Boarding

Senior Girls' House

Housemistress: Mrs Emma Watambwa
 

Twitter: @butleighhouse

House Spirit

Butleigh will be a house with a real family feel, where all cultures and backgrounds will be welcomed and celebrated. Kindness, respect and hard work are our core values making Butleigh a really happy place to live. Student voice is key and all members of the house should feel that their voice is heard and that there is a shared sense of ownership. Butleigh girls should also be prepared to “have a go” whether it be in an escape room, rock climbing or a house cooking challenge!

Housemistress

Emma will be joining Millfield as housemistress of Butleigh in September 2020 having previously been a housemistress at Giggleswick School, North Yorkshire. Emma teaches Physics and has taught in Yorkshire, Kent and Zimbabwe, where her previous roles have included Head of Science and Assistant Head. She will be joined by her husband, Liberty, a sports coach specialising in cricket and rugby, having played for Zimbabwe in his youth and their lively son, Micah, who will be joining the Prep School into Year 3. Emma’s personal sporting interests are rifle shooting and rowing and the family enjoy walking, running and hosting lots of barbeques in all weathers (better known as braais in the Watambwa household!). The whole family are really looking forward to joining the Millfield community and welcoming the first group of “Butleigh girls” into the house.

Butleigh House

Butleigh is a purpose-built house located opposite the main school campus and only three minutes' walk from the dining room and library. Its nearby location gives a sense of ‘going home' at the end of the day. The house has three main common rooms with televisions, DVD and satellite facilities. The main common room has a table football game, pool table and a table tennis table. There is a Quiet Room which contains two computers, a selection of books, daily newspapers and monthly magazines and a kitchen for snacks and drinks. Outside there is a grass play area for games.

Senior Girls' House

Housemistress: Corinne Coutand-Moore
Assistant Housemaster: Pierce Brown
Non-resident assistants: Rebecca Rhodes and Ruth Landrigan
Liason tutors: India Pocock, Lauren James and Georgina Jefferies
Matron: Kim Hunt

Twitter: @KernickNews

House Spirit

Kernick is one of eight houses in Chindit Avenue. It is in a lovely position, tucked away just behind the stables and close to both the main academic campus and the swimming pool. Kernick has been very fortunate with many wins in either the Junior or Senior Girls house matches over the years. This is partly due to the array of multi-talented girls in the house in areas ranging from music, drama and across the various sports. The most important thing, however, has been the tremendous house spirit, whether this is in the final or the playoff for 7th or 8th place. The bribe of pizzas for winning a competition seems to do no harm either!

Winning trophies, however, is the ‘icing on the cake’ and the main focus in the house is the importance of looking after and being kind to each other. The year groups mix very well and the Senior girls strive to befriend and help the younger girls settle in. The hub of the house is definitely the kitchen where all year groups will congregate and settle down to chat, snack or discuss the latest series on Netflix.

Housemistress

Corinne Coutand-Moore has been the Housemistress at Kernick since January 2017. She was previously Assistant Housemistress at Warner, another Senior girls house, where she resided for six years before relocating to Kernick. Corinne is a French teacher at Millfield and was previously Head of Languages at the school. She enjoys spending her personal time reading, listening to music, travelling and spending time with her daughter, family and friends.

Senior Girls' House

Housemistress: Cristina Garcia
Assistant Housemistress: Jennifer Turnbull
Matrons: Honor Eastwood and Louise Olding
Liaison tutors: Marianne Ashcroft, Julie Boulton, Polly Glover, Sophie Stubbs and Linda Nixon
Group tutors: Paul Maxfield

Twitter: @martinsmfd

House Spirit

The feeling of being at home is a high priority at Martins. With such busy lifestyles at school Martins is a peaceful shelter for girls to be themselves. There is a genuine social mix between girls where age is no boundary to spending time together. We have a diverse mix of characters and talents in Martins including riders, swimmers, golfers, dancers, footballers, tennis, hockey and netball players, artists and musicians, right down to those who like to do a little bit of everything. This promotes acceptance of others and encourages girls to embrace individuality whilst cultivating their own independence, confidence and self-esteem. The house ethos is based on trust and respect, which helps lead to a relaxed, safe and friendly environment in which everyone can learn and develop at the pace that best suits them. Girls are encouraged to look out for each other.

Housemistress

Cristina García has been Martins Housemistress since September 2016. Before joining Millfield in 2007, Cristina completed a degree in Translation (English and German). She has an interest for learning and loves going back to Spain in the holidays to spend time with her family in Asturias, the north (and rainy!) part of Spain.

An interesting fact...

