Boarder's Handbook - Oswestry School

We learn not for School but for life
Boarder’s Handbook

We learn not for School but for life

OSWESTRY SCHOOL
Welcome to Boarding
Welcome to Oswestry School. There is a great deal to learn about a new
school and this booklet will provide you with the information that you will
need to know about boarding.
As a member of the boarding community, the School becomes your home
for many weeks of the year; from the outset you will find that we are a very
friendly community who do all we can to help you settle in quickly to your
new surroundings and ensure you feel happy and secure. We hope that
boarding will be an enriching experience for you and that you will make
the most of what is on offer from the very start and participate fully with
the many different aspects of life in the School.
You will find the boarding staff approachable and supportive and it is
our aim to provide a very positive, caring, family orientated and safe
environment, in which each individual is valued and respected.
This booklet explains some of the routines and requirements that will
ensure the smooth running of the Boarding Houses and your time in
School. Boarders form an important element of School life and every
possible effort is made to ensure that you feel relaxed, cared for and helped
to integrate fully into your School home.
This handbook also gives advice on what to do if you have worries or
anxieties and identifies the academic and the pastoral support staff who
will always be willing to discuss a matter that concerns you.
We hope that you enjoy your time as a boarder at Oswestry School as a
special member of the School family.
Douglas Robb
Headmaster
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BOARDER’S HANDBOOK
Boarding Ethos
Oswestry School values the dignity of each individual
and promotes the development of character and learning
through a commitment to high standards within a caring
community.
We recognise that all pupils have different talents and
strive to ensure that every pupil has an equal opportunity
to find and develop the talents they do possess.
We believe that the development of character, creativity,
intellect and spirituality are the primary aims of education.
We work together to create a happy and caring School
community which is engaged in our local community and
the wider world.
We pursue high standards in every area of School life.
The Boarding Ethos is at the heart of all practice and
relationships within the Boarding Houses as we strive to
provide the very best for the young people within our care.
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OSWESTRY SCHOOL
Boarding Principles
Students come from the UK and a variety of
countries to study towards GCSEs and A levels.
The following are the principles upon which boarding in
this school is based:
The development of the whole person and the
communication of values are vital.
Being an open and trusting School, boarding is based upon
mutual respect for all members.
Each boarder has the right to be able to work, play and
relax free from abuse, intimidation, harassment, teasing
and bullying.
There is equality of opportunity and respect for all
boarders, regardless of ethnicity, culture, gender or
disability.
Each boarder and each member of staff is to be treated as
an individual and with respect by other pupils and by staff.
Although living corporately, staff and boarders
acknowledge the right of each other to privacy.
Each boarder has the right to extend his/her intellectual
growth in an atmosphere of positive encouragement and in
conditions that are conducive to work.
All boarders should be able to develop spiritually,
culturally, morally and socially during their time in
boarding.
Despite the often great distance separating boarders from
their families, links with parents are seen as an
indispensable part of the support and development of
boarders in this School.
In boarding, we aim to:
Develop the whole person, a desire for truth and a respect
for others.
Produce an open and trusting ethos in which each boarder
feels able to approach any other member of the
community (staff or pupil), confident in the knowledge
that he/she will be treated and respected as an individual.
Create an atmosphere of tolerance, openness and trust in
which teasing, harassment and bullying would find great
difficulty in developing.
Provide the conditions for boarders to develop their
intellectual talents through well structured prep
conditions, access to staff and other pupils, participation in
activities and in an atmosphere which values effort.
Provide a range of activities, hobbies and opportunities
related to age and maturity that will assist in the personal,
social and cultural development of each boarder.
Safeguard and promote the welfare of each boarder, by
providing an environment that is, as far as possible, free
from physical hazards and dangers of any sort.
Provide accommodation that is comfortable and suited to
the needs of boarders, according to age and maturity, and
which provides adequate levels of privacy.
Develop boarders’ responsibility for self, for others and for
his/her environment.
Develop boarders’ qualities of leadership and ability to
work as part of a team.
Provide suitable conditions for boarders to feel able to turn
to members of staff to share the good things in their lives
as well as being able to turn to them for advice,
counselling and support during times of difficulty.
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BOARDER’S HANDBOOK
Boarding Staff
Boarding at Oswestry School is divided into four
houses: School House, Holbache, Guinevere and
Spooner Cottage.
