downside SCHOOL PARENTS HANDBOOK CONTENTS Mission Statement & Rule 2 Welfare Pastoral Care 18 Foundation 3 Money 19 Telephones 20 Staff 4 Food 20 Pupils’ Accident Insurance 21 House Structure Fees Protection Scheme 21 St Oliver’s House 8 Dental & Optical Schemes 21 Powell House 8 Medical Care 22 Senior Girls’ Houses 8 Medical History Record 23 Senior Boys’ Houses 9 Inoculations 23 Day Pupils 9 Travel & Absences 24 Academic Structure The Forms 10 Exeats 25 CONTENTS Preparation 11 Examinations 12 Extracts from Regulations Reports 13 Dress & Appearance 26 The Tutorial System 13 Visitors 27 Conduct 28 Extra-Curricular Life Games 14 Discipline 29 Music 14 Activities 15 Complaints Procedures Parents 30 Spiritual Life Pupils 33 Downside Ideals 16 Sacramental worship 16 Term dates 34 Prayer 17 Sodalities 17 Local Information 37 Charity work 17 Useful Contacts 38 1 MISSION STATEMENT FOUNdaTION In partnership with families, guided by the Gospel and inspired by the Rule of The Benedictine community of St Gregory the Great was founded at Douai, St Benedict, the monks and staff aim to educate the young people entrusted France, in 1606 by a group of English and Welsh monks who were in exile to their care to achieve the highest possible academic standards, according to because of the penal laws in England against Catholics. The community received their ability and to develop their gifts for the good of themselves and of others, the permission and protection of the Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia of so that they may become more fruitfully committed to Christ and his Church, Spain and Portugal, the joint ruler of the Spanish Netherlands, and they were and to the service of His people. furnished with buildings by Philip de Caverel, Abbot of St Vedast’s in Arras. By 1617 English Catholics were sending their boys across the Channel to be educated there. The School has been in existence since that time, with the monks engaged not only in teaching but also in scholarly work, writing and THE DOWNSIDE MOTTO AND RULE lecturing, and in priestly and pastoral work. Apud bonos iura pietatis: In the 17th century, the death penalty was inflicted on Catholic priests found For good people, loyalty is the lawgiver in England. Many members of St Gregory’s nonetheless came to England to exercise their priestly duties, and six of them have been recognised as martyrs F ENT “Our task then is to establish a school of the Lord’s service” – Rule of St Benedict by the Church. Two of these, St John Roberts and St Ambrose Barlow, were OUN M canonized as saints in 1970. Another martyr who has yet to be canonized TE The priority of a Gregorian is duty to others. He or she is obliged to act with is Blessed Philip Powell, who was put to death in 1646. In 1681, St Oliver da A courtesy and common sense for the good of the community. Any behaviour Plunkett, the Irish Archbishop of Armagh, was executed in London. Before his that causes discomfort, distress or danger does not conform to the rule. execution he was helped by an English Benedictine, Dom Maurus Corker, who T I Our ethos is one of self-discipline. At Downside the collective mentality is later took care of his body. His relics are now housed in the principal shrine in ON ON ST I discouraged. Everyone should be their own person: responsible for others Downside Abbey. St Oliver was canonized in 1975. SS I rather than merely taking their tone from them. One of the aims of education M is to help children understand that the rules of living are necessary for human By the beginning of the 18th century the School was held in such high esteem happiness. Downside takes the word intelligence as including the ability to in England that Queen Anne ordered the Duke of Marlborough to spare it understand others and communicate with them. when he stormed Douai in 1710. In the 1790s, however, French revolutionaries plundered the Abbey and School, but the monks and boys were allowed to escape to England in February 1795. After nineteen years at Acton Burnell in Shropshire, in the house of Sir Edward Smythe, a former pupil, the Abbey and School moved to Downside and the present buildings were begun. The School has therefore been on its present site since 1814. The cedar tree near the main entrance was planted in that year. 2 3 STAFF THE GOVERNING BODY THE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & ADMISSIONS The Board of Governors, appointed by the monastery, has responsibility for The Director of Marketing & Admissions is responsible for admissions and for overseeing the management of the School. It is under the chairmanship of the marketing the school. He is also responsible for publications, the website and Abbot of Downside. for public occasions. He works with the Registrar and the Marketing Assistant. The Trustees of Downside Abbey, under the chairmanship of the Abbot, have THE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT