Teaching Applicant Handbook

Tudor House Applicant Booklet A booklet giving information for candidates seeking employment at Tudor House Preparatory School, 2010

Thank you for applying for a position at Tudor House – a K-6 Day and Boarding School for Boys. Tudor House is special. Tudor is the only Primary boys’ boarding school in Australia. We care for primary school boarders and day students near Sydney, situated in the Southern Highlands close to Moss Vale. With over 112 years of service, we have educated many of Australia's leading families. Our record stands the test of time. Australian prime ministers, famous authors, renowned artists, and successful fathers have all benefited from our unique learning environment. Our heritage is strong, our focus is innovative, our expectations set high. We warmly welcome your application.

2010

Mr John Stewart Tudor House School

4/1/2010

Tudor House Applicant Booklet 2010

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MISSION STATEMENT

Tudor House is a preparatory school in the Anglican tradition that seeks through a unique educational experience, to develop

considerate and compassionate boys equipped with the skills for lifelong learning.

It is important, in a community such as Tudor House, for staff to feel in tune with the ethos of the place. The following short section is an attempt to try and articulate what the ethos is and how it relates to our discipline procedures. It is, of course, rather difficult to pin down, but it has a lot to do with our personal commitment to and care of the individual needs of the children.

“Each child is special: each child has needs: each child has special needs.”

The degree to which we succeed in meeting these needs is the measure of our success as a school.


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The Tudor House Vision Statement

We feel that pastoral welfare is the key to a child’s happy and healthy development. This belief is at the heart of the school’s pastoral system, which through the closest co-operation with each child’s parents, seeks to establish and nurture a genuine understanding of the nature and needs of each child in the broadest sense.

Children are taught to respect each other’s basic human rights to tolerance, respect, dignity, choice, independence and fulfilment, because they exist in an environment which itself, through the staff, gives them these things. As we wish our children to acquire these values, so we must evidence them in our dealings with the children.

At Tudor House School all discipline protocols have been developed to strive for procedural fairness and to promote positive behaviour. The school rule, and there is only one, is defined as the new 3Rs:

Respect – respect yourself, respect others, respect property Responsibility – take responsibility for your actions and the inappropriate actions of others. Relationships – forge friendly social connections with your peers.

You don’t have to be friends but you do have to be friendly.


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Tudor House’s discipline procedures are based on Behaviour Management principles. We see education as stretching beyond the academic subjects, and believe that teaching tackles the social and emotional domains. As such, managing behaviour is a fundamental element of learning and teaching. At Tudor House we utilise the services of a School Counsellor to discuss specific learning needs.

Gallery of Images

Boys playing 1950s Boys playing 2008


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Our History - Our Heritage

On October 12, 1897 Mr Wilfred Inman opened a preparatory school for boys at “Eurowal”, Bellevue Hill in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. In 1899 the school moved to “Carrara” on the harbourside at Vaucluse, but was only there for three years before moving again to “Hamilton” in Moss Vale. After the move, Mr Inman renamed his school “Tudor House” after his family’s estate in England.

Tudor House has had a chequered history since moving to Moss Vale, and was nearly forced to close several times due to financial problems. Each time the school was “rescued” by generous benefactors and hard-working, inspired Headmasters. During the 1930’s it came under the control of the Anglican Church and has remained so ever since. Both World Wars saw teachers leaving to join the armed forces and many Old Tudorians fought in both conflicts and gave their lives.

There have been twelve Headmasters since Mr Inman. Some were at the school for only a short time, but others served for many years. These included Sir John Medley who introduced many of the traditions which have made Tudor House such a special place in the hearts of Old Boys, parents and teachers.

The school was bought by The King’s School in 1942 and has seldom faltered since then.

Mr Walter Meyer was sent as Headmaster and the next four Headmasters were appointed from within the school or, as in the case of Mr Phillip Richards, had been teaching at the school prior to his appointment. This period of almost 60 years gave the school a sense of continuity and stability which is part of its strength and its appeal.

There was much activity and progress during these years with the War Memorial Hall, the Chapel, new boarding houses, classrooms, a gymnasium, the library and locker facilities being built, and sports fields, a boating dam and playing areas developed.

In 1996 the school’s 12th Headmaster was appointed. Mr Alan Russell came with no pre-conceived ideas about the school, and brought a fresh vision for Tudor House and a desire to increase the numbers of boys able to access this unique education.

