WELCOME TO ALDHELMSTED WEST
SHERBORNE GIRLS - WEST
Welcome to Aldhelmsted West (West) We are so thrilled that you have chosen to join us in West and we hope you will be really happy here. The following information is to help you settle in during the early weeks. Remember, there is always a friendly face on hand to help you out if you are worried, lost, stuck or just in need of some TLC. The house pets (Salty and Chief) are also pretty good at helping out if you need a cuddle!
Mrs Jamieson Housemistress
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Packing list • School uniform and games kit, all details are listed online* • 1 duvet • 2 duvet covers (sheets, pillows and pillowcases are provided but please bring your own if you prefer) • 2 bath towels (with loops sewn in for hanging them up) • Wash bag with toiletries (including brush, toothbrush and nit comb) • Dressing gown/onesie • Pair of slippers • Trunk/suitcase • Small rucksack for day trips/outings • Laundry bag/box for storing dirty laundry, the pop up kind works well • Small meshed laundry bag (named, for smaller laundry items) • Tuckbox (lockable and named) not to exceed 55cm x 40cm x 35cm • Pair of wellingtons or walking boots • Waterproof coat for trips • Music case for girls who have additional Music lessons • Casual clothes and shoes (all named please) • Nightwear • Underwear • Swimming costume and goggles • Coat hangers • Hairdryer • Batteries • Toothbrush charger and adaptor (if required) • Bits and bobs to decorate dorm: e.g. photos, posters, cushions, teddies, bunting, fairy lights (battery operated only) • Stationery: Pencil case, Blu tac, sellotape, drawing pins, hole punch, scissors, stapler, notelets, rubber, sharpener colouring pencils, prit-stick/glue, fountain pen, pencils, calculator, compass and protractor set • Alarm clock • One set of slightly smarter home clothes suitable to wear for an evening with Dr Sullivan in White Lodge (skirt, dress, trousers and top) • Device, charger, headphones (clearly named) • Mobile phone and charger (clearly named), these items are not compulsory. 2
*https://www.sherborne.com/parent-information-events/school-shop-uniform
Please make sure all belongings are clearly and robustly named.
SHERBORNE GIRLS - WEST
Buddies You will be assigned a buddy before you come to West. She will be another girl from the house who will write to you, usually during the holidays, and then help you to settle in when you arrive. Your buddy will take you along to breakfast each morning, help you get ready for the school day and make sure you know your way around.
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Your first few days will look something like this… Day 1 Sunday 6th September (Home clothes) 2.30pm
Arrive, meet staff, unpack and settle in with parents
4.30pm
House meeting and Ice Breakers – Common Room
6.00pm
Supper
6.45pm
Tour of house and unpacking
7.45pm
Board games/film
Day 2 Monday 7th September (Home clothes) 8.00am
Breakfast
9.00am
L4 & U4 IT Induction
10.00am Break 10.30am L4 issued with timetables and prep diaries 11.00am L4 return to House for time with tutors. Sorted into teams for orienteering. U4 issued with timetables and prep diaries 11.30am L4 orienteering session (with U4 and L4 tutors)
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1.00pm
Lunch – change for sport after lunch
2.00pm
All West girls meet with senior staff to discuss activities and Health Centre
3.00pm
L4 and U4 Games session with PE staff
4.00pm
Tea
4.30pm
L4 & U4 Quiz in House
6.00pm
Supper
6.30pm
House prayers, followed by decorating dorms/games/activities
7.30pm
Tennis session for new L4 and U4 girls and tennis coaches
SHERBORNE GIRLS - WEST
Day 3 Tuesday 8th September (Uniform) 8.15am 8.35am 10.30am 1.00pm 1.45pm 2.30pm 4.45pm 5.00pm 5.30pm 6.00pm 7.00pm
Assembly Lessons commence Morning break Lunch Group tutorials in houses Lessons L4 and U4 to Activities Fair Tea Free time in house Supper Evening activities in house
By this point you will be exhausted but ready for the days and weeks ahead!
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A typical day in West
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Time/Event
Where should I be?
