Boarding Staff, Policies, Procedures and Forms

Boarding at Shaftesbury School is managed by the Head of Boarding, Mr C Knowles.

All of the boarding staff do duty in the boarding house, either during the week or at the weekend and the dedicated and committed house staff work together to provide the best possible care for all our boarders. Students say that the house staff treat the children like their own and our boarding house is run like one big family home.  The other house parents who work at the boarding house are a mixture of school staff and other part-time staff.

Contact Boarding Staff

Throughout the year we will have presentations by the local police, drug and alcohol services, nutritionists and internet safety officers in order that we can provide our young people with as much support and guidance as possible on all factors affecting young people.

Each boarder will be assigned a mentor who will meet with them throughout the year to keep a check on their progress. On a day-to-day basis, the students can go to any member of staff on duty with worries or concerns, as well as sharing a cup of tea to discuss the fun activities at the weekend. Each student is registered with the local doctor so that we can make sure all their medical needs are taken care of. We can also organise dentist appointments and other appointments as necessary.

Boarders are all made aware of the existence of the independent listener who visits the house once per term to meet with the boarders. Students can also contact a number of other agencies if they have any concerns. The boarding staff will ensure that parents are kept up-to-date with the academic progress of the children and attend parents evening and other meetings on their behalf. The Head of Boarding is in constant contact with parents and will provide information pertaining to the school and boarding house on an on-going basis.

We welcome students from all over the world to Barton Hill House and some of those come to us with English as their second language. Students with additional language support needs are supported by staff in school and at the boarding house. The support offered may include:

1. Private English Tuition (Fees negotiable)
2. Structured supervised reading program with house staff
3. Discussion groups extending vocabulary and comprehension
4. Supervised small group prep-sessions to support English skills
5. IELTS (International Language Testing System)
6. Supported functional skills in English programme
7. 1-1 support in core subjects

At Shaftesbury School and Barton Hill House we welcome students and their families from a variety of diverse cultures. We are committed to including students from different faiths, religions, ethnic backgrounds and nations. Where possible, special arrangements will be made for those who wish to attend places of worship and also those who need to follow a strict diet. Other dietary preferences can be catered for, including allergies and food intolerances.

Students living at Barton Hill House are not required to attend a place of worship. However, many students do attend a variety of services each week along with youth groups and events. General information regarding places of worship is listed below:

Church of England: St. Peter’s Church, High Street.
Holy Communion: Every second Sunday at 8:00am for ½ hour.
Common Worship: Every first, third and fourth Sunday at 9.30am for 1 hour

New Covenant Church: Shaftesbury Christian Centre, Christy’s Lane
Sunday from 10.15am

Roman Catholic: St. Edward’s, Salisbury Street.
Vigil Mass (First Mass of Sunday): Saturday 5pm
Sung Family Mass: Sunday 11am
Weekday Mass: Tuesday 7.30am

Society of Friends (Quaker): Abbey Walk
Sunday Meeting for Worship (Silent) 10.30am

Methodist & United Reformed: Parsons Pool
Sunday: Morning Service – 10.30am; Evening Service – 6.00pm

Jehovah’s Witnesses
Kingdom Hall, Longmead, Shaftesbury

Our nearest Mosque is located in Bournemouth. 4 St. Stephens Road, Bournemouth
01202 557072

Our nearest Synagogue is located in Bournemouth.
Bournemouth Reform Synagogue, 53 Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, BH1 3PA
01202 557736