1997 was the School’s Centenary Year. The School celebrated throughout the year. The School returned to “Carrara” (Strickland House) and visited The King’s School for a swimming carnival. A Tudorians’ dinner and a Cocktail party were held in Sydney. The School Captains returned to the School and new trophies were struck for Colour Rugby and Cricket. The Society of Tudorians presented a flag which was


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dedicated during the Centenary Chapel Service. The Archbishop of Sydney officiated at the service during the Centenary weekend. A museum was established to record our history.

1999 saw the beginning of two major building projects - the alterations to Medley House and a new Headmaster’s residence. The year 2001 saw the commencement of the new Music and Drama Classrooms.

In 2002 we celebrated 100 years of teaching in Moss Vale. A weekend of celebrations included a presentation from “The Boys of Tudor House” to the Wingecarribee Shire Council. The Oak Tree is in Henderson Park in Moss Vale.

In 2004 the new Lower School Centre opened. In 2005, the bathroom in Meyer House was upgraded and considerable work was completed on the trees and grounds.

In 2006, the bore was recommissioned and an extensive irrigation system put in place to ensure the filling of Kearney Dam for recreational and practical purposes. As well the watering of fields and outer grounds without drawing on public supply is now possible.

Mr John Stewart was appointed 13th Headmaster of Tudor House in October 2008. For ten years, Mr Stewart taught in the United Kingdom at such famous schools as Hill House International School in Knightsbridge, London; and St John’s College School, Cambridge. While teaching as Director of Studies at St John’s, Mr Stewart completed his Masters of Education at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge University. He brings with him a new vision for the school based on the solid foundation of Tudor House’s heritage and ethos: the need to educate the whole boy. Boys need to be active, involved and be given responsibility for their learning.

In a short period of time, the school has undergone many changes and upgrades. During the Christmas break, H Dorm was renovated under the guidance of Mr Richard Allen (an Old Boy). This model of the dormitory as an open space that reflects a pride in Tudor's heritage has since been rolled out to all the other dormitories.

The Christmas of 2008 also saw the renovation of all classrooms, with Mr Stewart's vision to bring Tudor into the 21st Century, equipping all classrooms with the latest technology and learning resources. This major work was undertaken by Moran Constructions.

In May of 2009, the school received a grant from the Federal Government to renovate the Dining Hall. A new floor was laid and a fireplace reopened - which hadn't seen the light of day since the 1950s. The serving area was also upgraded, with work completed by Burton Construction. The focus was on giving boys an environment that heightened pride in the past.


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During the holidays of the third term, Mr Nick Gubbens and Mr Ashley Mackevicius supported the Headmaster to create a new BMX track for the boys on the hill overlooking RB Darke oval. Mr Jamie Kinross donated the use of his Bobcat to excavate the area.

The Christmas of 2009 saw more dormitories renovated under the Richard Allen design - with thanks extended to Mr Peter Burgoyne and his maintenance crew. Mr Burgoyne was also appointed to reposition the Hospital into the Assistant Boarding Master's flat - renamed Health Care Centre.

Christmas 2009 also is remembered as the period when Meyer was on the move. The school is developing a new library centre, thanks to a grant from the Federal Government, and has relocated Meyer House to stand beside the tennis courts as guest accommodation for rural families.

Support by Hon. John Sharpe has led to the school redefining the play space our boys can experience. Mr Len Foster was commissioned to move Meyer House - in two sections. 'Tickets' excavated major areas for the boys.

In the process, much landscaping is underway to provide the boys with more play space. Outdoor education remains key.

Term 4, 2010 saw the opening of our new Learning Central – a new library that boasts a new staffroom, OC classroom, offices, large open-plan library, and a new lecture theatre that can promote web-conferencing with schools/educationalists from around the globe.


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What we aim to develop:

Tudor House aims to develop successful learners. As such, Tudor House looks to develop successful learning ‘habits’ – which we call Habits of Mind.

A Habit of Mind is knowing how to behave intelligently when you DON’T know the answer. These habits of mind are reported on each semester. We have emphasised the habits that we feel suit the different ages of learners in Tudor House.

