A typical day in the life of a boarder at Pembroke...
- Starts with both boys and girls coming together to eat a healthy breakfast in the refectory from 7.30 am.
- This is followed by a busy day at school.
- If a boarder is unwell after waking they would speak to boarding staff. The school nurse would then visit the boarding house and assess the unwell boarder who would be in the boarding house infirmary. The local doctor surgery is a very short distance from the boarding house, should a sick boarder need a doctor鈥檚 consultation.
- Boarders take their musical instruments to school if they have an instrumental lesson that day and their Physical Education uniform is also taken if timetabled for Physical Education.
- A hot lunch is provided in respective campuses, either Middle or Senior School.
- Senior boarders may return back to the boarding house if they have a 鈥渇ree study period鈥� in lesson 6 on any school day, much like a day school student may return home if they did not have a formal last lesson on a school day.
- After school, boarders return to the boarding house at 3.30 pm and enjoy a healthy afternoon snack.
- Time after school is spent involved in school sport, doing private study or relaxing with friends.
- Dinner is all together again in the Refectory at 6 pm.
- Supervised evening 鈥淧rep鈥� (homework) starts at 7pm (Sunday to Thursday inclusive), for at least one and half hours each night.
- Private study continues for senior students as they wish, with helpful tutors available until 10 pm.
- Wifi enabled devices are locked away in the evening for students in Years 7-11.
- Lights out are from 9.30 pm and bedtimes are staggered for the different age ranges.
I came to Aus颅tralia in 2016, and I have spent three years at Pem颅broke as an inter颅na颅tion颅al stu颅dent and as a board颅er in the board颅ing house. I was scared and fright颅ened on my first day at Pem颅broke and I did not know any颅thing about this new study envi颅ron颅ment, and I did not know any颅one. Nev颅er颅the颅less, when I calmed down and went into the class颅room, my teacher and class颅mates were so friend颅ly that I got involved in the class much more quick颅ly than I imag颅ined before. After a while, I made some new friends and got famil颅iar with Pem颅broke. Liv颅ing in the board颅ing house makes me feel like liv颅ing at home. There are many love颅ly house super颅vi颅sors who help us with every颅thing, and they are like our friends as well. Three years of board颅ing life has slipped away so fast and now I have to say good颅bye to these unfor颅get颅table experiences
A Day in the Life
The day I arrived at the Pem颅broke board颅ing house I had no idea what to expect. I knew noth颅ing about board颅ing hous颅es and how they oper颅at颅ed, or how I would car颅ry out my nor颅mal rou颅tine such as show颅er颅ing, brush颅ing my teeth, etc. So, when Dad dropped me off at school, I was set for a new chapter.
Through颅out my first week in the board颅ing house I dis颅cov颅ered that there was noth颅ing more relaxed (although it may sound strange) than liv颅ing with more than 30 oth颅er boys in the same house! To start off, it was amaz颅ing to me how each staff mem颅ber of the board颅ing house was so ded颅i颅cat颅ed to the care of all stu颅dents. As well, as a com颅mu颅ni颅ty of board颅ers we all con颅stant颅ly step up to help some颅one in need, even if it be for the lit颅tle things like a spare tooth brush, some tooth颅paste or giv颅ing you the maths home颅work you for颅got to do.
I remem颅ber the two things that were said to all new boys at the first board颅ing house meet颅ing I attend颅ed;鈥嬧�減lay as many sports as pos颅si颅ble and abide always by the 4 Rs: respon颅si颅bil颅i颅ties, resilience, rela颅tion颅ships, and respect鈥�. These 4Rs pro颅vide the basic guide颅lines for any颅one who lives and works in the board颅ing house. For me, board颅ing at Pem颅broke has pro颅vid颅ed a ter颅rif颅ic atmos颅phere of friend颅ship and recre颅ation, and one that I believe helps remove the stress of day-to-day respon颅si颅bil颅i颅ties asso颅ci颅at颅ed with school.
