Boarding Life

The House system is designed to foster teamwork while developing individual responsibility and initiative.

Falcon College has seven Houses including Kestrel, which is the girls' House. The girls are members of the six boys' Houses: Chubb, Founders, George Grey, Hervey, Oates and Tredgold, for the purpose of Inter-House competitions. A healthy rivalry exists between the six Houses as they compete in a broad range of activities, from academic performance and a wide variety of sports, to adventure courses, singing and quiz challenges. Students from Form One to Upper Sixth live together in the Houses and develop a fierce loyalty to their Houses and one another.

Responsibility for each aspect of a student's life whole at school, ultimately lies with the Housemistresses or Housemaster, who is assisted by several house tutors and carefully selected prefects.

The House system encourages delegation of authority to instil leadership, responsibility and personal accountability in the students.

The Head of House is automatically a College Prefect and under him/her there are five or six house prefects, each of whom is in charge of a year group. Senior students in the House are also required to take over various responsibilities.

• The Form One to Form Four year groups live in dormitories, overseen by a prefect whose study/bedroom is attached to the dormitory. Students in the Lower and Upper Sixth live in their own study/bedrooms.
• The House system is a competitive one, as Houses compete with each other in a range of activities such as singing, drama, and the full range of sports. The Lower Sixth students are generally involved in the organisation of these inter-house competitions, thus assisting the Upper Sixth. This also gives them the training in organisation, assuming responsibility and being leaders. All these skills are needed when they become members of the Upper Sixth.
• Forms One to Four are responsible for cleaning their dormitories, making their beds, taking their clothes to the laundry and generally to help keep the House and its surroundings clean and tidy. The Lower Sixth clean their own studies while the Upper Sixth have study boys / girls drawn from Form Twos to help them.

The virtues of the House System are that students are taught discipline and responsibility. As they progress their privileges increase, as does their responsibility in the House. This helps develop leadership and management skills. The dormitory system allows students from very diverse backgrounds to live and work together and this fosters team spirit and camaraderie, while lasting and meaningful friendships are forged.

The “San”, as it is affectionately known, is accessible to students twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, with one of the three qualified nursing sisters on duty at all times. It has two six-bedded wards and a two-bedded ward for students who need extra care. If the San nurse is not happy with a sick student they will admit them to the San for observation.

The San’s modern equipment includes a defibrillator for sudden cardiac collapse, a pulse oximeter, a nebulizer in case of severe asthma attacks, spine boards with head immobilisers in case of severe spine injuries and a glucometer to check blood sugar levels to name a few. The nurses are also able to suture minor wounds if necessary. The San is affiliated with a General Practitioner in Bulawayo and we are able to call on the Doctor for help and advice when necessary, or refer the patient to Bulawayo should the need arise. The San is well stocked with over the counter medicines and basic antibiotics. As the San is registered with the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe, the San nurses all have dispensing licences, which means they can dispense medicines for those conditions that require this.

Three Clinics a day are held which the students are able to attend for treatment of ailments or to take prescribed medication. If a student has an emergency, help is available at any time.

The ‘Medics Bus’, every Wednesday afternoon, enables students to receive medical attention in Bulawayo. Medical appointments must be arranged and cleared through the San at least 24 hours beforehand.

Students are not allowed to keep medicines in the houses. These are to be lodged with the San sisters.

The San nurses are part of the counselling team in the College and students are always welcome to visit them.

Falcon College was founded on Christian principles but is not affiliated to any specific church denomination. It remains inter-denominational and students, staff and speakers are welcomed to our services from a wide range of church backgrounds.

The chapel is central to the school programme yet the majority of the services and meetings are voluntary. We do not have a full time school chaplain but there are many committed Christians on the staff and a good number of ordained church ministers available to assist and advise.

Wellness is defined as a state of optimal thriving. A strong sense of well-being allows teenagers to not only feel good in their lives but permits them to be empowered to make good decisions, navigate challenges, plan for their futures and invest in themselves.

Falcon College has a dedicated counsellor who works together with our incredible team of Housemasters, Housemistresses, teachers and San Sisters to ensure the all round health and wellness of our pupils.

Introwise Catering Services is an independent service provider that Falcon uses to prepare the students’ meals and teas, and for special functions. A wholesome and delicious menu is changed tri-weekly, with input from the students via their College Prefect representative.

Students are served breakfast, tea, lunch, and dinner. Sports events and school functions are also catered for through Introwise, providing families an opportunity to enjoy delicious eats while visiting the College.