The habits of good learning we are emphasising and developing include:

• Setting goals • Communicating with clarity and precision • Managing impulsivity • Gathering data through all the senses • Being Persistent • Creating imagining and innovating • Listening with understanding and empathy • Taking responsible risks • Interacting cooperatively • Finding humour • Self acceptance • Remaining open to continuous learning • Being resilient • Thinking interdependently • Being Organised • Thinking about thinking – or metacognition • Working tough • Striving for accuracy • Applying past knowledge to new situations • Questioning and posing problems • Thinking flexibly


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It is important we empower our learners. To do so, we must overcome the blockers to learning, and eliminate the negative mindset:

We have Colour Families – to add a vertical connectedness to our school, and promote peer-support structures.

Discipline means ‘to lead’, and has a strong link to our Christian values of endeavouring to be a good disciple.

Pattern of the Day

The establishment of routines is important to the welfare of the child and, while they may vary from Year to Year,

they should be broadly consistent within a year group.

Registration, care of belongings, management of books and equipment, tidiness of lockers and desks, lunchtime

and break time routines and behaviour, etc. all fall within the teacher’s role. What is important is that the routine

should be well established and consistently followed, and that the arrangements made should be beneficial to the

children. All Staff follow the Form Period structure each day.


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DAILY ROUTINE

The Academic School day runs from 8:30am to 3:45pm

The Academic School day runs until 4.20 pm on Wednesday due to sports training.

Form Period Organisation Each Weekday Morning (8:30 - 8:45am)

6:30am – Boarders rise, dress, make beds, complete assigned jobs.

7:00am – Boarders emailing begins

7:10am – 1st Siren.

7:20am – 2nd Siren. Boys report to Gym for inspection by MOD.

7:50am – Breakfast completed. Boys to Houses for cleaning of teeth. Waiters complete tasks and then do teeth.

8:15am – MOD changeover. Monday and Friday is a Deputy Headmaster’s meeting with staff.

8:25am – 1st Siren. Boys stop playing and move to classrooms

8:30am – 2nd Siren. Boys should be lined up at classrooms for flag parade.

Boys move into class for Organisation Time – a quiet time for preparing and planning the day’s activities.

8:35am – Locker Rooms closed (if a boy needs to access their locker, they must see the Deputy Headmaster)

8:45am – Period 1

9:45am – Period 2

10:45am – Recess

11:15am – Period 3

11:45am – Period 4

12:45pm – LUNCH. Boys assemble in Year Groups at Inman stairs for lunch. Inspection by Back-up Master.

MOD in Dining Room organising waiting group.

1:15pm – Play

1:40pm – 1st Siren. All boys line up at Form classroom to be met by teacher of next class. If a sport afternoon

(Wednesday only) boys go directly to sport area.

1:45pm – 2nd Siren. Period 5. Lessons begin

2:45pm – Period 6

3:45pm – Academic lessons conclude.

Boys out to play. Day boys may leave. Boarders to afternoon tea (at back of Medley).

4:10pm – Fisher Siren (Monday to Friday).

4:45pm – MOD changeover and 1st (evening) siren. Boys change shoes, wash hands and assemble outside Prep

rooms in class lines under direction of MOD’s House Assistants, Gap students (if applicable). Prep begins.

5:55pm – Prep ends. Boys prepare for dinner. Assemble in Gym.

6:10pm – Dinner.

6:40pm – Dining Room clear (this time frame is dependent on type of meal).

Boys begin House routines under direction of MOD assigned and House Assistants and Tutors (if applicable).

8:00pm – Phones disconnected.

8:30pm – Lights out.

On Wednesday there is Sport straight after lunch. This means the boys will be expected at school until

4:20pm


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SATURDAY SPORT

There is an expectation that all staff members will avail themselves to participate in our cocurricular

activities – this can be negotiated with the Headmaster, but the expectation is to have our staff taking a

sporting team or an equivalent load. Saturday sport can involve travel to Sydney or the Central coast

OUR EXPECTATIONS OF TEACHERS – IN BRIEF

To support the School’s Mission Statement, Vision Statement, policies and

procedures

To be professional in all aspects of school life

To be punctual, positive and model the behaviour expected of others

To be well-organised with excellent time-management skills

To treat our boys with fairness, dignity and respect

To have a passion for learning and teaching

To be excellent communicators, active listeners and open learners

To be understanding, caring and considerate

To be thoughtful and reflective

To be responsible, loyal and honest

To be a team-player

To follow procedures

To be a guiding hand

To be proficient in communication technology


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MAP OF OUR SCHOOL

Documents

Teaching Applicant Handbook