of this, in conjunction with the school’s wellbeing department and the incredible psychologists and counsellors, means that boarders who may be struggling with homesickness, depression or stress have a solid team to support them when they need it. Over the course of the next year, I want to put a strong emphasis on this mental health support, as I believe it is vital to a boy’s wellbeing. Within the House, each boy has his own responsibilities and roles to fulfil. Whether it be bin changing, cleaning the common room, or, for the seniors, waking the House up in the mornings or getting the House ready for lights out. This sense of duty is integral to the boarding experience. It encourages boys to take pride in their House while also providing them with basic – yet important – skills, and a sense of discipline that will help them long past high school. All in all, boarding at College will give boys many good memories and important life skills to take with them into adulthood – in particular, interpersonal skills, teamwork and cooperation. As a result, when they complete their schooling in Year 13, they find themselves much stronger characters, thanks to the experience.
“ The school’s dedication to pastoral care and mental health, which, over my time at College has continued to improve, has always impressed me. ” Henry Briscoe
an advantageous position over their non-boarding classmates when it comes to schoolwork and co- curricular activities. Considering all of this, it is a great honour and privilege to have been selected as the 2021 Head of Boarding. I arrived at Christ’s College from Singapore as a Year 9 student in 2017. Being interested in activities across the board, I have enjoyed the many opportunities the school has offered, participating in numerous productions, the Big Band, kapa haka, the choir and a variety of sports. Being able to have a well-rounded school experience is very important to me, and I am thankful College has enabled me to do so. As you may be able to imagine, being thrown into a new environment away from home
is not always easy. However, the wellbeing support offered by the school has always helped boys, including myself, through the more challenging times. The school’s dedication to pastoral care and mental health, which, over my time at College, has continued to improve, has always impressed me. The school has put a huge amount of effort into making sure there are resources available to any boys who may be struggling with mental health issues. This is particularly important in a boarding environment where boys may find themselves very far from home and family. The staff in the House always keep an eye out for the boys, whether it be the wonderful matrons, acting as a “Mum away from Mum”, the tutors, who are always willing to have a chat, or the Housemasters, who actively take an interest in the wellbeing of the boys. All
College Issue 40 2021
35
Made with FlippingBook Learn more on our blog