The Chronicle, Summer Term 2017

14 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Anna Fielding Assistant Housemistress I am on duty in the boarding house on a Wednesday and also on a Thursday evening. However, I usually aim to pop into the House at least once a day to catch up with whoever is around. I am in charge of the boarding house for one weekend a term and I am often around on Saturdays or Sundays. We do have formal meetings but it’s mostly regular chats (often over tea) to keep up to date with what’s happening. I read the news and articles on social media to keep up-to-date with issues affecting teenagers. However, it’s mostly through talking with the girls in House - there are lots of things said in the media but the best way to find out what’s bothering young people is to talk to them.

The big events are always fun when the whole House comes together - Corfe/ Field dinner, summer BBQs, Corfe Occasion , House sporting wins. However, the best bit is probably getting to know the girls as “real people”. They are not just pupils sitting in my classroom; they are interesting individuals with their own interests, cares and concerns. In the end it’s probably the little things that really make it enjoyable - table tennis and pool competitions, jigsaws, mending broken

mobile phones, Chinese takeaway and, of course, cake night. Living in a boarding house helps pupils to appreciate that you are a real person too - certainly after early morning fire alarms in the rain in your pyjamas!

Julius Nyonyo Peer Listener I am a Peer Listener, and a Head Sacristan. Particularly when I am on duty in House I make sure to check up on all individuals of the year before putting them to bed. Being from Tilly’s, I tend to speak to pupils in our common room which is quite big and open so presents an inviting environment for conversation. I make sure that pupils in House know and understand my role as a Peer Listener, and a Head Sacristan. I am here for them to speak to about any issues that they may have, not necessarily school related, and that whatever I am told remains confidential between us. Pupils are welcome to find me (or any Peer Listener) in their Houses; in my case pupils usually come and find me in my room if they wish to speak to me about something. As Peer Listeners, we have weekly meetings with Miss Steer and Mr Tester to discuss how we are finding our role, whether there any serious issues around the School at the present time and, if so, what we can do to help. We also talk about areas in our role that we think we are struggling and how we can make improvements. We communicate with each other regularly via email. Head Sacristans also have weekly meetings with both Reverend Kerr and Reverend Jones to talk about how we could engage more pupils in their faith and their spiritual side. I often ask pupils in the lower years what is going in their year group and enquire how they feel about the atmosphere in their year, in order to gain an understanding of how the pupil may feel and how they are being affected by this. It provides me with the opportunity to interact with the lower years, on a regular basis. It also gives me the chance to lend an ear to those pupils who, around this age, sometimes think they are on their own and aren’t being heard by others. It is rewarding to be able to encourage them to believe in

themselves and stay positive. Julius was previously at Caldicott