This document discusses managing the transition of pupils from preparatory schools to senior boarding houses. It examines some of the challenges of moving to a large mixed junior house for year 9 pupils, including feeling lost, having needs overlooked, and forming inappropriate relationships. It proposes strategies for addressing these, such as dividing the house into smaller social groups, selecting staff suited to younger pupils, clear rules around physical contact, and education around relationships. Ensuring pupils feel a sense of belonging is important for a smooth transition.

1. Managing the Transition of Pupils from Preparatory Schoolto
Senior Boarding Houses
Patrick Mahon
Abstract

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This report examines how parents and pupils cope with, and how staff ‘manage’ the
transition of pupils from a range of different prep schools into senior school houses,
looking specifically at management issues within ‘horizontal’ junior houses.

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Introduction
There are, broadly speaking, two different house models for dealing with the transition from
preparatory schools into senior schools. The first is a system in which pupils transfer directly
into their senior houses. The second is a system in which pupils enter a junior house before
transferring to a senior house. There are, of course, variations on both approaches. For
example; pupils can find themselves separated by gender (with different boarding programs
for each) and junior houses can be found mixed or single sex and can accommodatepupils
for one or a number of years. This report would not like to suggest that there is a perfect
boarding system. Indeed all models have their critics and champions; different school
makeup, ethos or physical structure, may favor one system over the other. I intend to look
specifically at how transition is managed when you have a ‘horizontal’ mixed junior house
which pupils stay in for one year.
The problems of transition are not entirely new to me as I have spent some time studying
the transition from Key Stage (KS) 2 to KS3 (the point at which government-maintained
schools transfer pupils into senior schools). From attending lectures on the topic and
reading further into the area, I have found problems of transition include:
a lack of continuity for pupils, failure to embrace a new atmosphere, and the
difficulties in adapting to teaching styles.
Author, Transition Between KS2 and KS3
Problems such as these, in my experience, are not unique to the state sector and are worth
considering within a boarding environment. Indeed the boarding environment can influence
these problems in both positive and negative ways.

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Before we consider the issues it is important to understand how the system at the school in
which I work operates. There is one junior house that all pupils (both boys and girls) enter in
Year 9 (aged 13). The house has currently 141 pupils, of whom about 15% are day pupils; the
majority go home after games on a Saturday and the remainder, almost all from overseas,
are full-time boarders. Once pupils complete their first year in the house, they move into
one of twelve senior houses.
The junior house is split into four ‘Socials’. Each Social comprises pupils from two or more
senior houses. Each Social has a Head of Social (HoS) (who is a senior tutor in the house)
and two or more tutors, depending on size. Each Social meets once a day. My role within
the house is as a HoS and, therefore, I am one of four senior tutors. This means that I work
under the direction of the Housemaster and will deal with ‘minor’ offences (lack of prep, low
level disruption in the classroom, etc), and work in collaboration with the Housemaster on
pastoral matters. The vast majority of parental contact is with the Housemaster. As a house
team (matrons, senior house tutors and the Housemaster) we meet once every week.
The management issues below were constructed in discussion with the senior tutor team in
the house in which I work.
Good points:
 Younger pupils can be managed separately from the main body of older pupils
 Suitable staff can be selected who enjoy working with younger age groups
Management issues:
 Pupils can feel ‘lost’ in such a large house
 Pupils’ needs can be overshadowed when running a big house
 Pupils may form inappropriaterelationships at a young age in a mixed house
 Pupils feel no house belonging
This report will attempt to look at each of these points individually, and suggest ways in
which they can be managed.
Younger pupils can be managedseparately from the main body of elder pupils