What should I wear?
7.00am/7.15am Morning buzzer
Waking up, showering/ getting ready for school
School uniform
7.30am Breakfast
Meet your buddy outside the dining room for breakfast. She may even come and pick you up from your dorm! Once you have settled in you can come to breakfast without your buddy!
You should be in school uniform and be wearing slippers or something on your feet.
7.55am House briefing
Come to the downstairs hallway with your books and anything else you need for lessons. Collect your device from the cupboard.
School uniform, blazer
8.05-8.25am Assembly/ School prayers
Walk over to the school hall/ Merritt Centre as a house.
School uniform, blazer
8.30-10.55am
Lessons
10.55-11.25am Break time
Come back to house. Have something to eat and drink in the dining room. Change your books for what you need for your next lessons.
11.25-1.00pm
Lessons
1.00pm Lunchtime
Come back to house for lunch. Take your books and other belongings to your rooms. Wash your hands and then line up. Lunch is generally with your tutor group.
School uniform. Put your books in your rooms whilst you get a snack.
SHERBORNE GIRLS - WEST
Time/Event
Where should I be?
What should I wear?
1.45-2.25pm Lunch break
You should not be in dorms except for dropping off belongings or changing for sport. There are plenty of ways to spend your time: • Scheduled activities/clubs or extra lessons e.g. music or tennis • Meetings with tutors • Music practice • Games in the common rooms • Time outside, house garden or games fields • Chilling out with friends
2.35-4.10pm
Lessons
School uniform/ Games kit
4.15-5.00pm Tea, change unwind
Hurrah, it is the end of the school day! Return to house and have tea in the dining room. Time to enjoy some welldeserved downtime.
You can get changed into home clothes at this point if you have no activities
5.00-6.00pm Activities/ Free time
You may have an activity at this time. From this point on you must SIGN OUT from the house. Remember to SIGN BACK IN when you return. If you do not have an activity you will have free time.
Clothing will depend on the activity but generally it is uniform.
6.00pm Supper
Meet outside the dining room
Casual clothes/PJs, slippers 7
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Time/Event
Where should I be?
What should I wear?
6.30pm Prep
Get settled for Prep in your allocated Prep room
Casual clothes/PJs, slippers
7.30pm Free time
Shower, chill, relax Occasional house meetings
PJs dressing gowns/onesies, slippers
8.00pm L4 start bedtime
Devices to be handed in, L4s to rooms to get ready for bed
Dressing gowns/ onesies, slippers
8.15pm U4 start bedtime
L4s into bed, 15 mins reading time. U4s to rooms.
PJs
8.30pm
L4s lights out - you will be tired! PJs U4s into bed, 15 mins reading time.
8.45pm
U4 lights out
PJs
SHERBORNE GIRLS - WEST
General house guidelines Morning checklist Before you go to school, please remember to: • Make your bed • Open the curtains and blinds • Switch off all plugs if not in use • Leave your floor area clear • Turn off the main light and bedside lights • Leave your bathroom tidy • Put dirty washing in your laundry basket/strip your bed on Thursdays If you manage to achieve all of the above you will earn your daily sticker. Those girls who accrue the most stickers in the term are invited to a special pizza night. Beware, competition is tough! • Gather what you need for lessons before break • Brush your teeth!
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SHERBORNE GIRLS - WEST
Tuck and treats
Device guidelines
• No food is to be taken upstairs
• Phones and devices are not allowed upstairs except for use during Prep sessions
• All tuck should be stored in your named baskets in the dining room annexe cupboard • Tuck times: Tuesday: 4.15pm-5.00pm Fridays: 4.15pm-5.00pm Saturday: times will vary Sunday: times will vary • Visits to the Merritt Centre/ Coffee Pod: Wednesdays and Fridays
• Phones are not to be used during the school day. Work devices are used for lessons. Phones and devices are put away in the device cupboard during break times, lunchtimes and overnight • Phones and devices may be used at the following times: Monday-Friday: 4.30pm-6.00pm Lunchtime: By permission, usually for overseas girls to call home 7.30pm-8.10pm: Option to call/ text home if unable to do so between 4.30pm-6.00pm) Weekends: Timings will vary each week depending on our activities
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Prep
Laundry
Prep takes place in the Prep rooms on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors of the house. You should keep all your work, school books and stationery in your baskets overnight and when you are not in lessons. Prep is a quiet hour and is supervised by house staff and occasional U5 prefects. If you have more work to do you may stay in the Prep room for a further 15 minutes after the end of the session.
