Newcombe House

Alison Sinclair – Houseparent

Alison Sinclair has been a Houseparent at Sidcot since early 2006, supported by her husband Andrew, who is Head of English. Alison worked for Allied Dunbar Unit Trusts until their first child was born in 1990. When their youngest child started School in 2001, Alison became a Science Technician at Sidcot and subsequently Houseparent of Newcombe House.

The joy of the job as far as Alison is concerned is getting to know the children and building a sense of trust so that the pupils feel secure.

Alison and Andrew aim to lead by example. They genuinely care about their charges and recognize that discipline goes hand in hand with caring. As a Houseparent, Alison feels it is important to keep things in perspective (“even when you have been woken up in the early hours”), and to treat every girl with respect whatever her age. Each child is listened to, no matter what the issue is; regular communication with parents is maintained.

Newcombe House’s location, surrouned by fields at the edge of the school campus, lets pupils feel that they can leave school and go ‘home’. Downstairs is comfortable and informal; other boarders can often be found at Newcombe, relaxing in the homely environment. The surroundings outside are pretty special too, with fantastic views and plenty of space for running around. Pupils experience family life with all its ups and downs by living in close proximity to their Houseparents. There are Newcombe parties at Halloween, Christmas and at the end of the summer term, with plenty of barbecues organised during the summer months. DVD screenings are popular and plenty of ‘goodies’ are eaten at the weekends.  There’s also satellite TV so the girls can watch a variety of channels.

From Alison’s point of view, boarders at Sidcot get the best of both worlds – a rural location, yet within easy reach of urban areas & amenities. The benefits of smaller numbers of pupils allocated to each boarding house allow for a greater level of care, which is underpinned by the Quaker ethos of consideration and support.

Top