The key members of staff in boarding are:
Guinevere House
Miss Lisa Jones, Houseparent
Mrs Kim Amyes, Assistant Houseparent
Miss Sarah James, Assistant Houseparent
Holbache House
Mr & Mrs Darren Hollingsworth, Houseparents
Mrs Jane Jennings, Assistant Houseparent
Mr Michael McKay, Assistant Houseparent
Mr Jonathan Miles, Assistant Houseparent
School House
Mr Dave Arnott, Houseparent
Mrs Maria Martoccia, Assistant Houseparent
Mr Kevin Evans, Assistant Houseparent
Spooner Cottage
Miss Jo Holloway, Houseparent
Mr Lee Jex, Assistant Houseparent
There are other members of staff in the Boarding Houses
that you will get to meet over your first few weeks at
School; each and every one of them is here to support
you and help you settle in to life within the boarding
community. All boarding staff will be very happy to
discuss any issues, queries or problems which may arise
and will do whatever they can to resolve them or re-direct
you to someone who can help. In addition within the
School you have a Head of House and a Form Tutor.
You may discuss with them any issues or concerns that
affect you, including boarding issues. They will be there
to help. You may also take your concern to Ms Sue
Nancini, Deputy Head Pastoral and Head of Boarding or
Mr Douglas Robb, the Headmaster. On your first day at
Oswestry School you will be introduced to your House
Prefects and will be assigned a ‘tribe’ or family who are
assigned to help you settle in. The School also has a
School Council and Boarders’ Council; please feel free to
approach your student representatives with any questions,
worries or concerns and also suggestions for improving
the boarding experience at School or better still become a
Council representative.
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OSWESTRY SCHOOL
Information For Boarding Parents And Students
Boarding At Oswestry
School
Pupils very quickly settle down into the
routines that are part of the boarding
experience. There will be timetables and
notices on display, but what follows is a
basic outline of what to expect.
Weekdays
On weekdays students may only return to
the Boarding Houses after School, apart
from Sixth Formers who may return during
the day should their timetable permit.
There will be refreshments available, and
free time until study takes place after the
evening meal. Boarders go to the evening
meal at 5.30pm in the School dining room.
After study, boarders can prepare snacks
in the Boarding House kitchen, socialise
in the common room, or perhaps continue
their studies. Bedtimes are between
8.00pm and 10.30pm during the week
and 9.00pm and 11.00pm on Saturdays,
depending on the boarder’s age.
All boarders must ensure that both they
and their fellow boarders get a good
night’s rest. In the morning, boarders
get up and come down to roll call in the
common room and notices are given out.
Breakfast is served in the School dining
room at 7.45am and the School day starts
at 8.30am with a form period and then
straight into lessons. Sixth Formers are
given access to the Boarding Houses during
the course of the day for private study,
other year groups are fully integrated with
the day pupils and return to the houses at
4.30pm.
Weekends
The weekend starts from Friday evening
onwards; if students are going to be away
from the Boarding Houses, they must have
permission for this from their parents or
guardians. If students are in School, the
routines are obviously slightly different i.e.
later bedtimes, and we will display notices
that will explain what activities or events
are on offer. On Saturdays, if students do
not have any other School obligations such
a taking part in sports fixtures, roll call is at
a later time, as is breakfast. Weekend trips
are published in advance and range from
cultural activities to shopping and cinema.
There are various facilities boarders may
access whilst at School, such as the sports
fields, swimming pool, gym, tennis courts,
music rooms and other recreation areas.
Sundays are much the same with brunch
and an evening meal being served later.
The boarders attend chapel every Sunday
evening at 6.00pm. Each House organises
its own range of activities from sporting
competitions and general knowledge quiz
nights to evenings of board games or simply
the opportunity to relax and watch a film
together. Notices will be displayed in the
Boarding Houses and are regularly updated
informing students of all social activities.
Activities Programme
The more students put in to their boarding
experience, the more they will get out
of it. Schools are places for work – but
not all the time! We all need leisure
and recreation time. Staff will aim to
provide students with a good programme
of weekend activities. At the start of
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BOARDER’S HANDBOOK
each term, a programme of weekend
trips and activities is organised. There is
a wide variety of activities on offer and
we hope that there is something on offer
that everybody will enjoy. These include:
shopping trips to Liverpool city centre,
Manchester city centre and the Trafford
Centre, walking in the North Wales/
Shropshire countryside, cinema, ice
skating, bowling, paintballing, go karting
etc.
