Boarders may go home every weekend if they so choose, except for the 1st weekend of the 1st term which is a closed weekend for all boarders.
Boarders may go home on Friday after their afternoon commitments and should be back in boarding by Sunday evening before 19:00 to be on time for the Chapel service.
Exeat Requests
The Director of Boarding with the help of the Boarding Office assistant deals directly with requests for exeats from boarding. If the request also involves missing school time, a separate request to be absent from school is to be made directly to the Deputy Principal, Mrs Miller, via the main reception.
Exeats with Parents during the Week
St Mary’s DSG Boarding recognizes the right of access by parents to their child at any time. Prior notification by parents would be appreciated, giving the boarding staff plenty of time to check school commitments or activities. Boarders are to ensure that their prep commitments are met before taking exeats during the week. Return times for outings with parents during the school week is 21:00. The right to access by parents can be further qualified to extend to Grandparents and older brothers or sisters. Special negotiation for an extension beyond these immediate relatives could be to an aunt or uncle, a special family friend or neighbour. The latter is specifically designed to accommodate long distance boarders who have little opportunity of connection with family or friends.
Approved Host and Visitors List
At the beginning of each year, all parents are requested to supply a fully completed and signed Approved Hosts and Visitors List. When nominating persons on your daughter’s visiting/leave lists, it will be assumed that no further permission will be sought from you when these people visit or request leave for our daughter. (If you wish to be notified, please do not enter names on the list). With the exception of siblings, people under 21 years of age cannot be placed on the overnight/weekend/afternoon/tea leave list or sign out or collect girls. Students may only visit, or receive visits from, people on this approved list. Students will only be permitted overnight and weekend leave into the care of a person who has the maturity of years (i.e. wisdom and experience) like that of a parent.
Visitors
Flexibility in times is acceptable with visits from family members. In the case of visits from friends, visits are generally permitted during the week between 15:00 and 17:00 for a maximum period of one hour. Boarders must introduce their visitors to the staff members on duty, in the office, on their arrival and report again when the visitor is leaving. The area to meet visitors is on the front lawn area. Boarders must be visible at all times. Public displays of affection are inappropriate at the school.
Responsibility for boarders on leave
In authorizing persons as approved Hosts, parents acknowledge that the responsibility for supervision and care of the boarder while on exeat from the boarding house is transferred from the Boarding House to the approved Host. Persons taking on the role as host for boarders need to be made aware by parents of their responsibilities. Parents approving of their daughters visiting homes of Approved Hosts are to confirm their confidence in the suitability of the carer, both morally and legally by making direct contact with the proposed hosts, thus assuring themselves that their daughters are in suitable care.
End of Term Exeats
The School does not support early departure at the end of term. A boarders’ early departure will not be approved except in an emergency. Please apply to the Deputy Head of School in advance if possible. Repeated early departures will be referred to the Head of School.
Weekend Exeats are arranged as follows:
· Requests are to be submitted weekly to the Boarding office no later than Wednesday 21:00.
· The Director of Boarding processes and checks permissions. Outstanding permissions are to be emailed, or sms’ed to the Boarding Manager before Friday morning 09:00.
· No boarder may leave until her weekend exeat has been granted.
· All those collecting boarders are to announce themselves to the boarding office prior to pick up and sign the girl out. Please take an orange Slip with you for security check.
· Departure and arrival times for normal exeats are: Departure Friday between 14:00 and 18:00, Saturday after 10:00. Arrival Saturday between 09:00 and 20:00 and Sunday between 10:00 and 19:00.
Shopping
· Boarders may go shopping Monday to Friday between 14:00 and 17:00 provided that they have no afternoon commitments and over the weekend throughout the day.
· Boarders are expected to wear full school uniform during the week on outings. Over weekends the girls may wear civvies, but must ensure that they are clean and neat, in good repair and worn with modesty.
· All Boarders may only go to the Hillcrest Boulevard once on weekdays.
· Grade 8 boarders must be in a group of at least three boarders. Grade 9 – 12 boarders must be at least two boarders.
Weekday Exeats with Parents
If a parent comes and takes a Boarder out during the week, extra time will be allowed. However, the parent must accompany the boarder to the office when signing in and out.