We are the only house grouping (alongside with brother house Kingweston) who has won best Chamber Choir and best Whole Choir in the history of Millfield. We are very proud of this achievement!

History

Martins House opened in September 1998 and was named after the retiring Headmaster Christopher Martin. It boasts an excellent position close to the centre of the campus and sporting facilities.

Senior Girls' House

Housemistress: Claire Trainor
Assistant Housemistress: Karen Lloyd
Non-resident assistants: Kirsty Percival and Kate Smith
Matron: Sue Ford
Liaison tutors: Martha Graham and Michelle Taylor

Twitter: @portwayhouse

House Spirit

Portway girls are loyal, hard working and set high standards for their conduct. Portway is a friendly house where girls from all year groups mix and support one another. The house is purpose-built, situated centrally on Chindit Avenue. The house has three main common rooms with televisions, DVD and satellite facilities. There is a Quiet Room, which contains two computers, a selection of books, daily newspapers and monthly magazines, and a kitchen for snacks and drinks. Outside there is a floodlit play area for sports.

Housemistress

Claire Trainor has worked in pastoral care at Millfield for the past 12 years, firstly as a day housemistress of The Lakes, then as assistant and housemistress of Portway. She oversaw the move from Sixth Form to a full senior house and now cares for 60 girls from Year 10 to Upper Sixth. She lives at Portway with her husband, Rob and their 8 year old son, Joe who is currently in Year 4 at Millfield Prep.

An interesting fact...

Portway is the only Millfield boarding house to have moved twice; initially on the site of the Grange, then Butleigh and now in its current location.

History

Portway has occupied three sites in its history, it was initially located on Portway Road, then Butleigh Road as a sixth form house, and now on Chindit Avenue where it has been a senior girls house since September 2016.

Senior Girls' House

Housemistress: Tracey Allen
Assistant Housemistress: Amy Davidge
Live Out Assistant: Vanessa Kellow
Matron: Jill Lock
Liaison tutors: Gayle Bicknell, Ivan Bicknell, Emma Beasant, Kirsten Lane and Sheree Cuff

Twitter: @SouthfieldNews

House Spirit

Southfield prides itself on it's happy and pleasant environment. The House team see the house as first and foremost the girls’ second home and their priority is to make sure the girls feel safe, secure, and ‘at home’ in an environment in which they can thrive. The Southfield Sister Groups play an important role in the house, and help to develop friendships between different age groups, something that the girls feel is one of the defining features of the house. The Southfield culture encourages empathy and hard work. and is well known for its tremendous house spirit.

Housemistress

Tracey has been Housemistress of Southfield since September 2014. Tracey became a teacher in 1986 and joined Millfield to teach Mathematics in 2008. Before joining Millfield she was a Head of Maths and, prior to her appointment as Housemistress at Millfield she was Head of Year 11. Tracey’s husband, Richard, works in the telecoms industry. Tracey and Richard have four children, all of whom are Old Millfieldeans. Tracey has a keen interest in all things educational, and has recently been awarded a Masters degree in Education.

An interesting fact...

Southfield has the largest garden on Chindit Avenue and even boasts its own pond (the Southfield ‘lake’). Every year the pond attracts a plethora of wildlife, including breeding moorhens and a green woodpecker.

History

It boasts amongst it's alumni the super model, Adwoa Aboah (2005-10), Johanna Sheppard (1995-2000) Barclays, Director - Head of Compliance (Corporate Banking); Dr Eileen Rees (1970-74) Research Fellow at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and Philippa English (1996-2005) Associate at Stephenson Harwood LLP.

Senior Girls' House

Housemistress: Claire Rose
Assistant Housemistress: Jo Szymkow
Non-resident assistants: Aimee Coehlo and Chihiro He
Matrons: Nancy Routley, Lesley Kemp and Julie Wills
Liaison tutor: Jing Keeler, Aimee Coelho, William Dawe and Jack Birtwhistle

Twitter: @Warner_News

House Spirit

Warner girls are beautiful inside and out, they are encouraged to think for themselves in order to build resilience through the problems they may face, safe in the knowledge that they are supported and cared for in a nurturing and homely environment. Warner House is a patchwork quilt and a snug fit for all who walk through it’s doors.

Housemistress

Claire Rose has been the Housemistress of Warner since September 2017, having previously been an Assistant Housemistress at Warner, Portway and Martins. Claire holds the post of Music teacher in charge of GCSE Music and Music Technology at Millfield and is Conductor of the Millfield Jazz Band and closed harmony acapella group. She has also been an Upper Sixth tutor with experience of the UCAS process. Her husband, Jonathan, is Head of Instrumental and Vocal Studies at Millfield, Assistant Housemaster at Ivythorn and a piano teacher. Three children, Lewis, Chloe and Finley, and their interests keep them occupied, and they enjoy skiing and summer Alpine holidays. Claire continues to perform and play both the violin and viola in various orchestral and non-orchestral settings.

