone else about them and to try to help sort them out. You could talk to one of the other girls in your year group or the older girls in House – your Head of House or a Prefect. However, there are occasions when an adult may be a more appropriate person to talk to and there are a very large number to choose from at school, as well as your parents and relations.
All members of staff would be pleased to talk to you and try to help. This includes Dr Sullivan and Mrs Briggs. If you need to see the Head quickly, see her Executive Assistant. They will listen to you in confidence, but there may be times when they have to tell someone what you have told them, if they think you or others are at serious risk of harm.
Doctors
Dr Charlie Middle | Dr Katie Thomas
Independent Listener
Mrs Ann Simon | 07890 549135
Mrs Isabel Burke | 07989 527888
Nurses
health@sherborne com | 07977 469663
Chaplain
Revd. Katie W indle chaplain@sherborne com
Safeguarding Leads
Lead: Ms Cole | 01935 818305
Deputies: Mrs Briggs | Mrs Miller
Mr McClary | Mrs Dart | Mrs Beard
LGBTQ+
Miss Brown (r brown@sherborne com)
Mr Greed (g.greed@sherborne.com)
Mr McClary (i mcclary@sherborne com)
Counsellors
Mrs Heddy Smith 07970 843359 | h smith@sherborne com
Ms Lauenna Luddington | Mrs Veronica Rosello
Children’s Commissioner for England 020 7783 8330
www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk
Learning Support l nurse@sherborne com
Samaritans
116 123 | jo@samaritans org
Meals
All meals take place in the dining hall and are compulsory, as we also use this time to register you.
The only meal which is not compulsory is Sunday supper Supper is provided in House but you can choose to opt out and cook in the snug with friends, order a takeaway, or go out to eat instead
At the start of each week, we put out the ‘Weekend Book’ where you give details of what you will be doing for each mealtime This helps us to avoid food waste, as sometimes you may be out at the weekend for a university visit or a sports match Takeaways should only be ordered on a Sunday evening or for a special occasion if pre-arranged with permission.
We expect you to be up and dressed for breakfast on mornings when lessons take place, as it encourages a productive morning and good use of study periods. The exception to this is Sunday brunch, which takes place at 10 45am on non-Abbey days and means you can lie in
Mealtimes are a social time when the whole house comes together No phones are allowed in the dining hall. If you need a late or early meal due to a school commitment, just let House staff know in advance
Weekdays
Breakfast: 7 15-7 45am
Lunch: 12 30-1 40pm
Supper: 6.00-6.40pm
Saturday
Breakfast: 7 15-7 45am
Lunch: 11 00am-12 10pm (this may change depending on sports fixtures)
Supper: 5.45-6.15pm
Sunday (morning service)
Breakfast: 9 30-10 00am
Lunch: 1 00-1 30pm
Supper: 5.45-6.30pm (this may change depending on choir commitments)
Sunday (evening service)
Brunch: 10 45-11 15am
Supper: 5 45-6 15pm
Please inform staff if you need an early or late supper for any reason and check the whiteboards for changes to standard meal times.
Bowls, plates, blue mugs and cutlery should not be taken out of the dining room
Prefects
House Prefects and Heads of House are selected before the first exeat. The Mulliner Prefects play a key role in the running of the House and contribute a great deal to the atmosphere, representing your year group and determining what you all want your final year to be. The roles are selected by a panel of staff after an interview process.
The process begins with a House meeting, where Mrs Cole explains the system of appointing prefects and Heads of House. You will have a chance to consider what skills you have that would be of value to the House
and you may suggest a role if it is not already on the list, if you think it would enhance the boarding experience for everyone. House Prefect duties include helping the house staff where requested with goodnights, creating a yearbook and hoodies if you want them, organising key house events (such as the Christmas Dinner), putting together a socials calendar and meeting regularly with Mrs Cole to ensure the smooth running of the House. They act as the voice of the pupils and raise ideas with staff. House Prefects are instrumental in the day-to-day running of Mulliner
Prep House Duties
Prep time is 7.00pm to 9.00pm each day. It is up to you to use this time wisely but you must respect it as a quiet time. You should be doing something productive.
You also have study periods. These are for working in. If you treat the school day like a working day and only break in the break times, you will be amazed at how much you can achieve.
Two people are on duty every day. This means you’ll only do duty once or twice per term.
When on duty, you should ensure the snug, dining room, kitchen and common rooms are clean and tidy at the end of the night. On a weekday or Sunday this should be completed by 10.00pm. It involves closing windows, tidying cushions and throws, wiping down the sides and washing up any cups, plates and cutlery. It shouldn’t take too long, as it is everyone ’ s responsibility to tidy up after themselves
On a Saturday, the last few people to say goodnight complete the duty. The duty rota can be found on the noticeboard in the snug and in the matrons’ office
If you are going to be away on the day that you are on duty, you must agree a swap with somebody and alter the rota.
Fire safety
It is very important that you know where ALL the fire exits are in House. Please walk around and work out where your escape routes are, so you can get out in the event of a fire. If the alarm sounds, you must make your way as quickly and quietly as possible out of the House.
We assemble on the grass outside Blair House You should gather in floor groups (i.e. with people of the same floor as you) and in room number order. Try to grab a pair of shoes and a jumper before leaving your room but don’t waste time looking for these items Remain silent so that registers can be taken quickly. You should not re-enter the building until told it is safe to do so Please remain in your group until everyone has been accounted for
The optimum time for us to evacuate and account for everyone is two and a half minutes. This isn’t a long time, so everyone must be sensible and quiet so that this can happen efficiently
It is possible that, once assembled, we will be notified that the School is having a full evacuation If this is the case, we will all have to make our way to the pitches where we will reassemble alongside the rest of the School in front of the Pavilion. When we line up on the pitches, we stay in House groups
Repor ting faults
Like all buildings, the Boarding House will sometimes require repair and upkeep. Our Facilities Department come to the House most days to carry out routine repairs such as replacing light bulbs and fixing dripping taps You need to report any faults or repairs to Matron as soon as you notice them. If the repair is urgent, we will get someone over as soon as possible to fix it At each exeat and at the end of each half term we ask you to let us know if anything needs repairing in your area of the House.
UCAS and other applications
Applying to UCAS, overseas courses or degree apprenticeships will be an important part of your Michaelmas term in the Upper Sixth. The earlier you begin your applications, the better.
Your Tutor will write your school reference and will support you as you write a personal statement Make sure your Tutor knows all of the fabulous things you do but cannot fit in your personal statement. That way, they can refer to them in their reference
Do not expect your first draft to be your last. A few edits will be needed. Try not to show your personal statement to too many people at the same time, as everyone will have a different opinion and it could be confusing
All House staff are happy to help as well, so make sure you use us.
This is also true for US and other overseas university applications, apprenticeships or job applications We really do want to help you get to your next step in life, whatever route you choose to follow.
We are also keen to know how your application is getting on, so when you hear back from universities, share the news!
If you need to miss lessons for your two University visits, it is important that you communicate this to your teachers by picking up a ‘Sixth Form University/College Request Form’ from the Sixth Form Centre and ask Mr Banks to sign it at least a week beforehand. It then needs to be given to Mrs Cole and permission needs to have been emailed in by your parents confirming travel arrangements and timings to mulliner@sherborne.com.
House contact details:
Mrs Katherine Cole: 01935 818218
House landline: 01935 818219
House mobile: 07808 775580
E: mulliner@sherborne com
E: k cole@sherborne com
mulliner@sherborne com
https://twitter com/SG Mulliner
www.sherborne.com