YEAR 6 TO 12
BOARDING
HOUSE
At Scotch Oakburn College we are very proud of our strong boarding tradition and the warm, home-away-from-home environment our professional and compassionate staff create for our boarding family.
Our co-educational Boarding House provides spacious and recently renovated accommodation for up to 80 Year 6 to 12 students from across Tasmania´s country regions as well as from interstate and overseas. Located at the heart of the Elphin Campus in the original, historic Methodist Ladies’ College/Oakburn College buildings, and surrounded by beautiful gardens and century-old oak trees, the Scotch Oakburn College Boarding House is a special place indeed.
Boarders form a special part of the College community and our aim is for each student to develop a strong sense of belonging within the Boarding House as this will be their home during term times. Our staff are committed to ensuring the wellbeing and growth of the students by providing a supportive home away from home that addresses the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of each individual.
The College offers a variety of flexible boarding arrangements including full-time, part-time and casual boarding. These options allow boarders and their parents to choose a pattern of boarding that suits their needs.
Our Head of Boarding and Tutors are only a phone call or email away for parent queries and concerns, with two-way communications being frequent and encouraged.
Boarding is a unique experience and a wonderful opportunity to learn many important life skills such as independence, respect, compassion, empathy and leadership, as well as developing lifelong friendships. We hope that you can join us for what will be a happy, memorable and rewarding experience.
Boarding parent Kate Taylor
Former boarder Carlton Heres
Every effort is made to duplicate the healthy eating standards parents would provide at home and our on-site chefs prepare delicious, balanced meals, with fruit and healthy snacks always available. We have in place, strict policies on study times, security and safety, and electronics and firewalls. Specialist tutors provide further academic support to help students achieve their ambitions and a communal study area, as well as personal workspaces, are available to all students.
Our safe and caring environment is a place where every boarder feels recognised, respected and valued. Boarding life provides many opportunities for fun and games with the students instigating dress up nights, cultural dinners, fundraiser pizza nights and charity events to bring everyone together. Optional weekend activities such as hiking, mountain bike riding, film nights, picnics, sightseeing and farm visits, provide all full-time boarders with the opportunity to get out and about with friends at the weekends.
We encourage each boarding student to have a balanced involvement in the academic, sporting and cultural life of the College but we understand that students also need space to relax and unwind. We have a games room including a table tennis table, pool table, piano, tv’s and lounges, and students have supervised access to the on-site pool and sporting facilities.
As well as promoting academic excellence amongst boarders, we continue to strongly emphasise our desire for each of them to become self-directed, well balanced and ethical people. Living in our boarding community helps students acquire important life skills such as empathy and respect for others, independence and organisational skills, and most importantly, confidence and life-long friendships.
A boarder’s week day is like that of of any other student – get up and get ready for school, eat breakfast, then head off for a normal school day. After school, boarders may attend sports training or another co-curricular activity, or come home for afternoon tea. They can spend some time relaxing with friends or get on with homework.
An outline of a standard school day for our boarders is shown below.
CATERING AND KITCHEN STAFF
The College employs several catering staff who provide a critical service to all residents in the House as well as many other College wide functions. Their role is quite diverse from running high end functions to meeting the day to day nutritional and dietary needs of the boarders and boarding staff. Like most kitchens, their work patterns ebb and flow depending on the demand on their services. They also expected to meet compliance requirements of a registered commercial kitchen under Local law.
SENIOR ACADEMIC BOARDING STAFF
Senior Academic staff are responsible for the academic progress of each student and the supervision of Prep time in the evenings. This entails providing subject specific support where possible, as well as creating the impetus for students to develop a depth and breadth of personal and organization skills that provides the platform for academic growth. Senior academic boarding staff are on site Monday to Thursday evenings.
DUTY STAFF
Duty staff (non-residential and residential) are responsible for the smooth functioning of the House and work with other key staff to ensure that they are consistently applying the processes, expectations, rules and values of the College and Boarding House.
Embedded in those functions is the overarching approach of providing each student guidance, compassion, a level of care and attention that promotes belonging and growth, both academic and character, with the end goal to produce outstanding young men and women.
The Residential Duty Staff live on site and are responsible for the oversight of the health, safety, behavior and general well-being of the boarders throughout the night, including administering medication and providing first aid and support as required.
THE ADMIN/STUDENT SUPPORT OFFICER
This is a key ‘front of House’ role in the House. The role has many purposes from the administration of first aid, monitoring sick boarders, arranging medical appointments and transport, accompanying students when warranted and coordinating other transport requirements. They are the first point of contact for guests and parents and coordinate leave for exeats and holidays, including booking homestays for our international students. This role is pivotal in strengthening and maintaining communication between home and the Boarding House.
YEAR COORDINATORS
Year Coordinators (YCO) have an overarching responsibility for the holistic development of all boarders in their care. YCO will have several year levels for whom they are responsible for and a key component of their role is to develop enduring relationships with the student and their family. They are the primary point of contact for families whilst students are boarding. It is a multifaceted role, where issues with wellbeing, welfare, academic performance, character development and student engagement in College life are all supported.
HEAD OF BOARDING
The Head of Boarding (HoB) over-sees the operation of the Boarding House and the welbeing of all those that live there. This involves responsibility for all components and operations of the House including academia, culture, pastoral support, student welfare, sports and recreational activities, catering, laundry, and community relationships. The HoB works closely with all boarding staff and students and is available to parents as needed.
Parents Always Welcome
Scotch Oakburn College understands the importantace of family values such as nurture and care. It doesn’t matter where you live, parents and relatives are always encouraged to share in the Boarding House life of their children. Family members are regularly invited to Boarding House activities, including special events designed for parents. Regular news is sent home to families to keep them informed, aware, and connected to the Boarding House and the people who call it home.
