Winifred Holtby House: A Home for Years IV and V

At Queen Margaret's School for Girls, York, we believe in creating an environment where every student can thrive academically and personally.

Starting September 2024, Winifred Holtby House, affectionately known as “Winnie’s,” will host both Year IV and Year V students together, offering a unique boarding experience that blends mentorship, support, and community.

A Home Away from Home

Boarding at QM is designed to be a true home-away-from-home. Our goal is to provide an enriching experience in a nurturing and supportive environment. By integrating Year IV and Year V students in Winnie’s, we aim to cultivate a dynamic mentorship culture where younger students can learn from their older peers. This arrangement promotes the development of new friendships and a strong sense of community.

Leadership and Community

Year V students, who previously boarded independently, will now be part of a more vibrant community while still enjoying the benefits of horizontal boarding. This change provides an excellent opportunity for Year V students to showcase their leadership qualities and contribute to a positive and inclusive environment.

Dedicated Boarding Team

The boarding team at Winnie’s is led by Housemistress Clarisse Bale, with Louise McAllister serving as the Senior Tutor for both Year IV and Year V. This leadership ensures consistency and support throughout the crucial GCSE years.

Horizontal Boarding Structure

Despite the integration of year groups, QM’s successful horizontal boarding structure remains intact, providing age-appropriate care and privileges.

• Dormitories: Year IV dorms will have five beds, while Year V dorms have four beds. Each girl will also have a study room for their books and personal study.
• Common Rooms: Both year groups will share the main Common Room, which will feature a new breakfast area and evening café. Year V students will also have a quiet mezzanine space with new lighting and furnishings, and access to a kitchenette on the top floor.
• Study Areas: Year IV students will use the Mountgarret Library for study periods, while Year V students will have a dedicated study room in Winnie’s. Prep time for Year IV will be supervised in-house, whereas Year V students will manage their prep independently during ‘quiet time’.
• Break Times: Year IV students will use the Dining Hall for breaks, while Year V students can enjoy breaks in Winnie’s Common Room or the kitchenette. The café area will be open to all students in the evenings.
• Boarding Activities: Weekend activities are planned to provide a balance of study and recreation, with Year V students enjoying more flexibility in their participation.

Enhanced Facilities

• Day Girl Rooms: Two rooms are designated for Day Girls, each equipped with lockable spaces, sports changing areas, shelving, and chairs.
• Mezzanine Space: Upgraded with new lighting and soft furnishings, this area serves as a quiet space for Year V girls.
• Kitchen Space: A breakfast bar with power outlets for a water dispenser and toaster will be added, creating a sociable café area in the evenings.

Additional Privileges

• Year V Events: Successful Year V students, free from Uniform Marks, can wear Sixth Form dress on Saturdays and enjoy termly parties and an end-of-year prom.
• Age-appropriate phone privileges, bedtimes, and curfews.

What should parents know about Winifred Holtby House?

Winnie's is one of QM’s best-kept secrets! The girls really value being together under one roof, having previously shared boarding houses with younger year groups.

Being in dorms of four girls (and changing room every term) allows the girls to really get to know each other better and widen their friendship groups.

What makes Winifred Holtby House unique from others on campus?

One of the key features of Winnie's is the sense of growing independence that comes with this unique part of QM. There is more freedom for girls to structure their preferred study routine outside lesson time.

Winnie's provides the ideal environment to get suitably prepared for GCSE examinations, as well as an opportunity for the girls to be more in control of their learning and get a taste of what to expect in the Sixth Form as links start to be forged. If you were to ask the girls what makes Winnie's unique, they would no doubt point to the lift at the entrance – a godsend at the start and end of term, not just for girls but parents and staff too!

We asked our Winifred Holtby House Housemistress about her favourite part of life in Winnie's. Here’s what she had to say…

Enabling the girls to become independent learners is an important cognitive process; one which I think we do particularly well and one that I really enjoy witnessing. We have a great group of pastoral staff and try at all times to remember that this is the girls’ sanctuary during term time – it’s important that they buy into this concept too!

A happy girl is a productive girl, so we aim to establish friendly bonds as we soldier through this important year together. The only downside being that, all too quickly, we find ourselves at the fabulous end of year meal; reminiscing and laughing about our time together before the girls move up to the Sixth Form for their final phase of School life.

Find Out More About Boarding At QM Here