Welcome
Dear Boarders, Parents and Guardians,
I would like to take this opportunity to
formally welcome you to the Guildford
Grammar School boarding community.
My family and I have been involved with
this wonderful school for eight years and
over this time we have developed life-long
relationships with staff and students alike.
It is without doubt, the people of this
community that make Guildford Grammar
School boarding such a positive and
collegial environment. My family and I look
forward to getting to know you and your
child over the course of their time here.
This year we will have close to 100 boarders
attending the School. Due to the current
allocation of student numbers across year
groups, this means we will continue to have
Year 9 male students residing in the Sir Francis
Burt Senior Hall.
We are consistently working towards
maintaining a ‘boarding culture’, with a set
of values, trademarks and behaviours and a
clear set of expectations for all members of
the boarding community. This is now wellestablished
and we will include guidelines on
how positive relationships can be fostered. The
purpose of boarding at Guildford Grammar
School is:
“To provide a home away from
home, giving boarders the
opportunity of a first class education
while building strong relationships
and learning lifelong values”
Open communication with parents is one
of my priorities, so if there are any boarding
matters you would like to discuss please do not
hesitate to contact me. I am available via email
[email protected], mobile
0457 101 577 and office (08) 9377 8540.
Matthew Weston
Head of Boarding
This Handbook contains information that will
assist you in understanding the care we provide
and the opportunities that exist for boarders
at Guildford Grammar School. To ensure you
make the most of your boarding experience,
please familiarise yourself with the philosophies,
practices and principles that underpin the
community your child will reside within this year.
Whilst we seek to nurture each child’s individual
talents and allow them to develop their own
interests, boarders should understand that their
own individual freedoms may sometimes need
to be restricted in order to guarantee the rights
and privileges of each community member.
It is also important for each child to strike a
balance between pursuing their own goals and
contributing to the happiness and harmony of
the community.
We aim to make boarding as much like a home
as we can. We provide a safe, caring and happy
environment where children find friendship in
their work, sport and recreational activities. We
hope that your child will approach boarding
positively and make the most of their time with
us. Boarding is a unique opportunity to learn to
be caring, independent, resilient, thoughtful and
respectful of others.
As comprehensive as this Handbook is, we do
not intend for it to become a replacement for
yours or your child’s own good judgement. We
encourage our students to develop qualities of
consideration and respect for others, courtesy,
good manners, cooperation and responsibility.
If the decisions our boarders make are informed
by these values, their experience of boarding
will be a positive one and will enrich the lives of
those around them.
Matthew Weston
Head of Boarding
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