Boarding
Boarding at Newington is a unique and special experience. Having additional access to the school’s teaching and physical resources puts our boarders from Years 9 to 12 in the best situation to make the most of what the College has to offer.
Edmund Webb Boarding House
Edmund Webb Boarding House is a five minute walk from the Newington College Senior Campus in Stanmore and is the home away from home for a close knit group of 50 boys. Our Boarders come from all walks of life and together, with our boarding staff, form the Edmund Webb boarding family.
Our boarding staff are all academic staff at the College and live onsite with their own families. Boarding is open to boys from Years 9 to 12.
Boarding for Sydney Residents
Sydney is a big city and for many residents, endless hours are wasted each week commuting. Boarding is a great way of converting those dead hours sitting on a train or a bus to a time of productivity. Our Boarders retreat to the Library each afternoon for Prep where teachers across a range of subjects are on hand to provide extra help.
Many of our boys will have multiple sports, music commitments and clubs that they are part of and getting to training can be difficult. When you board at Newington, the Boarding House is never more than ten minutes away from every classroom, workshop, studio, tennis court or theatre on campus.
Our Boys
The biggest advantage of our boarding house is our small, close-knit and diverse community. The Boarding House consists of 50 boarders who derive from local, rural and international backgrounds. This provides a wonderful network whilst at school and long afterwards into professional careers and personal life.
Learning at the Boarding House
The boarding house aims to provide a learning environment where boarders can excel and surpass the potential they dreamed of prior to starting.
Study Session
Boarders sit a compulsory two-hour academic preparation session per day, with the exception of Fridays and Saturdays. These are between 3:30 – 5:30 PM or 6:30 – 8:30 PM.
- Sessions are held in our well-resourced library
- Sessions are aimed at promoting self-directed learning
- Boys have access to English, Mathematics and Science teaching staff on a 1:1 basis.
- Assistance from Librarians is available to help with research and project management
- Boarders can take advantage of the Strength and Conditioning programs on offer
Exams
Examination periods can be stressful and daunting for some students. We aim to provide a warm and safe environment for boys to come home to. During exam periods boarders are supervised in the Boarding House, pending availability of staff.
Sport and Recreation
With Wyvern Preparatory right next door to Edmund Webb Boarding House, the boys have access to the school’s two Synthetic Tennis courts after school and on the weekends. Every Thursday, games are organised for the boys to participate in, as well as a range of other recreational activities hosted either by the school or by the Boarding House outside of the grounds.
Weekend Activities
On Saturdays, students are encouraged to support ‘local’ games that are taking place, particularly where other boarders are involved.
On average, two-thirds of the house will stay in on the weekends. Over the weekends boarders are invited to participate in a variety of outings including beach visits, BBQs with local schools (eg PLC, Wenona, Ravenswood), movies, ten-pin bowling, rock-climbing, Sky-Zone and sports afternoons on the main campus. On these afternoons, boarders have the College’s entire sports facilities to themselves.
Leave
Leave at Newington is managed by an on-line system that aims to increase the security and welfare of our boarders. This system streamlines communication between home and school and assists our boarding staff to locate boarders 24/7.
Leave is relatively flexible, allowing boys to visit family and registered hosts on a weekly basis.
Leave requests can be entered by parents, hosts or boarders and will be communicated via email. Once this leave is approved by parents/guardians and finally by the Head of Boarding, boys are permitted to go on leave. Typically, boarders will go on leave on Friday afternoons or following Saturday sport.
Home away from home
The boarding facility has recently undergone a major refurbishment including bedrooms, bathrooms and recreational facilities. Boarders are offered either single or twin share rooms paired with either ensuites or shared bathrooms. The recreational facilities include basketball and tennis courts on-site, table tennis, pool tables, Foxtel, Apple TV, gaming consoles and music practice halls including drum kits, a piano and keyboards.
All meals at the College are provided by Chartwells Catering. They provide quality meals that cater to dietary requirements, preferences, allergies and religious restrictions and fulfil the recommended nutritional value needed for growing teenage boys.
All boys are required to have meals, unless prior permission has been granted and they are expected to be in the dining room at designated hours for breakfast, dinner and supper.
- Breakfast is available in the dining room at Edmund Webb until 7:45 AM and then available in the school cafeteria until 8:25 AM each morning.
- Morning tea and lunch are available at the main school cafeteria.
- Dinner is served at 5:45 PM at the main school (Monday –Thursday) and at Edmund Webb (Friday – Sunday).
- A light supper is available after prep. Boarding Masters attend all meals in the dining room to make sure that the boys are eating their meals.
It is important that parents give the House Master 24 hours notice for Leave to avoid food going to waste.
Dining and Meals
The boarders use two dining halls. On the weekend, meals are served in the Boarders Dining Room in Edmund Webb House, and during the week, in the Boarders’ Cafeteria on the main campus. The menu is available on our notice boards, but these are subject to change based on the availability of some food items.
Rural and Regional Boarding Scholarships
The Council is committed to growing the Edmund Webb Boarding House in the years ahead and is keen to ensure that regional and rural boarders continue to be well represented.
Apply for a Boarding Scholarship here.
