Boarding Life
Shapwick Prep School
Ask any of the children currently at Chapel Hill Farm about boarding and they will recount endless tales of fun, laughter and independence both indoors and out. They experience a unique and extremely caring “family” environment, living closely with their peers and their Houseparents.
About half of Shapwick Prep pupils are boarders. All Preparatory boarders stay at Chapel Hill Farm, which nestles in farmland just a short walk down the path from the Prep School, still on the campus.
Hellen and Robert Lush, Houseparents at Chapel Hill Farm explain "Most of our boarders at The Farm are full time. We also have weekly boarders and a few flexi ones. As Houseparents we provide “in loco parentis” care for boarders every day and every night as well as bringing up our own family, who thoroughly enjoy the company of the boarders".
Full boarders stay in school every night of the week including weekends with the exception of two exeat weekends per term when all pupils go home. Full boarders may go home or visit friends any weekend providing the school is notified and parental permission given.
Weekly boarding enables pupils to stay in school from Sunday/Monday to Friday. Weekly boarders enjoy all of the benefits and privileges of boarders except at weekends.
Flexi boarding is on offer on a nightly basis and is available any night of the week, however places are limited.
During the week…
We are responsible for the boarders’ every pastoral need. From waking the children and walking up to School with them for breakfast, to ensuring they have showered, dressed smartly and packed all that is needed for the day. We eat together in the mornings, enjoying toast, cereals and cooked breakfasts too. After breakfast we are “off duty” (ish!) until after school when we arrive back at School to eat a light tea with the children and walk home together. Evenings are a chance to relax, play, listen to music, hang out, grab some alone time, or all of those!
We help the children to … pack their kit, sort laundry, change their beds, write home, phone home, tidy their rooms, read, sort out problems, make cakes , ride a bike, find clean uniform, brush teeth, surf the Net….the list is endless….
We watch the children …learn, make friends, gain independence, laugh, run, skateboard, increase in confidence, fall out, make up, go to sleep, wake up…again, the list is endless…
We end the day as a House in the lounge with a drink, a snack, perhaps a duvet and some peace. Most children are tucked up by 8.30pm, Year 8 by 9pm – happy and tired.
At the Weekends…
Full boarders relish the chance to explore, relax and have fun on the weekends.
Saturdays involve a day trip out en masse to a variety of places and activities. With a packed lunch and a rucksack we set off on planned excursions and return home in time for a cooked meal. We love the opportunities the children have to see different places and to take part in high adrenaline, confidence boosting activities perhaps never experienced before.
Here are some High Action Saturday examples;
• Caving with Aardwark Endeavours on the Mendips….2 hours tunnelling through Burrington Combe with waterproofs, helmets and lamps
• Treetopping with The Rock Centre in Devon….abseiling and zip wiring across the woods with harnesses and Qualified Instructors
• Snowboarding, Skiing, Archery and Rifle Shooting with Avon Ski and Action….small group instruction with professional equipment and leaders
• Laserquesting with Cannington Outdoor Laser…a chance to don full camouflage, helmets and laser rifles in an outdoor battle….crawling in the undergrowth, planning a strategy for victory and capturing the opponents flag
• Karate with the Bridgwater Bushi Karate Club …2 hours of martial arts discipline and control, synchronised Kata, self defence and a demonstration from two Sensei 5th Dan black belts
• Berrow Beach and Leisure Pool…a day spent jumping across sand dunes, flying kites and playing beach football followed by a swim in a heated outdoor pool with water slides
• Crealy Adventure Park, Devon… hours of entertainment and adrenalin indoors and out on Rollercoasters, Pirate Ships, Log Flumes, Death Slides and Mega Slides
We love equally the opportunities the children have to take five and relax… on the beach, in the cinema, shopping, in the park, bowling, swimming, cycling…
Sundays involve a lie in and lots of time at the House. The day is ours to just be at “home” with perhaps a bike ride or a walk around the village to burn off the roast dinner or full English that we have every Sunday. Set in acres of space, even at the House the children are able to take advantage of the playing fields, tennis court and garden on weekends.
Special Occasions
We at Chapel Hill Farm are proud of our “home from home” environment and do our best to celebrate special occasions with the children as one would do at home
Children’s birthdays are marked with a cake, card, candles and some singing. Often this is also a good excuse for some fun and games that evening, indoors or out
Halloween has been a party night of fancy dress, fairy lights, cobwebs, apple bobbing and ghoulish games
Bonfire Night usually involves a trip to Burnham on Sea, where a fantastic fireworks display takes place on the sea front. A festive affair on a cold, Sunday evening followed by a hot drink and snack
Christmas is an important season of celebration. A real tree is dressed by the children and takes centre stage in the lounge. Decorations are made, paper chains are hung and there is an annual House Mince Pie Making competition during the evenings in December
Easter is an obvious excuse to hide chocolate eggs and organise a Treasure Hunt in our lovely grounds
Summer is celebrated by a weekend trip away for our full boarders on their last weekend of the school year. Devon is the usual haunt for a two day break at a Bunkhouse or Hostel to explore the area and get away as a House.