Facilities

Warner is situated next to the school campus, so all the facilities are very close. It is based on three older houses and has become organic in its development. Each bedroom is different in shape and style. Facilities include a small aerobic gym, pool table, table tennis, table football, music room and its own orchard. There is a happy and relaxed environment and Warner girls are always encouraged to get involved in the broader aspects of school life. An important feature of house life is the sense of community that develops through the girls' participation in the day-to-day running of the house.

History

Warner was named after Pam Warner who was effectively Senior Mistress for many years until she passed away 1976. She was not actually a teaching member of staff though the House opened in 1978 and was named after her.

Senior Boys' House

Housemistress: Karen Lloyd
Assistant Housemaster: Roy Lowndes-Northcott
Matrons: Alicia Akhurst, Sonia Nitti and Clare Baker-Smith
Liaison tutors: Peter Guthrie, Andy Holder, Joe Allen, Scott Landry, Craig Bowles

Twitter: @EtonhurstHouse

House Spirit

After winning the Windmill and Churchill cups at the end of last year it is clear that house spirit is high. The boys have made a conscious effort to include all students in every activity and have not only gained success from this but have enhanced a real togetherness.

Housemistress

Karen joined Millfield in September 2016 from a girls’ grammar school in Buckinghamshire where she was the Director of Teaching and Learning and subject leader for Psychology, Sociology, Business and Economics. Karen is the Teacher i/c of Psychology and Badminton and has been liaison at Warner House and Assistant Housemistress at both Walton and Portway houses. Prior to her teaching career, she worked in London as a buyer for Marks and Spencer. Karen has achieved the status ‘Specialist Leader of Education’ from the National College of Teaching, which recognises her development work with a range of different schools. She is a keen badminton player having represented her county for many years, however her interest is now one of coaching and development, working with Somerset County to develop the provision in the South West.

Facilities

Etonhurst was originally sited from 1960 to 2002 in Ashcott. It was a large manor house housing 36 boys which during its time had seven different sets of houseparents.  With pupil numbers ever increasing, Etonhurst moved on to campus and boarder numbers increased to 60. The house has three common rooms, music, games/DVD and a main meeting room which has a pool and football table, large flat screen TV and a projector and full screen. There is also a floodlit outside court for football, basketball and tennis.

History

The original Etonhurst House was in a village called Ashcott on the outskirts of Walton. In 2002 the new ‘Hurst’ moved onto campus and after many years is home to 64 students, making it one of the largest senior houses at Millfield. It boasts many leading figures, probably too many to mention. Maharaja Padmanabh Singh,  king of Jaipur lived in the house.

Senior Boys' House

Housemaster: Rich Owlett
Assistant Housemaster: Tom Bowley
Non-resident assistants: Dan Chalkley and Jason Burns
Matron: Bernadette Kinninmont and Mar Wall
Liaison tutors: Spartakos Anagnostaros, Dora O’Sullivan, John Mallett and Pippa Counsel
Group tutors: Jo Lyons

Twitter: @HolmcroftHouse

House Spirit

In the last year Holmcroft has won the Senior House Athletics, Junior House Athletics, Junior Rugby and performed well in many other team based and individual events.  We put out strong teams, aim to win but enjoy the journey.  We don’t mind what you are committed to, but the important thing is to be committed! We encourage the boys be enthusiastic about their education and to attend the many varied events that the school organises.

Housemaster

Rich Owlett has a reputation of being firm but fair, a good listener and a supportive influence on the lives of the gentlemen in Holmcroft.  He nurtures and values the excellent team that works with him. Rich worked in industry for 17 years before becoming a teacher in 2003. At Millfield he teaches Business Studies and is a rugby coach and also coached sailing for a number of years. He has organised a huge range of trips covering a diverse range of interests from sky diving to topical debates. Our matron, Marlene Wall has served over 40 years in Holmcroft and remembers looking after Roland Rudd (current Chair of Governors) and now sons of former Holmcroft students.

An interesting fact...

Food and fun are high on the list of priorities, so BBQ's, nachos and cakes are a regular feature of Holmcroft life, as are a wide range of trips and events.

History

We have looked after many boys who are now living great lives doing things they love, and hope that what they learnt in Holmcroft contributed to who they are today.

