Community
Situated at the centre of the school estate in our beautiful valley, Junior House has the benefit of being self-contained while feeling a part of our wider school community. Breakfast is served in House which brings the feeling of a family home and the children love playing games on the House astroturf and enjoying social events in their large garden. We also have thousands of acres of beautiful Yorkshire countryside at our disposal for exploration and learning about nature. At this age in particular, children need space to grow and develop.
Junior House is a lively and happy community. A dedicated team of staff supports the children’s pastoral needs, nurturing and accompanying each of them on their journey towards the Senior School.
House Staff
Sebastian Phillips, the Houseparent of Junior House, is responsible for the overall pastoral care and wellbeing of every child, ably supported by Assistant Houseparent, Eilidh McKell. A resident Tutor, Connor Rutter, one of our Science teachers, lives in the House along with three pastoral and sports assistants.
Junior House has two Matrons who, between them, are on duty seven days a week and play an important part in the pastoral care of our children. They have many years’ experience working and caring for children of this age. They help children settle into the House and provide everyday assistance with clothes, laundry, medications, cooking in the kitchen, and a whole lot more.
As Head of Year 7 & 8, Hannah Graham has a particular focus on the overall academic progress of the children. Every child has a Tutor who is responsible for keeping a close eye on their academic progress and helping them to flourish in all aspects of school life. Tutors forge close relationships with the pupils and are in regular communication with parents about their child’s progress and achievements. To give our pupils the best support we possibly can, we build a strong partnership between parents and the school team, with the child at its centre.
Other subject specialist staff teach the Junior pupils and visit the House regularly to run activities or provide support. This means the Junior pupils get to know staff who will teach them over the years to come, smoothing their transition to the Senior School and building positive relationships with teachers who know them really well.
Every year, a number of Sixth Form students are chosen to be Junior House Monitors. They visit weekly, playing with the children, helping with prep, and acting as big brothers and sisters and role models. The younger pupils love this and it helps them grow in confidence socially and feel more connected across the College.
Within the House, Year 7 and 8 mix freely together with the Year 8s mentoring the Year 7 pupils when they first arrive and with good friendships developing. Investing in these relationships across the year groups engrains a strong sense of school family and greatly helps with transition into the Senior School in Year 9. Year 8 pupils also take on positions of responsibilities within the House with a Head Girl and a Head Boy and Prefects with leadership roles in sports, chaplaincy, and co-curricular activities.