Every Tuesday boarders will be informed
which trips are being organised for the
weekend. Boarders will then need to
sign up for the trip. Each Friday, staff will
inform pupils of the departure times of trips
and any other information. There will also
be notices displayed in the boarding areas.
We urge all boarders to participate in these
trips to ensure that they fully immerse
themselves in the boarding experience.
Special Evenings
The Boarding Houses organise a weekly
special evening centred on a theme – it
is usually a Friday night. This is a great
opportunity to bring the whole Boarding
House together. Evenings might include
Mexican, Spanish, Italian, Chinese
New Year, Diwali and African themes.
We greatly value, appreciate and enjoy
celebrating the variety that exists within
the boarding community. If you would like
to organise an evening, the staff will be
more than happy to support you. There
are a range of Sixth Form social activities,
including the Spring Ball, all organised by
fellow Sixth Formers. Lower years are not
left out, with discos and prom nights to
allow all years to relax and socialise with
their peers.
Study
Being a boarder provides pupils with
plenty of opportunities for study under
ideal conditions and with suitable facilities
available. Every weekday evening we
have study time from 6.30pm-9.00pm
(depending on year group). Boarders may
also use their free time for additional study
and to complete homework. Sixth Form
boarders are allowed to study in their own
room. Independent study will help them
prepare for study at university. There will
always be staff on duty to ensure that study
is completed, and to help students with
any difficulties they might have with their
work.
Academic Progress
Each boarder is assigned a mentor in the
Boarding House, their role is to meet
fortnightly and discuss pastoral and
academic issues. Any concerns are flagged
up by the School’s database and this
information is sent weekly to each House.
Information regarding the academic
progress of students is communicated to
parents by means of:
• An annual parent /teacher evening
• Reviews every half term
• Full School report at the end of
every term
If there are any concerns regarding
academic progress, the first point of
contact is the Houseparent. If there are
concerns regarding work and progress the
student will be monitored closely by the
teachers, Form Tutor and the boarding staff
over a period of time.
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OSWESTRY SCHOOL
Communication
Parents and Guardians:
It is very important that we have accurate
contact information for parents and
guardians so that we can check on
important things like travel arrangements
and permissions, medical questions and any
other concerns we may have regarding the
welfare of the students whilst in our care.
Equally, it is very important that parents
and guardians know that they can contact
us at any time if they need information
or have any concerns regarding boarding
arrangements or the welfare of their
children. Please consider the boarding staff
as the first line of communication.
We like to establish communication
with parents and guardians before pupils
arrive at the School. If any contact details
change, please give the new telephone
numbers, email addresses and postal
addresses to us as soon as possible.
It is a legal requirement of the UKBA that
all international students must have a
guardian, over the age of 21, and that this
guardian is based in the UK.
Email is a very good way to communicate.
The important email addresses for boarding
staff are listed further down in this section.
Parents and guardians will also be able
to contact pupils via their School email
address. Telephone is another important
means of communication. All the
important contact numbers are given later
on in this section.
Telephone
Parents are welcome to contact the
Boarding Houses by telephone between
the hours of 7.30am and 10.30pm. In an
emergency, please contact the Houseparent
immediately. Students have access to a
payphone located in the Boarding House.
Guinevere 01691 681134
Holbache 01691 681117
School House 01691 681151
Spooner Cottage 01691 681136
Email
Pupils will be provided with a username,
password and School email address upon
arrival. This allows pupils to communicate
with parents, guardians, other students,
staff and friends both inside and outside
the School. For your protection and the
protection of the School network, access to
some sites is filtered.
Important Boarding Email Addresses:
Guinevere: guineverehouseparents@oswestrySchool.org.uk
Holbache: holbachehouseparents@oswestrySchool.org.uk
School House: schoolhouseparents@oswestrySchool.org.uk
Spooner Cottage: spoonerhouseparents@oswestryschool.org.uk
Skype
Skype is available on request from the
Boarding Houses.
Facebook
Access to Facebook is permitted in the
Boarding Houses but usage is monitored.
The School insists that Facebook and/or
any other similar sites are used properly.
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BOARDER’S HANDBOOK
Offensive and/or bullying messages and
conversations will be dealt with in the
manner described in our Cyber-bullying
Policy.
