Confessions of a House Master

The job of a boarding housemaster or mistress is exhausting, all-consuming and not for the faint-hearted, writes Peter Thackrey, Bedales Head of Boarding, in an article for School House Magazine. However, he also considers his job a joy and a privilege.

Peter’s day starts at 6.30am when he unlocks the boarding house for boys going on an early morning run, or to help with lambing in the spring term. He then checks the boys are up and off to lessons before he starts teaching French and Russian for the day. After classes, he attends meetings or runs an activity before the boys return to the house for the evening. More meetings follow: a student council, a chat with a boy struggling academically or socially, or perhaps a call to a parent. At around 11pm Peter locks up the house and writes up conversations from the evening. If he is lucky, he will get to bed at midnight.

He says: “My evenings are the most unpredictable and most important part of the day and I have to be on top form every single night, for as long as it takes. Some nights are joyous; boys have an endless capacity to revel and delight in life and when they succeed I burst with pride.”

However, some nights are truly difficult. He explains: “Telling a boy someone they love has died; trying to heal widening rifts between boys and their friends or family; or trying to reach boys who are struggling with mental health issues can all be heartbreaking. Not to mention helping them negotiate the myriad of challenges they face in the world outside of school. However, this is what I’m trained to do and I take great pride in the astonishing level of expert care we are able to provide for young people while they are with us.”

The full article can be read via this PDF, with thanks to School House magazine.

Bedales boarding | School House magazine