The Mitre opened as a girl’s House in 2002, and with its new Sixth Form wing extension provides a home for 75 girls. The House enjoys a beautiful location with extensive private gardens including a large grassed area for the girls to rest and play and the pupils enjoy accommodation which is both spacious and modern.
The Mitre is a relaxed, friendly and lively place to live, with the emphasis on a family atmosphere – encouraging a unique house spirit found in all aspects of House life. The Mitre sees many successes in inter-House competitions and there are lots of Mitre girls in positions of responsibility throughout the School. This aspiration for excellence has always been the mark of a Mitre girl, and it is no suprise that a number of positions of responsibility from the Heads of Athletics and 1st team netball to the President of the Geographical Society and key members of the school social committee have been chosen from within the Mitre across the course of the last academic year. This kind of inspirational leadership from the U6th, leaves the younger years aspiring to meet the same standards and there is no doubt that all the girls in the House are encouraged to strive for excellence in all that they do within a supportive environment. The girls wear their House colours of navy and pink with pride and a sea of pink and blue shirts can always be seen at inter-House competitions, with the House atmosphere on show for all to see and hear! Every girl in the House is proud to call themselves a “Mitre girl”. What is perhaps most special about Mitre girls is the combination of the girls enjoying all that school life has to offer, making the very most of all the opportunities available to them, combined with a unique family atmosphere that is embodied by the long lasting friendships which grow up in the House and mature in life “beyond the arch”. On all number of occasions old girls have returned to reminisce about their experiences of school or to thank House staff for their time with us and the support they received as they aspired for their futures.
Within the structure of the House A and B Block girls (Years 9 and 10) have separate studies and “bedders”, and share sleeping accommodation in rooms of four. The study space for these girls is located on the ground floor of the House so that the younger age groups are able to separate their working environment from the area they use to relax and unwind. O Block girls (Year 11) are accommodated in newly painted, bright and airy rooms on the garden side of the House. They share their accommodation in pairs, with day girls and boarders mixing along the length of the corridor. Sixth-formers have their own single rooms, which are in the new wing of the House and have a genuine “university style” feel. Each study has its own network point, allowing the girls to access the School network through their laptops. All day girls remain with their own year groups and critically have their own study accommodation and wardrobes so that they are able to make Mitre a “home from home”.
Two large and comfortable common rooms with kitchenette facilities provide somewhere to relax, unwind, enjoy time with friends and make drinks and snacks. These areas are well equipped, with access to SKY TV on large flat screen televisions, a Nintendo Wii, air hockey and table tennis tables. There is also a collection of 100s of DVDs ranging from classic “rom coms” to serious period dramas and an extensive board game selection for the girls to enjoy. Boys and girls from other Houses are very welcome to come and visit the girls in the downstairs common room, and the House is always buzzing with visitors from across the Houses. For those seeking peace and quiet the House library, which has five networked computer stations, offers a quieter alternative and is also a place for researching university choices or relaxing on a cozy sofa with a good book. The room includes up to date university prospectuses, a fiction library and a full selection of the text books used in school, and is well utilized by the girls across the course of the year.
These homely facilities provide the perfect backdrop for weekend activities, ranging from film nights accompanied by plenty of popcorn and sweets to evenings spent drinking hot chocolate and enjoying time together. There are also lots of opportunities to decorate (and of course eat) cupcakes, be involved in themed nights and participate in events to raise money for charity. Many of the photos from these fun House events appear regularly on the House photo gallery on the website and are a wonderful way for parents to see what is happening within life in the House.
The dining room is at the heart of the House, and is the meeting point for the girls three times a day. Tricia our brilliant chef provides all meals and caters for a healthy and balanced diet, with the girls offering their opinions through a food committee. The menu ranges from delicious home cooked lasagnes and cherry pie, to Thai green curry and even a “bagel night”. Fresh fruit and yogurt is always available at all meal times. The girls love Tricia’s cooking and visitors always comment on how much they have enjoyed eating in the Mitre, both for the food and the company offered by the girls. Often tea time will provide an opportunity for “treats” with Mitre well known for its “ice-cream factory” and “chocolate fountain” evenings.
Life in The Mitre is never dull. It offers the girls a balance of structure and independence, and ensures that they always have support at hand, be that from the other girls as peers, mentor or prefects, Mrs Parish or other members of the pastoral team. This extensive team includes tutors who come into the House each evening between 7.30 until 11pm and who in addition to the resident staff in the House offer both academic and pastoral support. We have a resident tutor and matron. Matron is so well loved by the girls they have given her the name “Magic Margaret” which sums up the caring attitude she has to each one of them. The atmosphere in the Mitre is definitely one of a ‘home away from home’ with the staff team always striving to make Mitre a happy place in which each and every individual girl feels valued, within an environment that supports and nurtures their individual skills, talents and aspirations. We expect high standards from the girls, but our aim is always for this aspiration to be placed within the context of a caring and understanding framework, where the sense of house spirit and mutual support is key to creating the very unique atmosphere of the House.
If you would like to join us for lunch one day to meet the girls and find out more about life in Mitre, please do feel free to contact us on the details provided below - the girls would love to meet you and you would be more than welcome to join us and sample one of Tricia’s delicious home-cooked meals!