Boarding (G8–12)

Involvement and participation are central to boarding life. Boarders are expected to contribute to the boarding community by showing individual initiative, and are encouraged to get involved in a range of diverse activities specifically for the boarding community. 

The boarding programme is deliberately structured to develop independence by gradually allowing boarders, as they progress into Grades 11 and 12, to adapt their personal routines to self-manage. This is done under the watchful eyes of our Houseparents, who provide advice and guidance where necessary, with the ultimate goal of equipping our students to make a smooth transition into the next stage of their life.

Our network of care and supervision in each boarding house includes:

• Resident Houseparents: teachers in the school who live with their families as part of the residential community. Their homes are within the boarding houses. One Houseparent is rostered on duty at all times and holds the 24hr emergency contact number.
• Assistant Houseparents: teachers in the school who are rostered on duty to support students after school (for example during homework, dinner and bedtime routines) and also on weekends.
• Day staff: during the school week, our boarding services staff help boarders with personal organisation i.e. finances, air tickets, school trips and visas. 
• Boarding counsellor: a qualified counsellor is available for boarders who need individual support and care 

At the start of the year, new boarders are assigned to a ‘house family’ - a group of fellow boarders across age-ranges, who together with a houseparent, form a ‘house family. 

Houseparents meet with their family on a regular basis, and are responsible for the wellbeing of the boarders in their ‘family’, supported by a team that includesAssistant Houseparents, day staff and other specialists. 

Breakfast and dinner are buffet style, served undercover in the Pavillion canteen. On Saturday provisions are made available for students to make their own breakfast, and lunch is served in the Pavillion canteen for those in campus. All boarders gather for dinner on Sunday evening.

Each school day, boarders eat lunch in the school canteen, using a pre-loaded stored-value card. 

Asian, Indian and Western options are available every meal, including vegetarian.

Homework, prep, call it what you will, every weekday students have a schedule time to complete home-learning. Students have a desk in their rooms, however homework for most students is completed in the dedicated study rooms. Students are supported and supervised during this time by a roster of Assistant Houseparents, who are all also teachers in the school.  

If students are up to date with school work, they can have regular options to join a community activity each week. This can be anything from sharing ‘My Story’, to a sports or art activities, baking or a film night. 

At 9pm, students and houseparents gather for a bed time snack and time for a relaxation and a catch up with friends and Houseparents to hang out, get ready for the next day, extra study, make a snack or read. 

Students in Grades 8–10 hand in devices at ‘technology curfew’ each evening before bed time

In Grade 11 the main lights go off at 10.30pm, and reading lights at 11pm. 

WiFi curfew starts at midnight and runs until 5.30am.

There are a host of recreational options in Singapore which boarders are encouraged to explore on the weekends, including bicycle and exercise trails, libraries, parks and performance spaces. Those who are religious are able to connect with and participate in activities and worship in their religious community in Singapore.

A wide array of events and activities on campus and outings around Singapore includes cultural talks (in which boarders introduce the rest of the community to their country and culture), themed evenings, movie nights, thought-provoking discussions and presentations, sports such as dragon boating and trips to The Esplanade for concerts and other festivals. 

A boarding orientation programme welcomes new boarders before the ‘day school’ orientation starts and returning boarders re-join the house community. Experienced staff ensure our new boarders are immersed in a schedule of planned activities that include Singapore and campus exploration days, as well as time to get to know each other and the daily routines of the house. 

Following the start to the school year, the whole boarding house then travels together for a weekend away in the first month of the academic year to help all our boarders get to know each other in a relaxed environment away from Singapore.

Students housed by grade and gender and separated by floors, with individual security access to each floor. 

Dover Campus boarders live in four-bed rooms with an attached bathroom, regardless of grade. The bathroom is shared by the four students who share the room.

Individual provision for each student includes: 

• bed, desk, wardrobe, storage space
• daily cleaning (not tidying!) is provided
• regular, scheduled laundry service is provided

Multiple indoor and outdoor common areas with recreation facilities including TV, pool tables, computer and board games, recreation and movie rooms, and quiet reading rooms. There is an dedicated outdoor garden and BBQ space in between the two boarding buildings which is for the sole use of the boarding community. There is also a small conditioning gym and dance studio for the sole use of boarders.

There are full kitchen facilities to prepare snacks and other meals, and this is where afternoon tea and some weekend breakfast provisions are provided for those who would like to be more self-sufficient.

Washing machines, dryers, iron and ironing boards are available in the laundry room for boarders who need off-schedule laundry services.

Each boarding house has a boarding office with a main desk located at the entry or lobby areas; all students pass by the main desk on their way out of the buildings. Students call in to the boarding office to collect mail and arrange support from their day parents for things such as arranging day and overnight leave, confirming school trips and coordinating appointments and other personal arrangements.

Access to school facilities is scheduled but includes the swimming pool, tennis courts, and other sports facilities, as well as music practice rooms and the secondary library.

There is a medical clinic in the boarding house with:

• Registered nurse is on staff to dispense and manage medications
• Doctors clinic every weekday morning gives boarders priority access to consult a GP; prescribed medications are delivered to the clinic
• Sick bay staffed by registered nurses
• Nursing staff and day and house parents assist students with follow up medical appointments

Singapore National University Hospital is nearby for medical treatment and emergency care 

House rules on signing out mean that students are given age-appropriate levels of independence and, in younger grades particularly, have strict guidelines for off-campus leave passes. 

All students must have a valid Singapore handphone number and be contactable via this number whenever they are off campus. 

There is a managed process that involves parents when students request overnight leave; students are required to apply and gain approval in advance for any overnight leave passes.

The campus has 24 hour security with additional reception and monitored access with a touchpad sign-out/sign-in system in the boarding house. 

Students do not return to the boarding house during the school day unless they have prior permission. Coded security restricts access within the boarding houses to those who are resident on that floor. 

Day students are not permitted in the residential accommodation. 

Passports and other valuables are kept in a central safe deposit box in the office.

If we have any concerns, we contact parents directly. A 24hr emergency number is held by the Houseparent on duty. 

Our group policy covers hospitalisation and personal accident insurance for all boarders. Please ask Admissions for details of the levels of cover; some families elect to purchase additional insurance.