What the children say…
“…it’s like one big sleepover here…” (Year 6 pupil).
“Snowboarding was awesome – can we go again?!” (Year 7 pupil).
“I love boarding – it’s like having all these brothers and sisters…” (Year 7 pupil).
“On the weekends we have the most fun” (Year 6 pupil).
“At my last school I found everything really difficult and I do still miss home but I love it here. We have fun in our dorm and outside.” (Year 7 pupil).
Shapwick Senior School
The academic life of the school is complemented by a boarding environment that promotes a structured and purposeful framework for the social and emotional development of pupils. Boarding is new to many pupils when they first join Shapwick, but children quickly adapt and learn to love their adventures with fellow boarders, and make many lifelong friends. Over two-thirds of Shapwick Senior pupils board. The school recommends that any prospective boarding pupils spend one or two taster nights at a house to experience the fun for themselves!
Boarding is divided into two groups (senior and sixth form) with full and occasional options. Full boarding is full-time; these boarders stay in school every night of the week including weekends with the exception of two exeat weekends per term when all pupils go home. However full boarders may go home or stay with friends any weekend (after the end of lessons at 12.35pm on a Saturday) providing the school is notified and parental permission given.
Flexi boarding is offered on a nightly basis and is available any night of the week, however places are limited and the school does not guarantee to meet all requests.
Boarding houses are run as family units. Each has its own distinctive character and run by experienced and caring resident staff.
There are five houses for Shapwick Senior and Sixth Form pupils, some of which are in Shapwick and others are situated in neighbouring villages.
The Manor.
The Manor is home to over 25 boys aged between 13 and 17 years. The boarding house occupies the first and second floors of the Manor and the boys benefit from use of the school’s Sports Hall, Games Room and Tennis Courts during the evening (even during the winter months as the area is lit by floodlight). There is a large communal lounge where the boys enjoy watching TV and practicing for the next series of X Factor on the karaoke machine. The Manor has recently been refurnished and redecorated including new bathrooms.
The Lakes.
This house can accommodate up to 20 senior boys, and is situated in the village of Meare which is approximately 5 miles from the school campus. The boys travel to and from school by minibus. The house boasts a computer room, games room, a fitness gym, TV lounge, kitchen area and a large garden with the River Brue at the end of it. The boys often go on rural country walks with the houseparents; plus enjoy barbeques in the summer. The Lakes has recently been refurbished and decorated including new bathrooms.
Greystones.
Greystones Cottage is situated directly opposite the Shapwick Senior campus so the girls only have to cross the road to get to school. Greystones benefits from an impressive purpose built extension which is due to be complete at the end of October 2009. This new area of the home will boast a large lounge area with oak beam ceilings, en-suite facilities and a kitchen area. The old part of Greystones has lots of character with a very homely atmosphere. All Senior and Sixth Form girls live in this house.
The Old Vicarage.
This house is based on the Shapwick Prep campus in Burtle and home to 13 Sixth Form boys. The Old Vicarage has benefited from an extensive refurbishment programme during 2008-09 and now boasts en-suite shower facilities and newly-decorated rooms. The boys travel to college each day via the school minibus.
Pupil Comments
Here is a selection of comments from Shapwick boarders:
“It’s a comfy and a relaxing place. Everyone understands if you have a problem, everyone makes you feel at home” (Year 9 girl).
“I think boarding is such a fun and exciting experience for those have not boarded before. It’s fab” (Year 10 girl).
“I think the boarding house is a lovely place to live. It is my second family. I love boarding at Shapwick” (Year 9 girl).
“I had never boarded before I came to this school and was really worried. But it is such a loving and caring place. You feel safe and comfortable. It’s just like a second home. It’s absolutely great fun!” (Year 9 girl).
"Boarding is really fun and you get to make new friends really quickly. You also learn to take responsibility for yourself and there are always more things to do than at home" (Year 9 boy - new to boarding at the beginning of his 3rd week).
"Having had really good support in my lessons during the day and mixing with my friends, I can then continue to have fun with my friends in the boarding house. At the same time I get the support I need with my daily organisation to make me an independent person. Boarding life has rules, but they are usually clear and fair, and I know what is expected of me. I really adjusted quickly to boarding life and I have no problem at all being a boarding student" (Year 10 boy - in his 2nd term as a boarder at the school).
"Boarding is great, everybody is really friendly and there is always someone to go to if I am upset. Everybody seems to fit in well and get along with each other - it is just like a big family" (Year 11 boy - weekly boarder, who often chooses to stay at weekends).