Roding House

This elegantly proportioned house was previously used to provide a home for teachers and is evidence of the school’s origin as a Teacher Training College dating back to early Victorian times.  The House was opened to boarders in September 1980 and renamed after a local Essex river.  Today it provides accommodation for girls from diverse backgrounds, enhancing the multicultural ethos of the House.

To bring the House up-to-date and to offer more modern living, this year will see the construction of a £900,000 single storey extension which will incorporate a computer suite with 30 computer stations and a large common room with comfortable leather sofas, a large dining table for fine dining and plush embellishments.  Modern entertainment systems will be provided, including a large HD TV, karaoke machine and an iPod dock.  This development will enable a brand new, fully equipped kitchen to be housed in the main building, which will allow the girls to cook for, and impress, their guests.  The project is due to be completed in August 2011, ready for the start of the Michaelmas Term.

The rooms are mainly twin-bedded and are allocated by the Head of House, who takes friendship and work groups into consideration.  Most Year 13 girls occupy the top and ground floors and are accommodated in single study bedrooms wherever and whenever possible.  This is dependent on the number of girls in House.

All main meals are taken in the College Refectory but the new kitchen, together with the existing kitchen in Roding, will give opportunities for baking, cooking and providing healthier snack options in the evenings.

Time is set aside each weekday evening for students to complete their Preparation for the following day’s lessons under staff supervision.

A wide and varied range of sporting and cultural activities are organised by the House throughout the year.  These have included trips to London, Oxford, Cambridge, Alton Towers, the Suffolk coast and visits to concert halls and theatres. More recently, aerobics, gymnastics and dance classes have been organised after prep for the girls, as well as pampering afternoons, meals out and DVD nights.  College boarders hold concerts, talent shows, discos and quizzes, also formal dinners are held several times a year.  These are occasions when a true boarding community is clearly evident.

The girls are expected to set exemplary standards in their behaviour, dress and general organisation.  The Head of House and House Tutors look after the pastoral needs of the students in their care and maintain a broad overview of their academic performance.  The College Health Centre deals with the physical welfare of students, referring cases to the local College Doctor or Dentist where necessary.

The House has an excellent tradition and enjoys a form of self-governance through their elected House Committees, House Captains and appointed House Prefects. 

All Houses aim to engender a sense of pride and belonging to the boarding community and to promote self-worth within a warm and friendly atmosphere.  Through the House Status system students develop a personal sense of responsibility towards the House as a whole and are rewarded for their maturity, initiative, personal organisation and participation in social activities.   The boarders are encouraged to be independent but are also provided with sensitive care in a disciplined environment.