Post and Parcels
Family and friends should address postal
items to:
Name
Guinevere House/Holbache House/
School House/Spooner Cottage
Oswestry School
Upper Brook Street
Oswestry
SY11 2TL
The post is brought to the Boarding
Houses daily.
Wi-Fi
Wi-fi connection is available to all
students. This can be accessed using
the username and password assigned to
students by the IT department when they
arrive. Students will be able to access
Facebook in the evenings and at weekends.
Mobile Phones
Students will probably want to bring their
mobile phone; however, these must be
looked after very carefully, and used in
such a way that they do not cause any
trouble or interference to others. Students
up to Fifth Form may use their mobile
phones in the Boarding Houses at certain
times; Sixth Form students are permitted
to keep their phones at all times however
during academic lessons and study sessions
they should be switched off. For reasons of
safety, mobile phone chargers must not be
left in sockets after charging.
Beginning/End of Term
Arrangements
It is the responsibility of parents and
guardians to make all the necessary
arrangements for travel home at half-term
and the end of term, at least three weeks
in advance, preferably by email. We are
happy to book taxis to and from the airport
if required, but please email the relevant
Houseparent or Assistant Houseparent to
ensure that the taxi has been ordered.
If for any reason a pupil has to leave early
at the end of a term or return late at
the beginning of a term, then parents or
guardians must write to the Headmaster
to ask for his permission. Please be
aware that if a student has a study visa,
any unauthorised absences from School
will be reported to the UKBA under
their requirements. Early departure and
late arrival without the Headmaster’s
permission are considered unauthorised
absences. Some external and internal
examinations are held at the end of term
and so early departure should always be
authorised to ensure no clashes occur.
In the event of parents being unable to
meet the published times of arrival, they
should inform the Houseparent in advance
by email. Boarders and parents should
report to the duty staff when they arrive at
the Boarding Houses.
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OSWESTRY SCHOOL
Medical
The Medical Form must be completed and
returned to the Registrar prior to the start
of term. This gives permission for medical
treatment and also the administration
of prescription and non-prescription
medication. This will allow us to provide
students with the best possible care by
supplying us with important personal
medical information. It is very important
that we know about any allergies or
existing medical conditions so that the
medical coordinator and boarding staff
can provide medicines which are safe for
individual pupils to take.
If a boarder is unable to return to School
at the appointed time because of illness,
the Houseparent should be notified as soon
as you are aware of this. It is, of course,
important that no boarder should be
sent to School after being exposed to any
infectious disease and the School should be
advised immediately of any infection which
is discovered after the boarder’s return to
School.
A boarder who contracts an infectious
disease will, as far as possible, be kept away
from School and will either return home
or go to an appointed guardian. For the
boarder’s own safety and that of the other
boarding students, any medication that
students bring with them must be checked
by a member of the boarding staff and
all medicines must arrive in the original
packaging. Medicines will be locked in a
cabinet for safe-keeping. Inhalers and some
medicines may be kept in boarding rooms
in the boarder’s lockable storage but this is
at the discretion of the boarding staff.
If students are ill:
During School hours any boarder who
feels unwell should visit the Surgery where
they will be supervised by qualified First
Aid staff. Every week, we have a registered
nurse operate a School Surgery on site
for non-urgent cases. Boarders who are
unwell and are unable to attend School
will be permitted to remain in Boarding
Houses and they will be supervised. If
required, appropriate medical care will
be available. Outside teaching hours
supervision arrangements will be made in
the Boarding Houses for boarders who feel
unwell. Boarders who become unwell must
report to the member of staff on duty in
the Boarding Houses. All emergencies will
be dealt with by the boarding staff on duty
and appropriate action will be taken. First
Aid staff will be able to deal with all minor
illnesses and injuries.
Anything more serious is referred to the
local GP or hospital as appropriate. All
students are registered with the local GP
when they arrive. GP appointments are
available by arrangement at the local
surgery. Dental and optician services are
also available if required.
Being Away From School
All the rules about being away from School
are made for the student’s safety. Students
must always ‘sign out’ when leaving the
Boarding Houses and ‘sign in’ when they
come back. The more pupils understand
and respect these rules, the more freedom
and trust they will be given. If students
want to go out during the day or at the
weekend, other than on an organised
activity, then they must ensure that they
have all the permissions in place.
