Boarding: FAQs

Boys in School Years 9-13, aged 13-18, are eligible to board at Whitgift.

 

Passing the Pre-Test sat in May, either one or two years before entry, or passing the Whitgift Entrance Exams in the January of the year of entry.

 

Currently, Common Entrance is not used in the assessment process.

 

A combination of good academic performance, references, entrance tests, and, additionally, a solid GCSE portfolio.  Applications should be made at the very start of Year 11.

 

Academic and Co-Curricular Awards are available for boarders (except flexi-boarding).

 

No boy should be precluded from coming to Whitgift for financial reasons, and Boarding Awards are available, at the Headmaster's discretion.

 

The boarding house team currently consists of:

 

Richard Murray joins the team after nine years at Harrow, where he was a Housemaster and a teacher of Mathematics. Prior to that, Richard was at Rugby School for four years. As Senior Housemaster at Whitgift, he is joined by his wife, Lowri, and triplet girls – Eleri, Nia and Addien, aged 6. Richard teaches Mathematics and is actively involved in rugby, kayaking, the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, football, golf, and swimming.

 

Will Chaloner was educated at Bradfield College in Berkshire, where his father was a housemaster.  His father’s role has led to much experience concerning life in a boarding house, having had 14 years as a houseparent’s son and as a boarding pupil. During his time at Bradfield, Will contributed significantly to both the academic and sporting aspects of the school. In his final year, he was head of his boarding house, as well as being head of the school.

 

After leaving Bradfield, Will read Sport Science and Management at Loughborough University, where he remained to complete a PGCE in Physical Education. He is now a full-time PE teacher and sports coach. His passion is cricket, where, as a player he represented his county and university (winning gold in the 2006 BUSA competition). Now, as a Level 2 ECB Coach, Will is more involved with the coaching of cricket, and numerous other sports.

 

Adrian Norris is Head of Boarding, Head of Lower School and a teacher of Mathematics and PE. Having been at Whitgift since 1995, he has also been involved with the School’s numerous Sixth Form activities, the development of the BTEC qualifications, rugby, athletics and swimming. Adrian and his wife, Fiona, have four children – Oliver (11), Erin (10), Grace (8) and Fleur (4).

Mrs Sheldine Moran – Matron
Sheldine moved to the UK 10 years ago from South Africa, where her two sons and four grandchildren still reside.
Since being in the UK, Sheldine has felt privileged to work for five years at Stowe School, followed by two years at Rugby School, and three years at Royal Hospital School. Sheldine joined the boarding team at Whitgift in 2013.
When she is not working, Sheldine enjoys watching sports, especially rugby and cricket, and enjoys craftwork including sewing, knitting, scrapbooking, floral art and gardening.

Mr Benjamin Miller – Deputy Boarding Housemaster
Ben was educated at Reading School, The Henley College, and St-Anne’s College, Oxford, where he studied English Language and Literature. Ben joined Whitgift in September 2013, following four years at Bradfield College, where he was Resident Tutor in a busy boys’ boarding house, and Second in the English Department.
In his spare time, Ben enjoys creative writing, learning Portuguese, and running. He hopes to complete his first marathon soon.

Mr Jack Allen – Resident Boarding House Tutor

Jack was educated at Aylesbury Grammar School, Buckinghamshire, before studying Economics and Management at Hertford College, Oxford University. Whilst at University he was Vice Captain and Treasurer of the football club, and President of the Geoffrey Warnock Economics Society. After teaching in Madrid as a TEFL teacher, Jack joined Whitgift in 2012 as an Economics teacher. Outside school Jack loves music and sport, and completed the Berlin Marathon in 2011 in 3 hours and 35 minutes.

Ms Desiree Chan – Non-Residential Boarding House Tutor

Desiree undertook her education in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, gaining a BSc in Chemistry and an HDE. She then taught in South Africa for over four years, before moving to the UK.
Desiree has now been teaching for 17 years, and has been at Whitgift since 2005, where she holds the position of Second in Chemistry, as well as the roles of Educational Visit Co-ordinator and Sixth Form tutor. Desiree also organises the School’s ‘Science Taster Days’.
Outside of school time, Desiree spends her time dancing.

Mr Michal Janca – Non-Residential Boarding House Tutor

Michal Janca trained to Master’s Level in Physical Education and Sport at the Charles University, Prague. Following this Michal represented his country as a Modern Pentathlete internationally, and has won Gold, Silver and Bronze medals in the Czech Academic Championships in fencing. Michal started coaching Modern Pentathlon at Whitgift in 2008, and is part of the team which secured GB Pentathlon's recognition of the School as a Modern Pentathlon Academy. Michal joined the Boarding team in 2014.

First Bell	7.20am
Second Bell	7.25am
Third Bell	7.30am
Morning Registration (Senior Common Room)	7.35am
Breakfast	7.40am onwards
Ding Dong & Morning Registration (School Day Begins)	8.25am
Lessons Begin	8.55am
First Break	10.25am
Lessons Resume	10.45am
Lunch	1.00pm
Queue	1.45pm
Ding Dong & Afternoon Registration	2.00pm
Afternoon Lessons	2.15pm
Co-curricular Clubs	3.45pm - 5.15pm
Homework 1	5.45pm
Dinner	6.30pm
Homework 2	7.00pm
Junior House Meeting	7.45pm
Senior House Meeting	8.00pm
Free Time	8.00pm - 10.00pm
Bed-times begin Bell to get ready for bed: Upper Third - 9.45pm Lower Fifth - 10.00pm Upper Fifth - 10.15pm	10.00pm onwards Lights Out: 10.00pm 10.15pm 10.30pm

 

Boarders meal plans can be found here.

Boys will occupy triple, double or single rooms throughout their time in the boarding house, working towards a single room, if desired, in their Upper Sixth Form year.

 

Typically, Upper Third Form pupils occupy trebles, Fifth Form and Lower Sixth Form pupils occupy doubles, and Upper Sixth Form pupils occupy singles rooms.

 

Boys will be allocated a roommate, which will change every Half Term, but efforts will be made to pair up boys with similar interests.

 

With no fixed EXEAT weekends, full boarders are able to request leave on any weekend.

 

Ordinarily, permission for overnight leave during the week will not be granted; but we are always flexible on a case-by-case basis.

 

At any time!

 

After a boarder’s school commitments are complete (sports fixtures or Whitgift Arts Programme), he may return to the House to relax, or request permission (under certain conditions) to go into Croydon. On Saturday evenings, a film will be shown in the Sixth Form Centre, and often a House Tutor will take a group of boys out for the evening.

 

On Sundays, boarders are allowed to ‘lie-in’ until Brunch at 10.30am. From midday, the House will run a trip/activity for all boarders, for example, cinema trips, bowling, premier league matches, day trips to Brighton, or shopping in London.

 

During the evening, boys are able to relax, use the sports facilities, play in their common rooms or catch up on work.

 

With permission, boarders may go home at weekends, or stay with friends, subject to Housemaster’s approval.

 

Everything! All of our sports, art and music facilities are available to boarders. In addition, the Raeburn Library is also accessible.

 

Most pupils will probably have a mobile phone, but it is not compulsory.