The School/ Boarding House
Over the past 10 years Lomond School has been welcoming international graduate students into their boarding house to help further enrich the boarding experience. In return the opportunities that open up for international students are plentiful and well worth the trip!

The school is located in Helensburgh, which is approximately 45 minutes west of Glasgow.

Lomond School is a co-educational day and boarding school which offers nursery to senior six education. To Canadians this equals out to preschool to grade twelve. Lomond’s boarding house- Burnbrae, is located 100 meters from the main teaching block in nearby scenic Campbell Street. Built in 2003, this is home to up to seventy students aged from 11 years to 18 years and is characterised by:

• En-suite bathrooms in the double and single bedrooms
• Spacious social and recreational facilities
• Excellent standards of care and supervision
• A family ethos
• Flexible approach
• Full programme of activities
• Airport, visa and guardian services
• Academic and pastoral support
• Professionally trained staff
• Excellent e-mail/IT/communication systems

Boarders are housed on two separate floors. Secure entry to each floor is maintained by handprint readers which are reinforced by CCTV cameras in non sensitive areas. Doors are monitored by a computer recording system. Younger pupils are accommodated in rooms of 4-6 with excellent modern bathrooms in their wing of the building. From S3 onwards pupils can expect to be housed in twin bedrooms with en suite facilities.

The ground floor comprises two large common rooms for juniors and seniors each equipped with TV's, DVD players, books and games. A large communal space is used for supervised prep time and also doubles as a games room with pool table and other games available. The ground floor also houses the computer room and music practice room as well as the house kitchen and medical consulting room. Further common rooms for S5 and S6 boarders are located on each of the floors. A web camera is available for contact between boarders and parents with priority use given to families domiciled abroad.

Externally the house is well served with spacious grounds and two brand new astro turf courts at the rear. The basement houses a multi gym which is available to boarders in the evening.

Boarding life is busy but rewarding. Boarders have a full day beginning with daily line up at 7-50 a.m. Boarders play a full part in the life of the school and are at the forefront of much that goes on in terms of sport, music, drama and expeditions.

Weekends see boarders participate in their own extracurricular activities which range from cinema trips, to sports fixtures, theatre outings, outdoor education and residential experiences. The pupils themselves generate many activities and are able to express ideas for the smooth running of the house through year groups committees, food committee and an overall House committee. The Heads of House (S6 pupils) play an active role in promoting pupil involvement.

Canadian Opportunity
As mentioned above each year Lomond School welcomes approximately 2-4 Canadian students to assist in the boarding house. In return you are provided with free accommodation and meals for the year. Lomond is sensitive to the fact that as international students, Canadians are faced with the daunting “international fees” which can become unmanageable when they are topped by residence fees or rent within a major city. This opportunity helps to alleviate this stress by cutting out rent or residence fees and grocery ones too!

The House is located approximately 45 minutes by train from Glasgow, with train services leaving Helensburgh every 30 minutes. It is extremely easy to get to all major universities including Jordanhill (Strathclyde) and Glasgow. Most universities will supplement your travelling costs during placements. Both Strathclyde and Glasgow Universities have been very accommodating in placing students who work at Lomond in local schools or on schools on the railway line into Glasgow.

The Job
Canadians in Burnbrae are classed as House Tutors. Burnbrae houses 8 resident tutors each year who are either graduate students or teachers within the school. In general tutors are expected to work one night a week and one weekend in four. Although tutors should be prepared to perform two duty nights a week, it is highly unlikely this will be the case. Flexibility is the key word when it comes to the tutors as “swaps” of shifts ultimately become necessary.

During a shift there are always three members of staff on duty (except on weekends when there are only two). On a week night there will be a female and male tutor on duty as well as a matron. The matrons take care of the household in the way a mother would, making sure the pupils are dressed appropriately for school, that their rooms are tidy, appointments, and medication.  There is always a senior member of staff on call that can be reached for emergencies; these include the House parents and the Head of Boarding.

Roles and Responsibilities

While on duty tutors are responsible for the smooth running of the house. This includes supervision during dinner, assistance with homework, implementing house rules including discipline, liaise with other staff on duty, putting the boarders to bed, and signing pupils in and out of the house.

Tutors play an integral part in the running of the house, particularly in the active aspect of trips and activities. These trips can reflect your own interests or can be pupil suggested. Trips in the past have included concerts, cinema, theatre, international sports fixtures, water sports, cultural trips, city trips, shopping, bowling, swimming….you get the point! Anything that a teenager may want to do in their spare time!

Benefits of boarding

1. You are living rent free, bill free, and with all meals provided for during term times.
2. You have access to the telephone and internet (internet in your room). The telephone is free for UK calls.
3. You are able to play a full part in the life of a vibrant day and boarding school and to participate in many school events: sports, trips etc.
4. You are part of a team of tutors, who provide a great social circle and experience that most Canadians lose out on while in halls (are you really coming to another country to meet more Canadians?!)
5. Boarding is a great opportunity to develop your own social skills and to develop your professional experience in teaching and related areas. One tutor this session has just been employed by a prestigious boarding school in England. Lomond is ranked in the top 15 schools in Scotland and is a member of the Headmasters and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC). HMC membership is by invitation only and the organization represents the top 250 schools in the UK. Placement here can count for a lot on a CV.

Testimonial
I first encountered Lomond school through TEACH. TEACH has had close links with Lomond for many years. I moved into the house in 2006 to start my teacher training year at Jordanhill. I immediately felt like I was surrounded by friends as the other tutors had either been through the course or were attending as well. It was so useful to have the advice and reassurance from recent graduates, and extremely helpful when it came time to planning lessons and assignments! The boarders are an amazingly diverse group of pupils who are confident and outgoing. They make the day so much more interesting and there is NEVER a dull moment! The house provides an immediate social circle which is so important to have whilst living abroad.

The fact that all of your accommodation and meals are provided made a huge difference in the type of social life I could have….probably the last time that all of your bills and rent are paid for! Scotland is great jumping off point for travelling and the tutors make for great travelling partners! All of Europe is within an easy travelling distance and there are lots of cheap airlines! The house trips also provide you with an opportunity to see and experience Scotland. I have been on weekend trips to Edinburgh, concerts, movies, theatre, sports events, road trips, and a million other experiences.

I have been a tutor at Burnbrae for three years now. The house has changed me and made me into a different kind of teacher and person. I have had the opportunity to get to know so many different people and to see so much of Scotland and Europe. Moving here was the best choice for me professionally, financially and socially, and I would not change a thing about that. The experience of living with sixty high school students changes your perception of teaching and the way you teach. It gives you an insight into their learning methods and how to best reach them. I was also lucky enough to gain a teaching job at Lomond which meant I could obtain my General Teaching Council registration in Scotland.

The friends that I have made in my three years here are such a big part of my life now and I cannot imagine having not met them through this opportunity. I have meet people from all around the world, Scotland, England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Germany, and of course other Canadians.
I would definitely recommend Lomond School and Burnbrae house to any prospective PGDE student. The experiences and benefits of living in this boarding house far outweigh anything else I have ever done, which is exemplified in my three year stay!

Joanne Stark , Canadian, PGDE Strathclyde (Secondary), Lomond Tutor 2006-2009