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BOARDER’S HANDBOOK
Weekend leave away from School:
All School commitments, including School
fixtures, must be fulfilled before leave can
commence. For full boarders to be absent
overnight on a weekend, their parents or
guardians must give their permission to the
Houseparent. A weekend leave request
must be received in advance and no later
than 6.00pm on Wednesday evening prior
to the weekend. This can be mailed or
faxed. The permission must state: where
boarders are going, time of departure and
time of return to the School. If boarders
are not going home or to guardians and
they are staying with another student
written permission is required from the
‘host family’ and must be given to the
Houseparent by the Wednesday before the
weekend to confirm arrangements, giving
a contact telephone number in case of
emergency.
Permission to be absent from School:
Students require permission from the
Headmaster if they request any planned
leave from School which necessitates time
out of School during the week. This must
be requested by parents or guardians in
writing two weeks prior to the absence.
This includes absence from planned School
activities at the weekend.
Transport
Boarders are allowed to use public
transport/taxis as long as permission has
been sought from the duty staff.
Guardians
Parents who live overseas must supply
the name, address, telephone number
and email address of an appropriate adult
in this country who has agreed to act as
guardian to their child during the academic
year. This is crucial information. The
guardian must be over the age of 21 and
have suitable facilities for the student.
This person will receive copies of all
routine School communications, should
be resident in the UK and must be willing
and able to support the student at official
School functions.
Where regular or immediate contact
with parents is not possible, the guardian
is expected to undertake the following
responsibilities:
• Maintain regular contact with the School
and liaise with the Houseparents to discuss
personal concerns, grant permission for
emergency medical treatment, taking leave
with friends etc.
• When possible attend parent interviews in
order to monitor the student’s academic
progress and to liaise with parents.
• Offer hospitality to the student at the
beginning or end of term (in the event of
early arrival or late departure) and also
during half-term holidays.
• Be responsible for accommodating the
student in the event that they are excluded
temporarily from School for disciplinary
reasons and when the student is ill for a
prolonged period of time.
Guardians will always be most welcome to
visit the student’s Boarding House to meet
the boarding staff and are encouraged to
become involved in the student’s School
life.
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OSWESTRY SCHOOL
School Events
Parents, guardians and friends are
warmly encouraged to attend School
functions such as matches, services, drama
productions and choral or other musical
occasions. Most of these events are listed
in our termly planner which is given
to every student and notices regarding
forthcoming events can be found on our
website. We always welcome visitors.
Pocket Money
Whilst students are encouraged to
manage their own finances and budget for
themselves, large sums of money should
not be kept in rooms and the boarding staff
will arrange help with setting up a bank
account at one of the local banks.
These are located within walking distance
of the School. The School recommends
that students limit the number of valuable
items they bring to School. The School
cannot take any responsibility for money
or items not handed in to the boarding
staff for secure storage. Any losses should,
however, be reported immediately, if only
as an opportunity to remind others to hand
in money and take proper care of their
property.
Electrical Equipment
Mobile phones, MP3 players and lap-tops
etc are allowed, but their use is subject
to the School rules. Personal items are
not insured by the School; therefore,
we request that expensive electrical
equipment is not brought to School. Any
boarder bringing electrical equipment to
School is responsible for its safety and
insurance and we recommend that parents
protect such items with private insurance.
All electrical equipment for use by students
in Boarding Houses must comply with UK
standards and be fitted with a UK standard
3 pin plug (the use of 2 pin European
plugs is not permitted). Under Health and
Safety regulations all electrical equipment
in rooms must be checked for safety
and must be tested and passed as being
safe, once a year, and should display an
approved sticker to support this (Portable
Appliance Testing).
We cannot allow untested electrical
equipment to be used within the Boarding
Houses/School; therefore any unchecked
items will be removed until they have been
checked.
Security And Personal
Possessions
We try to make sure that the School is
as secure and safe a place as possible.
However, this requires cooperation on
the part of all members of the community,
both staff and pupils. Students must make
sure that they look after their possessions
sensibly. If students suspect someone
has taken something belonging to them
without their permission, this should be
reported to staff as soon as possible. Where
possible all reasonable measures will be
taken to see if items can be discovered.
Anyone discovered stealing will be
dealt with severely, as theft is one of the
most unpleasant breaches of trust in a
community.
