Lower Grammar Girls Boarding House
The Girls House
Lower Grammar (Year 9) and Grammar (Year 10) girls board together in the same area of the College. The Boarding House is at the top of the main staircase, above the More Library and the Upper Gallery, taking up the full length of the College building with magnificent views across the Avenue.
Ethos
This house provides a peaceful environment where the girls can be fully themselves without fear of judgement. The girls are encouraged to take part in as many activities as they wish, improving on what they most enjoy, but also discovering new things they may not have thought about doing prior to joining Stonyhurst (for example music, drama, debating). Boarders in this house are encouraged to speak their mind, and not hesitate to voice concerns, knowing they will be listened to and taken seriously.
About the Lower Grammar Girls House Parent
Together with her Deputy, Sarah Lomax looks after the girls in the Lower Grammar and Grammar Boarding House.
Sarah comes to Stonyhurst with a wealth of experience in PE teaching and pastoral care. She has previously held different leadership roles in schools and a sixth form college, including four boarding schools as a Housemistress. She previously started a hockey club nearly Manchester and actively promoted youth sport in the community. Her interest in hockey led to coaching teams what won the Schools National Finals at U13 and U16 levels.
Most of her boarding experience has been with horizontal boarding specifically with girls aged 13 to 15. As the International Student Co-ordinator at Woldingham School she promoted cultural diversity through a variety of events and activities from a Buddy Training programme and Big Sister scheme to an evening celebration of culture with singing, dancing and music from the pupils’ home countries.
Sarah’s formative years were based in the north of England where she met her husband Ian and later they had twin boys. For the last 25 years their teaching careers took them to the south of England, consequently they are particularly happy to be returning to the magnificent surroundings of the Lancashire countryside. Sarah loves to travel and has been a frequent visitor to America and as far afield as Australia and New Zealand.
Sarah is very keen on arts and crafts and loves making things particularly in pottery or textiles. She is hoping to develop the students interests in cooking and looks forward to broadening her knowledge of their international cuisine. Always keen to develop her skills Sarah as recently become a First Aid Instructor and hopes to promote a knowledge and understanding of First Aid with all age groups.
Explore a boarding house
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Explore a Boarding House Common Room
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Explore a Boarding House Bedroom
Our daily routine
The pupils get up at 07:00am for breakfast at 07:30am. After passing room inspection the girls may then collect their electrical devices (phones, laptops, tablets). The day starts at 08:20am with a range of events including Headmaster’s Assembly, tutor time, singing practice (to cover the Hymns for Sunday’s Mass), PSHE and assembly with the Playroom.
Classes commence at 09:00am and there are six lessons slots throughout the day, three in the morning, and three in the afternoon. The day finished around 17:15pm. Exceptions are Wednesday and Saturday, when classes finish around 12:40pm and 11:10am, respectively. Boarders are allowed back in the house at 18:30pm after activities and dinner, they then have studies from 19:00pm - 20:00pm then have free time until 21:00pm. Lights out is at 21:45pm.
In addition to academic lessons, the boys and girls are also involved in sport on Tuesday and Thursday morning (this takes place in one of the lesson slots), and sport forms a big part of Wednesday and Saturday afternoons.
Night prayers, led by the house parent, take place twice a week.
Evenings & weekends
Evening activities vary from day to day but include more than 75 different clubs and activities alongside time for prep and studies. These include golf, photography, dance, debating, orchestra, scuba, charities and management groups. Weekend activities vary from week to week but include movies, theatre going, going to watch football matches, shopping, playing sport, visiting the Trafford Centre, Blackpool Pleasure Beach and fishing in the Hodder River and many more.
Boarding life can be quite hectic for our young people. The importance of down time is, therefore, essential, and there are times in the evening when this is possible. In addition, the longer breaks during the day allow time for the boys and girls to decompress a little then, too. This will help them to maintain focus and application when involved in a structured activity, be it a class or an event outside of the academic curriculum.
The weekends allow for a good rest for the girls. They have access to their devices on Saturday evening / night and can watch a movie in bed on their laptop, if they wish to.
A Sunday morning lie in until 09:45am in followed by Mass at 11:00am. After brunch, the girls can take part in the organised activities, if they wish. Some may prefer down time.
Sunday afternoon activities vary from week to week. They include making use of the facilities on campus, so the girlss could engage in a game of hockey, play tennis, golf or badminton, and use the swimming pool and so on. We also have organised events at the College and have BBQs and the like, when the weather permits! Alternately, we could leave the College on an organised activity. This could be going to the movies, visiting a town centre, go-karting, visiting a theme park, going on a walk, visiting the local river, or some other pursuit. The girls are encouraged to feed into this process and their needs and wants are important.
Key Contacts for Lower Grammar Girls House
Mrs Sarah Lomax
Miss Megan Aspery
Miss Zoe Livingstone
Miss Sarah Pyke
Excellent pastoral care and the excellent boarding experience further contribute to pupil’s resilience and independence.
ISI Report