3.2 Boarding Organisation
The following section explains how the hostel boarding houses are organised and how supervision, by prefects and staff, is managed.
3.2.1 Dormitory Accommodation
In Years 7 and 8 boarders are housed in Year groups, with separate dormitories for each house within that year.
Four houses exist at Farrer: Macarthur, Oxley, Parkes and Peel.
Students in Years 9 to 12 do not live in house dormitories.
Year 7 and 8 students live in large open-styled dormitories housing 12 students each. As students progress through the years, they share their rooms with fewer other students, until in Year 12 they have their own individual room. All dormitories are centrally heated, air-conditioned and contain lockable cupboard space for each student. Students are required to provide their own padlock for their locker. A toolbox is fixed into each student’s locker to provide extra security for valuable items.
Students are expected to secure personal items over leave weekends and term breaks, and to clear their dormitories completely over the summer vacation period. The Schools’ facilities are often made available to outside agencies during holidays and leave weekends, at these times students are expected to take valuables home and empty their lockers into storage bags supplied by the school.
3.2.2 Dormitory Prefects
Each dormitory (Years 7 - 11) is directly supervised by a Prefect, elected from Year 12 by the students and staff. The Prefects have the responsibility of being a leader and role model for younger students. It is a privilege to be a prefect and a great responsibility.
It is the responsibility of the Dorm Prefect to keep good order within his dormitory, to ensure that students in his care abide by the school rules, live cleanly and harmoniously, and contribute to school life. Boarders in turn have a responsibility to comply with reasonable requests made by their prefect and to behave in a manner that ensures the well-being of each member of the dormitory.
The Principal has provided the prefects with some discretionary power to implement consequences for appropriate and inappropriate behaviour. These consequences are to be within the approved management strategies outlined in the Prefect and Senior Handbook. Prefects are required to refer incidences of persistent misbehaviour or major offences to the teaching staff. The prefects are supported in their role by the Year Coordinators, Head Teachers Welfare and Senior Executive. Prefects wear TWO stripes on their school blazer.
Duty Seniors (i.e. those not elected prefects) are attached to Duty Teams and are responsible for helping the Duty Team in undertaking the
daily routines including grace, announcements and supper.
3.2.3 Boarding School Supervision
Rostered residential duty is undertaken by Farrer staff. Each day's duty team (4-10 persons) is headed by a senior member of staff, termed the Duty Master. The Duty Master co-ordinates the activities of the Duty staff on their rostered day and oversee the running of the Boarding School on that day.
Nursing and medical care is provided in the school's modern, well-appointed Health Centre by qualified nursing staff. A Matron is on call in residence providing 24-hour care if required.
Over twenty teachers live in residence within the dormitory areas, and provide around the clock passive supervision, emergency access and counselling.
The school employs a night supervisor, who is on duty from 10.00pm to 7.00am each night that the boarders are in residence. The Principal, Deputy Principals, Head Teachers Welfare and other staff are also resident on Campus in a supervisory and on call capacity.
Last updated October 2023.
