STATEMENT OF BOARDING PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE

Date of Policy:	For Academic Year 2022-23
Date for Review:	August 2023
Lead for Review:	Assistant Head (Boarding & IA)

Contents

Contents	2

Preface	2

Guildhouse School London Boarding Principles	3

Guildhouse School London Boarding Practice	3

Related Policies	4

Preface

The Guildhouse vision is that “The School is an immersive environment for ideas and creativity, where students are empowered to make a positive impact on our world”. As part of CGS, Guildhouse is committed to the CGS core values of Pioneering, Persevering and People, which are given practical form in three simple values that guide the activity of students and staff alike. These Guildhouse values are to “Aim High”, “Work Hard” and “Be Kind” and the Guildhouse School Boarding Principles and Practice reflect these values.

Premier House typically houses a diverse group of over 100 boarding students, girls and boys, almost all of whom are from overseas. They are age 15-21, with the great majority age 16-18. Most are on courses that prepare them for university entry in the UK, but some come to the college for a shorter period of “study abroad” experience. The Premier House staff are themselves diverse in background. They are experienced, well-trained and benefit from positive, supportive and experienced leadership across the College.

Guildhouse School London Boarding Principles

For students who board at Guildhouse, the experience should not just be of a safe and secure base from which to go to school, though it must of course be that. Our ambitions are much greater.

To help students Aim High, staff have high expectations of students, not just academically but personally. Staff encourage students to take advantage of the enormous range of learning opportunities available in central London, many of which will be new and unfamiliar to them.

In fostering perseverance and encouraging students to Work Hard, staff help, guide and support students, many of whom have not lived away from home before and might have limited experience of organising their own responsibilities or doing things for themselves.

Encouraging students to Be Kind, staff help students to be responsible members of the community and of society at large. Rather than a self-centred approach to life, house staff seek that students should develop a recognition of the value of contributing to others’ lives, and expect students to be courteous, organised, self-aware and considerate.

Guildhouse School London Boarding Practice

To help students Aim High, staff seek to understand students’ individual ambitions, strengths, and concerns. The boarding house supports good study and self-care habits, with house staff in contact with all students each day.

There is excellent academic, pastoral and medical liaison and a clear and supportive routine that encourages regular sleeping patterns, with house staff checking each student’s welfare first thing every morning and last thing every night.

Through meetings in the House, individual discussions and wider promotion, students are made aware of and encouraged to take part in activities available in-house and in London.

In encouraging students to Work Hard, house staff help students learn the skills of time-management, and study planning. They also help students manage their day-to-day responsibilities, from doing their laundry, to keeping rooms tidy, to being up on time each day. Some students need far more input than others in these areas.

In encouraging students to Be Kind, staff help students understand the norms, manners and customs of the UK and the behaviour that is recognised as polite in the adult academic, business and social situations they will encounter. Students are taught how to live appropriately in the community of a coeducational boarding house.

Guildhouse helps its students learn independence and maturity and so are allowed significant freedom to be off site on their own. House staff support students to develop skills to manage this, such as making requests in a timely way, understanding the reasons why this is important and accepting that sometimes the answer will be no.

Related Policies

None