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BOARDER’S HANDBOOK
Use Of The Building
Students are responsible for making
sure that they treat the building and
environment with respect. As a member of
this community, they are also responsible,
where appropriate, for the conduct of
others in this regard. Students are expected
to behave in corridors and rooms in such
a way that no damage occurs, or is likely
to occur. The shower/bathroom and toilet
areas must be treated properly. Students
must report any damage immediately and
expect that those who are responsible for
any damage will have to pay for the repair.
All rooms in the Boarding Houses are
fitted with smoke alarms. If something is
not working in a room (e.g. power supply,
lights, etc.), report to the duty staff as
soon as possible, so that the maintenance
staff can make the necessary repairs. Beds
should be made every morning and rooms
kept tidy so that they can be cleaned
effectively. Students should be considerate
towards domestic staff and make it easy
for them to do their job. Pupils may put
posters in their rooms, but they must be
fixed to the walls using white/blu tack, not
sellotape.
Dress Code
The School’s dress code must be followed
and full details may be downloaded from
the School’s website. All regulation
uniform and sports kit including the School
tie are supplied through the School shop.
It is good for boarders to have appropriate
items of smart non-regulation clothing
for formal wear on social occasions, for
example at Boarding House or School
functions; of course, students will also have
their own ‘casual clothes’.
Laundry
Boarders’ personal laundry is washed,
cleaned and ironed by the School laundry
department in each of the Boarding
Houses. Please label all items clearly and
in a place that is easily seen, so that the
laundry staff can ensure that all items are
speedily returned to the boarder. A duvet
and pillow will be provided by the School.
The School can provide duvet covers,
pillow cases and sheets, however most
students prefer to use their own bed linen.
The School is responsible for sending a
duvet cover, sheet and pillow case to the
School laundry each week. Washing and
tumble drying facilities are available in
each House for small loads of laundry.
Miscellaneous
The School shop is on the School site
and stocks a range of uniform and sports
equipment as well as various stationery
items.
Boarding Council/Boarder
Questionnaires
We consult the boarders once each
half-term on boarding and the activity
programme. This is an ideal time for pupils
to express their opinions, make suggestions
and also to help organise future events and
help us to develop boarding. Student input
and feedback are really important! We
welcome all helpful suggestions as to how
the boarding experience can be improved.
The questionnaires are confidential and
ensure that each pupil voice is heard. Both
the Headmaster and both Deputy Heads
are given access to the questionnaires once
they are completed. If there are some
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OSWESTRY SCHOOL
things which cannot be changed, we will
explain why.
Boarding Council meetings are held to
provide students with information and to
discuss any ideas or concerns which they
may have. Here, representatives from each
Boarding House are given the opportunity
to meet a member or members of the
Senior Management Team to discuss issues
that concern them.
Sanctions
Term Dates
Term dates are available on the School
website and in the planner given to all
students on arrival.
There are no exeat weekends
during term time.
We must know where students are at
all times and that they are safe; we also
ask students to behave in a respectful,
appropriate and safe manner towards
others. If they do something which goes
against these expectations, they can expect
sanctions to be applied at the discretion of
the Houseparents, Assistant Houseparents
and also the Headmaster. Students who
break School rules will have the same
sanctions applied as day students.
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BOARDER’S HANDBOOK
Dear pupils...
Respect Yourself, Others and Your School
The School is where you live for a large part of the
year and we want it to feel as close to home as possible
which means we all have a responsibility to make the
lives of others, both students and staff, as comfortable
as we possibly can. The aim of the guidelines and Code
of Conduct is to set down a framework that will make it
easier to live together and allows us all to live by the ideals
of respect for ourselves, respect for each other and respect
for the environment in which we live.
The most important thing is that you feel safe and happy
in boarding or whenever you are out of School on a trip.
If you ever feel unhappy either for yourself or for someone
else then you must speak to one of the members of staff.
Always find someone that you can talk to. Living in a
community is not always easy and there will be times when
you want your own space and you are entitled to privacy.
When you go out of School on a trip you will be given
instructions and it is very important that you understand
that these are given to you for your own safety. You must
always make sure that you are careful, particularly in
city centres where there are large numbers of people and
traffic about. Remember that when you are out on a trip
or visiting other families or Schools or places, you are
representing the School community and we would expect
you to behave in a suitable way.