You may put your laundry in to be washed whenever you need to. The wash bins are located in the laundry next door to the boot room on the ground floor. Please ensure you put the right coloured clothing into the right bins! Your washing will be laundered and returned to your cubby hole in the laundry room on the third floor, usually on the same day. Bed change is on a Thursday. You should strip your bed before morning briefing and leave your dirty sheets in the laundry room on the third floor. You should then make your bed with your spare set any time before lights out that evening.
Free time During your free time there is plenty to do. Depending on the day you can go to the Coffee Pod or Queenie’s CafÊ in The Merritt Centre, go to the gym, visit the school shop or go into town (at weekends). If you go offsite into town you must go in groups of 3 at least. In house, you can watch TV, play games, enjoy the garden and school fields, chat to your friends or just chill out and read a book or have some quiet time. There is never a dull moment in West! 12
Make sure everything you own is named, including all home clothes.
SHERBORNE GIRLS - WEST
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Key cards
What to do if you feel unwell
You will be issued one of these on your first day at Sherborne Girls. It is vital that you have this with you at all times to enable you to get in and out of the house and other buildings around school. Take good care of it!
Make sure you tell a member of house staff, don’t suffer in silence even if it is during the night. There is always someone available to look after you. If you have a temperature and are really unwell it is likely you will be sent to the health centre. Otherwise we will take care of you in house.
Signing in and out It is compulsory to sign in and out when you leave the house to attend an activity or visit another part of the school outside of the school day. The same applies at the weekend if you go into town or venture on to the school site. This is for your own safety in case of fire but also so we know where you are. Signing in and out is easy, there are books in the hallway by the front door so there is no excuse, you will be constantly reminded to do so! Day girls must sign in and out on a daily basis in a separate book.
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Homesickness This is so very common and you should not feel surprised if you do feel homesick in the early stages of your life at Sherborne Girls. The best thing you can do is keep busy and get stuck into all the house and school have to offer. All staff and girls will be here to help you settle in and look after you while you find your feet. It may feel daunting when you arrive but you will be amazed at how quickly you feel part of the furniture.
SHERBORNE GIRLS - WEST
Pocket money You may keep up to £5 cash in your room in your lockable cabinets but we advise that any sum over £5 should be handed in to the house staff. We would also recommend that any bank cards be given in for safe keeping. You may have the opportunity to go into town at the weekends but will not need huge amounts of money, £10 per week should be ample but this is of course up to your parents!
Help and support If you need to talk to someone the options are vast. Contact numbers are displayed in house but the following would be a good place to start: • Your friends, buddy or other girls including prefects and Head of House • House staff or your tutor • Nurses or doctors at the Health Centre • School Counsellors • School Chaplain • Older girls or prefects visiting the house • Independent listenersdetails on notice boards in house • And....you can, of course, ring home!
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SHERBORNE GIRLS - WEST
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House staff
Housemistress and family Mr and Mrs Jamieson Grace (11) and Luke (9)
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SHERBORNE GIRLS - WEST
Jamieson Family Pets ' Salty (dog) and Chief (cat)
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Assistant Housemistres and Matron Miss Tillin
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' Matron Mrs Fisher (Tuesday, Thursday and Friday)
' Gappie Meg Leyden (She’s from Tazmania!)
' Academic Head of 4th Form (non-resident) Mr Barnes 19
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SHERBORNE GIRLS - WEST
House contact details: Matron and duty staff: 01935 818381 Mrs Jamieson: 01935 818221 Mrs Jamieson mobile: 07889 539278 E: aldwest@sherborne.com E: e.jamieson@sherborne.com www.sherborne.com