Please see our prospectus for what makes Ravenswood special.
From a Boarding perspective, our small, boutique offering is a special home away from home, where young women feel supported and known to grow and thrive in a safe space. With our small size, boarders feel like they are living in a family unit, with connections and bonds that grow into a sisterhood. Boarders feel seen and known, and parents can closely connect with staff.
Each young person is different, and their journey to living and learning in community is on their own timeline. Often the benefit of starting earlier needs to be considered, when the academic demands and pressure have lower stakes. This is coupled with the major intakes of Year 7 and 9 when students are starting secondary school and are starting with other day students who are new to the school.
Ravenswood Boarding welcomes families from the wider Sydney catchment, rural and regional NSW, interstate and international families, along with Australian expatriate families.
Ravenswood welcomes 50 Boarders.
With a smaller community, each boarders is known, valued and treasured by the entire community. Cross year group relationships are nurtured with the feeling of a sisterhood creating a strong sense of belonging. Girls connect well with the staff team, and feel they are known and supported. Parents and guardians and staff can work closely together, sharing in their daughters activities, friendships and mentoring them closely as a team.
Prior to starting, boarders attend Day School orientation sessions and are offered a sleepover experience in the Boarding house. Parents are also invited to attend parent events and boarding staff orientation interviews.
After starting, boarders are connected with a buddy and mentor, both an older boarder and a similar aged student to support their great start. These programs offer a fun buddy experience, and extra support person with check ins from Boarding staff. Parents are supported after the big start with a bespoke seminar series for boarding families led by the Director of Boarding online around supporting their daughter. All boarders remain connected with the Psychological Services and Counselling team if needed.
As part of our wellbeing and health pillar, all boarders are strongly encouraged to take part in sports, dance or fitness offerings. Boarders are supported to attend these commitments.
Weekends are awesome at Ravenswood, and often the highlight of the week. The Boarding Captains work well with their fellow boarders to design a special program named the Excite program for the feeling that there is always something exciting to look forward to on the weekend. This program is compulsory for Year 6-10, and creates joyful moments. On Saturday evenings, the program includes games nights, movies, baking, arts and crafts and karaoke. On Sunday the program swaps between in residence and greater Sydney activities, including ice-skating, masterclass tutorials led by our Chefs, visiting local markets, enjoying ferry rides to Manly and games in the park. Key to these programs are building high quality connections with peers, learning life skills and growing confident to travel and reside in Sydney.
The Health Care Unit works closely with our Boarding team to support boarders, with a registered nurse visiting the residential college on weekday mornings to check in and administer medication. The Psychological services team support Boarders also through sessions supporting their pastoral care. Boarders are escorted by nurses to GP Doctor appointments at the local clinic and are in contact with families around health needs. If a Boarder is infectious or needs to a prolonged recovery period from illness arrangements are made for them to recover with their guardian or family.
Boarders are encouraged to visit specialists in the surrounding Gordon area or their home location. Boarders from Year 10 onwards are able to travel to their own appointments, with younger boarders escorted by their guardians.
Led by positive education research into teens and technology, boarders are supported to make healthy choices around their sleep hygiene and screen time. Boarders receive a technology locker, and overnight all technology is charged within this locked space. Boarders hand this in to charge before their bedtime and study apart from their personal phone. In Year 12, boarders are encouraged to grow personal autonomy, and use their locker independently. On weekends, Year 6-8 have screen free time each day.
Leave is submitted and approved by boarders, parents and staff through the app Orah. Leave is designed to be safe and manageable to encourage learning independence with structured support in an age appropriate manner. The Boarding handbook includes the table lay out of appropriate permissions at each year level.
Leave is encouraged at Ravenswood, with families and boarders enjoying connections. There are two compulsory weekends at the start and end of the year with all Boarders in residence from Friday afternoon. All Boarders return on Sundays no later then 8.30pm each weekend. With the amazing Excite program on the weekends, Boarders and families often make arrangements for the daughter to prioritize these popular activities. Leave after school mid-week is granted in exceptional circumstances to support routine and study needs. Boarders have a busy program, and their weekly routine is key to a smooth experience.
Healthy, delicious food is a pillar of our offering. With our provider, Trippas White Group, a considered and tasty menu plan is created termly. Boarders come together to join the Catering Committee which meets with key staff and the provider to give suggestions, share favourites and propose favourite dishes from home. Boarders are provided each meal, with recess and lunch at school to be picked up ‘to-go’ to foster the ability to connect with Day Girls. Dinner is held in residence around the family tables, with a priority on eating well for energy, enjoying great conversation with staff and peers and connecting as a boarding family. Special diets can be accommodated, with the in-house Chef working well with families and students. Boarders also have access to snack foods in the Dining Room, as well as their own personal fridge. A special highlight each afternoon is the sumptuous afternoon tea, which is laid out ready for the Boarders on their return to the House. It includes a special treat each day, with crudites and dips also laid out in summer months, and a warm soup and fresh rolls in winter months. Boarders at Ravenswood feel proud of the meals on offer, and hold this dear as part of feeling treasured and cared for.
Laundry is completed by professional dry cleaners off site three times a week including linen and school uniforms. A small laundry is available for boarders for personal items include washing machine and dryer.
The Director of Boarding and Assistant Director of Boarding led the Boarding Supervisors in supporting your daughter and are regular contacts. They work in tandem with your daughter’s Year Coordinator to support their learning and wellbeing. In an academic sense, on weeknights, Academic Evening Boarding Tutors work closely with the boarders during prep to support their learning and homework needs.
Our Assistant Director of Boarding works closely with new families to prepare to transition to Ravenwood. This starts the year before commencement, and includes termly check ins around learning styles, confidence and discussing expected challenges. Often Boarders with this preparation and conversation are known and feel supported when they start around their learning.
Bri Cormio
Director of Boarding | Ravenswood
Natasha Wilkins
Assistant Director of Boarding and
Acting Assistant Head of Positive Education