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A new culture embraces boys and girls shortly after they arrive at their senior schools,
and some aspects of it give us cause for concern.
Holgate, T., Good Practice in Boarding Schools,
P. 170
There is a noticeable difference between the behavior and attitude of pupils within Y9 (aged
13 turning 14) and Y10 (aged 14 turning 15).
pupils become increasingly disaffected and de-motivatedin the first three years of
secondary education.
DfES, Transition and progression within key stage 3
P.1
However, it is important that we take on board the outside influences on pupils:
What I have said is based on the belief that the most significant influence upon the
child’s attitude and performance in school is the teacher. In saying this I am rejecting
the thesis of educational researchers in the late sixties that schools and teachers did
not matter when placed against such factors as home background, parental
occupation and the prevailing values of society.
Smith L.A., Changing School: the Problems of Transition
P.5
It is important to realize our limitations in inflating pupils’ behavior. Apart from outside
influence, behavior can be down to a number of different factors including their physical and
emotional maturity and pupils mind frame in regard to the position they hold within the
school. However, in regarding to this point it is important to recognize the changing culture
of preparatory schools,
It is a well-worn truism that the transfer from prep schools to senior schools is all
about the sizes of fish in ponds. Fortunately, preparatory schools do not give senior
pupils too much authority over younger ones.
Holgate T., Good practice in Boarding Schools
P.169

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When considering this it is important to remember that pupils will not be expecting a
position of responsibility within a school as they may have done in the past. Nor will they
expect to be intimidated by elder pupils.
Allowing staff to deal with this unique age group separately will allowthem to tailor regimes,
activities and possibly punishments suitable to the age group. This is particularly important
at this early stage as it is in this year that a number of both boys and girls will go through
physical and emotional changes.
On the physical side; the house can also be designed to meet the needs of younger pupils
with possibly more private washing facilities or larger areas for group socializing. In many
ways the house is run and designed in a similar way to prep schools, allowing pupils to
recognize a ‘comfort zone’ within a large school.
Suitable staff can be selected that enjoy workingwith younger age groups.
It is also important to carefully consider staffing. It is reality that, like the pupils, staff come
with a variety of different experiences and qualities.
Today, staff involved in boarding care are expected to be proactive in meeting the
pastoral needs and be pre-disposed towards kindness and approachability.
Hawkins, T., Duty of Care
P. 115
When we consider the above statement, the choice of staff becomes especially important. It
is a quality of any staff body to have a range of interests and talents. It is therefore important
for staff to be selected for different roles within the school and within the house. Not
everybody likes the idea of being a resident in a junior boarding house!
On this point I think it is possible to criticize the school. Each staff member is assigned to a
house when they join the school, and expected to carry out a number of duties within that
house. Staff members that are assigned to the junior house are expected to carry out far
more duties than most. In return they get a small financial reward. My criticism is that staff

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do not see the reward for being worth the extra work. As a result staff are unwilling to
volunteer themselves, and new staff are often put straight into the junior house, blissfully
unaware of the extra commitment. For the system to work more successfully the extra work
that staff put in should be properly recognized by either financial reward or by relief from
commitments elsewhere within the school.
In this section I also think it appropriate to look at the numbers of staff within the house.
There are four residents within the house. One of which is a matron and the other three,
resident house staff. On any one night, one resident and a matron will be on duty, along with
either the housemaster of the deputy housemaster (who does not live within the house). The
other members of the house staff have no obligation to be in the house overnight. Again, I
think that it is possible to criticize the school on this front. I was amazed in our recent
Ofsted report that overnight provision was not criticized. Nation Minimum Standards
(N.M.S.) (which are now part of the Every Child Matters legislation), core standard 33 states:
Staff should be present, and accessible to boarders as necessary, in each boarding
house at night.
National Minimum Standards

