As families across the UK celebrate Mother’s Day this weekend, Victoria Anglim, Housemistress at Ampleforth College, explains the imporant role of the Houseparent at boarding schools
Being a Houseparent to the 70 girls who live in St Bede?s, one of Ampleforth?s longest standing houses, is a huge privilege ? particularly on Mother?s Day.
Ampleforth Abbey and College, North Yorkshire is a co-educational school and first admitted girls in 2001. For the sixteen years that I have been at Ampleforth, I?ve been a Housemistress to girls for nearly eleven years, having previously lived in a boys house.
Our Benedictine ethos at Ampleforth means creating a sense of community and providing individual care for the children we look after. A strong focus on pastoral care is particularly prevalent in our boarding houses and at certain times of the year when children inevitably think of their families. Linking school and home
As a Houseparent, you are often the central link for a child between school and home. As a parent myself to Oscar, aged 16 and Erin, who is 14, I know that teenagers need a sense of balance and stability as they develop into adults, and strive academically and on the sports field, theatre or music room.
Above, the boarding pupils get creative, and make gifts and cards for Mother’s Day
Design as a subject is very strong here at Ampleforth and ahead of Mother?s Day, we organise a craft club where the children can make gifts and cards for their mothers, whi...