Part of your education at the School includes Personal,
Social and Health Education. There are a number of issues
that it is important that you explore and help you develop
a healthier lifestyle. We encourage all students to make
sure that their own standards of personal hygiene are
high, that you shower regularly, that clothes are laundered
weekly and that you are always well presented, both in
School time and in your own time.
The School dining room provides good food and
encourages healthy eating. If you ever have questions
about what you should be eating, someone will always be
pleased to help you with this and talk through it with you.
All relationships within the School must be consistent
with our ethos, beliefs and goals, which place the dignity
of the individual at the centre of education. If you ever
find yourself in an uncomfortable situation, then you must
feel free to talk about it with somebody.
We are all here to help you.
The staff and students of Oswestry School are very
supportive of each other and if there is anything that you
do not know or do not understand then you must ask.
We hope that you will be very happy living as part of the
Oswestry School community.
PAGE 15

OSWESTRY SCHOOL
Boarders’ Code Of Conduct
As a member of the Oswestry School community and
mindful of the School ethos I shall conduct myself in
boarding in the following ways:
I will do everything I can to make the lives of others
within the boarding community comfortable.
I shall make every effort to keep the boarding environment
pleasant for everyone. I will respect the notice boards
and corridors, and the common rooms, in the Boarding
Houses.
I will carry out instructions given to me by boarding staff
without fuss or argument.
I will not enter another person’s room unless I am invited
to do so. I understand that everyone has times when they
need to be quiet or by themselves and I will not disturb
them if they wish to be alone or quiet.
If I am in another person’s room, I will respect their
possessions.
I shall use all my personal study sessions effectively.
I will conduct myself properly and in accordance with the
School rules on all School activities and trips.
If I think I have been unfairly treated, I will speak to a
member of staff at an appropriate time. I can also speak
to my Houseparent; any member of the Boarding Staff;
my Form Tutor; Ms Nancini, Deputy Head Pastoral and
Head of Boarding; Mr Robb, the Headmaster, or another
member of staff I trust about any issues at any time.
Complaints Policy
The full Complaints Policy is available from the School
Office or on the School website.
If there is something which you feel is not fair and you
would like to complain to someone because:
Someone has treated you unkindly;
You are being teased or bullied;
You think that you have been treated unfairly or spoken to
unkindly by a fellow student or member of staff;
You think you are being picked on, or feel that there isn’t
enough respect for your privacy;
Or anything else.
Then...
Firstly, talk to someone; another pupil, your parents, a
member of staff you know will listen to you. They will
help you to explore the problem and may resolve it. A
counsellor, the School Chaplain and an Independent
Listener are also available; contact details are available
through any member of staff. However, if you are still
bothered and feel that the matter has not been dealt with
to your satisfaction, you may make a formal complaint.
DO NOT BE AFRAID TO SPEAK OUT IF THERE ARE
MATTERS YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW TO DEAL
WITH. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE HEARD AND
GIVEN HELP.
Addresses and telephone numbers of people outside the
School you may wish to contact:
Ofsted
Royal Exchange Buildings
St Ann’s Square
Manchester
M2 7LA
Tel: 08456 404045
Childline Tel: 0800 1111
PAGE 16

Contact information
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Oswestry School
Upper Brook Street, Oswestry,
Shropshire, SY11 2TL
Tel: +44 (0)1691 655711
Fax: +44 (0)1691 662726
Email: enquiries@oswestryschool.org.uk
Web: www.oswestryschool.org.uk
Oswestry School is a Company Limited by Guarantee, Registered in England No: 03931222
Registered Office: Upper Brook Street, Oswestry, Shropshire SY11 2TL
Registered Charity No: 1079822
The prospectus and associated documents are intended to indicate in general principles life
at Oswestry School, its aims and ethos. Oswestry School will take all reasonable steps to
provide the education and pastoral services described. However, it does not guarantee the
provision of such services and the prospectus and associated documents do not form any
part of any contract between parents and Oswestry School. Parents wishing to place any
reliance on any statement within the prospectus and associated documents should seek
written confirmation of that statement before accepting the offer of a place.

Oswestry School
Upper Brook Street,
Oswestry, Shropshire,
SY11 2TL
www.oswestryschool.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1691 655711
Fax: +44 (0)1691 662726
Email: enquiries@oswestryschool.org.uk