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As part of the criteria to achieve this standard the N.M.S. state:
There are additional members of staff sleeping in each boarding house where
necessary because of the age and number of younger children, or the particular
needs of boarders.
National Minimum Standards
When you consider the number (141) and the age (Y9) of the pupils, I do not believe that we
meet this standard, with the current staffing numbers. Each flat in the house has the
capability to house at least two members of staff, however, with the exception of the
matrons flat, each has just one. If you filled each flat, then you would have the capability to
have more staff on duty overnight.
I also believe that the deputy housemaster should be in residence in such a large house. This
would allow them to get to know the children within the house better, and remove some of
the workload from the housemaster.
Pupils can fell ‘lost’ in such a large house
Whilst carry out my research I spoke to a number of pupils about some of the issues faced.
There was the concern that they would find themselves ‘lost’ and ‘intimidated’ within the
house.
Pupils are anxious about transfer …. Would they be bullied by other children
Smith L.A., Changing School: the Problems of Transition
P.10
The anxiety of pupils is, at times very real, and, in some cases, can lead to pupils becoming
very upset and even unwell. This is difficult to combat, but can be managed with the right
staff and support from other pupils. Prefects, especially those that were anxious juniors can
also be very useful in such circumstances.

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From speaking to pupils; anxiety was often a concern for pupils who were either ‘quiet’
individuals or pupils who were small in stature. Physical strength and appearance, however,
related to confidence within the house far more amongst the boys than amongst the girls.
This correlates with the fact that boy’s relationships are, in general, based around a physical
aspect. Girls will not, in general, have as physical a relationship. (Cox, J. Body language
lecture, 7th October 2009) With pupils’ concerns in mind it is important that pupils feel, not
only valued, but a sense of belonging. As a large house this is difficult to achieve; however,
in our house it is attempted by breaking up the house into smaller sections that can in time
develop their own identity. This is not without its difficulties, and requires the housemaster
or mistress to have trust to delegate responsibility to his or her staff. This requires
confidence in staff, and an ability to then manage them in such a way that maintains the
overall values and atmosphere of a house, whilst allowing sections of that house to develop
their own ‘ethos’ and compete amongst each other.
Pupils’ needs can be overshadowedwhen running a big house
This concern follows on from the previous one, as many of the root causes that can allow for
pupils to feel ‘lost’ within a boarding house can be related back to poor supervision of pupils
needs, whatever they may be, being ‘forgotten’ within the boarding house.
I think that there is a real risk in any large house that pupils needs are often
neglected. This is not to say that major issues are not dealt with in the correct
manner, I am simply concerned that quiet pupils, such as my son, can at times be
forgotten by a house staff wrapped up with difficult pupils.
Mother of Year 9 pupil
The point brought out by the mother in the above quote is not unique to a large boarding
house. Pupils who do not come to your attention as a teaching practitioner, for positive as
well as negative reasons can, at times find themselves receiving less attention than others in
a group. To avoid this happening it is important for staff to have responsibility for a small
number of specific pupils. By adopting the approach from the previous section, where pupils
are split up into groups within the house, this objective is achieved. The tutor system must

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also play a large part in contributing to the tracking of pupils progress both academically
and within the social context.
Pupils may form inappropriate relationships at a young age in a mixed house
There is little doubt that young people develop socially at an earlier age today...... the
adolescent age now starts at nine or ten and continues until well after their twenty-
first birthday
Colman, J. et al, The Nature of Adolescence
P.8
Relationships between pupils are inevitable when dealing with pupils of this age range. In
many respects the relationships that they form will be the ‘building blocks’ and develop
understanding for more serious relationships that they will form in later life. How they are
constructed and managed is therefore for vital in educating pupils about how relationships
are formed and how, once in a relationship, one should behave.
What boarding and teaching staff can do in this respect is limited, as research shows that the
manner in which people behave within relationships is largely determined by their
experiences within their family. It is becoming increasingly difficult to ‘shelter’ young adults.
Young people are being forced to grow up earlier then they did in previous
generations….Through television and other media they are increasingly exposed to
adult ways of thinking, experience, problems and pressures in ways that they may not
be equipped to handle
Weare, K., Promoting Mental, Emotional + Social Health, A Whole school Approach
P. 3
Relationships between pupils must, however, be seen within context. The vast majority of
relationships between pupils at this age will involve little or no physical contact and, in all
likelihood, will not last more than a couple of weeks at best. When this is taken into
consideration it is important to consider then how we ensure that the minority of pupils who
would take their relationship further be discouraged from doing so. This can be achieved by