financial responsibility for the School, and the day-to-day control of finance and The Director of Development is responsible for encouraging the involvement expenditure is in the hands of the Bursar. of alumini, parents and friends in the life of Downside and fostering their interest in sustaining the School’s future. She works with the Development THE HEAD MASTER Assistant. The Head Master is appointed by the Abbot and Governing Body to be in overall charge of the school. Appointments to see the Head Master in private THE BURSAR must be arranged through his Secretary. The Bursar is responsible to the Abbot for maintaining the fabric of the School and its physical resources. He is also responsible for the catering and domestic THE DEPUTY HEAD MASTER services and the budgetary system. The Deputy Head Master is responsible for all School matters and deputizes for the Head Master in his absence. Normally, issues should be raised with the THE SCHOOL CHAPLAIN AND THE CHAPLAINCY TEAM ST AFF AFF Deputy Head Master before they are addressed to the Head Master. He is also The School Chaplain sees that the School provides for the spiritual needs and ST the Child Protection Officer. development of its pupils and staff and that the Catholic faith, with its worship and sacraments, is central to the education which Downside School provides. THE DIRECTOR OF STUDIES He is assisted by the team of Chaplains. The Director of Studies is responsible for all academic matters, including the curriculum, timetable, examinations and placement of teaching staff. He is the THE HOUSE MASTERS/MISTRESS AND THEIR ASSISTANTS general overseer of academic progress. The House Masters or Mistresses are responsible for the care of the pupils in their charge while they are at Downside. All members of the staff share in this THE DIRECTOR OF PASTORAL CarE responsibility, especially in their role as Tutors. The Director of Pastoral Care is responsible for the pastoral side of the School. He oversees the House structures and is line manager to the House The House Masters or Mistresses are in loco parentis and their responsibility is Masters/Mistresses and the Head of Nursing Care. He deputizes for the Child for the moral and social life of the pupils, as well as their academic progress. Protection Officer. HOUSE MOTHERS THE DIRECTOR OF ACTIVITIES AND GAMES The House Mothers help to organize the pupils in the Houses. They work The Director of Activities oversees the extra-curricular activities that form an closely with the House Master/House Mistress in order to ensure the smooth integral part of the education provided by Downside. He is also line manager to running of the laundry arrangements, ensuring that the pupils keep their rooms the Games Department. neat and tidy, and they help by doing much of the House shopping. 4 5 ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATOR UCAS OFFICER The Academic Administrator is responsible for the administration of the The UCAS Officer deals with University applications for current students academic side of School life. and by agreement with those who are applying after a Gap year. He helps with personal statements and is responsible for sending off the completed HEADS OF DEparTMENTS application forms. He will liaise with the UCAS team as necessary. Each Head of Department is responsible to the Head Master, through the Director of Studies, for the efficient running of his or her department; for CarEERS GUidaNCE CO-ORDINATOR allocating the teaching within the department and deciding on which pupil The Careers Guidance Co-ordinator ensures that all pupils receive advice goes into which set; for controlling the budget of the department; for arranging about their career intentions and that they are properly equipped and qualified the setting of internal examination papers at appropriate times of the year and for the next stage in their development. consulting with the Director of Studies on all matters concerning curriculum and examinations. LEARNING SUPPORT CO-ORDINATOR The Learning Support Co-ordinator has special responsibility for pupils who Departments are arranged into seven Faculties: require extra one-to-one tuition because of a special need, such as dyslexia, or English and EAL in order to provide other learning support. She liaises with staff to keep them Mathematics, ICT, Design up to date about pupils who may require special consideration in the delivery Modern Foreign Languages (French, German, Spanish) and Classics of the curriculum. Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) and Physical Education ST AFF AFF Religious Studies HEAD OF EAL ST Humanities (Business Studies, Economics, Geography, History) A small number of pupils each year require extra English teaching, because Art and Music English is not their native tongue. They are given extra lessons in English, in small groups, to help them access the curriculum.