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a number of different strategies and rules. Education, as so often is the case, must take the
lead role in this.
Learning PSHE and citizenship help all pupils develop as individuals in a wider society.
Pupils learn to understand themselves physically, emotionally, socially and sexually
and to understand their relationships with others.
Qualifications and Development Agency
A good Personal, Health and Social Education (PHSE) program is essential for the delivery of
this education. This can then be supported by the use of selected prefects, peer mentors (if
such a scheme exists in the school) and parents.
The manner in which pupils conduct themselves must also be determined by the rules of any
institution. The ‘six inch rule’ that is so often quoted to me by students, to my knowledge,
does not in fact exist within the school; however, it is useful for the pupils to believe that it
does! There are, however, strict rules in regard to their conduct within the house and around
the school. The most noticeable of these is the limitations on the pupil’s access to bedsits of
the opposite sex. Boys are under no circumstances allowed in the girl’s side of the boarding
house and vice versa. Breaking this rule is one of the few occasions on which a pupil would
be suspended for twenty four hours automatically. This sends a clear signal to pupil’s right
from the start of the year as to what is expected.
This rule does change as pupils progress though the school, when female pupils are allowed
into male rooms on certain evenings. The rules in regard to sexual activity remain clear.
Pupils engaging in sexual activity will be asked to leave the college. Although the rules are
very clear it still remains very difficult to prove sexual contact.
Pupils feel no house belonging
This section has many overlaps with the section earlier in this report which looked at how
pupils could get lost within a large boarding house. As explained in the earlier section, pupils
within the boarding house are split into four different sections known as ‘socials’. These
socials compete against each other on a number of different fronts: some academic, such as

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debating competitions and some sporting, such as hockey tournaments. Being part of a
social begins to give pupils a sense of belonging.
Pupil experiences
This section was compiled using the experience of pupils who joined us last year. It also
draws on knowledge from my time spent working in a prep school.
As with their experience of prep schools, it is uncommon for pupils not to remember their
time in the junior house with fondness. However, pupils speaking with the benefit of
hindsight make interesting observations on their time;
A number of pupils comment on how the experience of the junior house was similar to the
experiences that they had in their prep schools. The experience of their senior house was
very different. As mentioned previously in this report, the house is designed in many ways to
reflect a prep school environment. This allows pupils to settle in easily to a routine that they
will be familiar with. However, it is an approach that is criticized for simply delaying the time
when pupils will have to adapt to senior house.
Pupils also comment on the differences of the senior houses, and how a number of them feel
that they have ‘fitted in’ far better into their senior house than they did within the junior
house. This is an interesting observation, and one that is noticeable with pupils who, when
one teaches them in year ten, seem noticeably happier with their senior house than they ever
did in the junior house. Choosing the right boarding house is a process that is considered at
length. There is recognition from the senior management team (SMT) that there are
differences between the house atmospheres and make up. As a result certain pupils are
chosen for houses before they enter the school based largely on their character and
interests. It is not surprising when considering this that some pupils thrive within the junior
boarding house and others do not, as it is a ‘one size fits all’ approach.
Conclusion and Progression

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This study concludes with a number of ways in which boarding houses can continue to
progress in their management of parents and pupils.
In my own academic subject (Design and Technology), where carousel systems are often run,
it is a regular criticism that pupils are not given credit for what they have learnt in the year,
as they will be treated to the same lesson at the end of the year as their colleagues were at
the start of the year. I believe that this would be a fair criticism of junior houses. Systems and
routines will treat pupils at the end of the year in a similar way to how they were treated at
the start with no acknowledgment of their intellectual and social development, or realization
of the reality of what is before them. I do not believe it would be unfair to draw comparisons
and possible links between pupils fall in attainment at year ten and the social change that
they go through when moving into a senior house. Drop in attainment, however, cannot be
purely the responsibility of pupils housing situation. It is a trend that is repeated nationwide
with a wide variety of pupils’ from a range of different backgrounds.
With the school in which I work, as detailed earlier, the senior houses have great variety in
their makeup and character. This I believe to be a very positive aspect of the school and
allows the school to accommodate a wide variety of pupils. Pupils can find life within the
junior house difficult as it simply does not fit with their character. Having a ‘one size fits all’
approach does indeed prevent us with a number of different issues, as it is clear that not
every pupil will fit the ‘mould’. It is, however, difficult to see a way around this problem. The
system that we have in place currently, where pupils join a ‘social’, does try and create a
‘house within a house’. I believe that it is a good system that works within its obvious
restrictions. I think that it is true to say that each of the four socials has its own ‘character’
which is heavily influenced by the HoS and the tutors within the social.
It is difficult to know how we can progress this strategy. It is important that, although the
house is broken up, it still remains as one house with the housemaster in charge dictating
the ‘direction’ that the house is going. In reality the HoS act as a housemaster, with, almost
all the powers that a housemaster does. Therefore, I think it would be difficult for the
housemaster to delegate more than already happens.

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The house in which I work is a rare example of pupils going into a mixed, horizontal house.
The difficulties of which I have began to highlight. Would matters be improved by changing
the system in which the pupils enter?
Changing a system is unfortunately not as simple as it might appear. Accommodation within
schools is constructed, at great expense, around systems. For this reason it is logistically very
difficult to change a house system. It is, however, of course possible if there is an initiative
from the SMT.
One such change that could be implemented is to make the junior house single sex, moving
the girls straight into the senior houses, or possibly into their own house, keeping the boys
separate in the current junior house. The disadvantages of such a system would include:
 Pupils would not receive the same ‘experience’
 Financial implications
 Pupils would not meet everyone in their year
However, boys in particular would gain a lot more from their first year at the school. This
could include:
 Possibility for the school to increase in size (currently the junior house is the ‘pinch
point’)
 Boys would not feel they need to compete amongst each other for girls affection.
 Boys’ and girls’ different needs could be addressed separately.
A reasonably low cost solution to this could include moving the girls to an existing boarding
house. This would, of course, mean uprooting an existing house. Unfortunately, this report
cannot look into this matter with any more detail. However, it might suggest that this could
be a possible solution.
The issues surrounding staffing numbers and the recognition of staff working in the junior
house should be addressed. It would be relatively easy to fix, even if resident staff were only
expected to occasionally give up their spare room. Extending the house to provide
accommodation for the deputy housemaster could also be relatively easily done, and would
come at a (comparatively) low price.

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In conclusion; I do not believe that the system that is run is perfect. The management issues
addressed earlier in the report do affect pupils every year, despite are best efforts to
counteract them. However, as the report points out, no system is perfect. To change the
system would create different issues. The house is run very well with the vast majority of
pupils having a very positive experience.

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References
Literature
DfES, (2004) Transition and progression within key stage 3, Key Stage Three National
Strategy
Mahon, P. (2006) Transition between Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3, University of London,
Goldsmiths College, London
Smith L.A. (1983) Changing School: the Problems of Transition, University of London,
Goldsmiths College, London
Colman, J. et al. (1999) The Nature of Adolescence, Routledge, London
Holgate, T. (2001) Good practice in Boarding Schools, , BSA
Halkins, T. (2004) Duty of Care, , BSA
Weare, K. (2000) Promoting Mental, Emotional + Social Health, A Whole school Approach,
Routledge, London
National Minimum Standards (2002), Department of Health,Her Majesty’s Stationery Office,
Norwich
Lectures
Cox, J. ‘Body Language’, 7th October 2009 at Bradfield College
Websites
Qualifications and Development Agency, http://www.qcda.gov.uk/1948.aspx, 4th
November
2009