Senior Boys' House

Housemaster: Mark Speyers
Assistant Housemaster: Mike Dobbs
Matron: Sharon Hunt
Liason tutors: Stuart Maddock, Mark Nash, Alex Lickorish, John Hudson and Catherine Townsend

House Spirit

We believe in an honest and flexible approach in order to provide a safe and caring environment within which students may develop both individually and as a part of a collective.  It is vitally important that young people live in an environment that offers them the ability to develop coping skills which allow them to grow into content and well-adjusted adults.  In addition to fostering resilience, we aim to promote the ethos that our boys should respect all with an unconditional positive regard and constantly strive to be well- mannered and courteous. A JK boy should strive to be; resilient whilst showing kindness and tolerance, responsible and respectful.

Housemaster

Mark has been the Housemaster of Joan’s Kitchen since 2013 and enjoys the role tremendously. He joined Millfield in 2008 and has since been the Assistant Housemaster at Kingweston, the Staff Induction Coordinator and a Prefect Team Leader. Prior to joining Millfield, Mark taught English at both Kings College School, Wimbledon and Grey High School in South Africa. On the cocurricular side, Mark coaches’ rugby and cricket, but as a cellist also performs in and supports many of the music productions at the school.  
The real brains of the operation, however, is Mark’s wife Mary-Ann who supports and assists him with the day-to-day running of the house. This is done in conjunction with her main role as mother to three JK girls; Lily (9), Amelia (7) and Grace who will be 4 in August. Mary-Ann has a degree in Psychology and worked in private education in South Africa. Since moving to the UK, she has worked for the NHS as well as a local 6th form College. 
Family is a very important part of their lives and as such, most of their spare time is devoted to spending time with their children.

An interesting fact...

We are an incredibly diverse house and can boast to having more than 20 nationalities represented in the house

Facilities

The house has two main common rooms with televisions, DVD and satellite facilities; one is for the Sixth Form and one for the remainder of the house. The main common room has a table football game, pool table and a table tennis table. There is a Quiet Room which contains computers, a selection of books, daily newspapers and monthly magazines. There are small kitchen areas in each of the common rooms for snacks and drinks. Outside there is a floodlit play area for basketball and football.

History

Joan’s Kitchen (also known as JK) started as a café in the centre of the town, run by Joan Cox. In the 1950s, as Millfield expanded into boarding houses away from the main school site, Joan provided lunches at JK and later began to house some of the boys along with a member of staff. When Joan wanted to sell in 1959, the school purchased the property and it became a fully-fledged boarding house. The name has remained ever since, despite a move of location onto campus.

Senior Boys' House

Housemaster: David Askham
Assistant Housemistress: Louise Cella
Non-resident assistants: Robin Wood, Juliette Lorandel
Liason tutors: Simon Coombes, Perry Reeves, Tom Stokes
Group tutors: Maisie Patel
Matron: Teresa Fuoco

Twitter: @KingwestonHouse

House Spirit

Kingweston House is one of our three country houses, it is situated in beautiful grounds with far reaching views. There is a great family-feel in the house with a relaxed, caring atmosphere. Evening meals are provided in the beautiful dining room for the whole house to enjoy together, which helps to build a real sense of camaraderie. After prep the boys can usually be found in the garden enjoying games of football, rugby or cricket, or relaxing in the recently refurbished common room and kitchen. It is an outstanding home for the boys to come back to at the end of their day at school and provides a wonderful space to recharge at the weekends. The Kingweston boys have a base at school, the Country Club, where they can relax at breaks or before returning to their house at the end of the day. The boys are hugely proud of the house and have developed their own set of values which define what it means to be a Kingweston Ranger.

Housemaster

David Askham has been the Housemaster at Kingweston since September 2017. David joined Millfield in 2007 and was previously the Assistant Houseparent at Walton. His partner Maisie arrived at the school in 2013 and spent three years as Assistant Housemistress at Acacia. David teaches History and coaches rugby. Maisie teaches Biology and is part of the Millfield skiing programme. Millfield provided both with their first teaching roles after university. They both enjoy sports, with David’s passion being rugby, and Maisie’s skiing. They also enjoy travelling and take time to relax by going for walks with their dog Boudicca. In March 2018, Kingweston gained its youngest member with the arrival of their first child, a boy named Archie. 

An Interesting Fact...

Kingweston House was used to accommodate evacuees during World War II.

Facilities

The house is situated in beautiful grounds with far reaching views, and the boys have access to a wonderful range of facilities including a gym, a full size snooker table, two tennis courts, a basketball court, a five-a-side football pitch and a set of rugby posts. In addition, the school's golf course and football pitches sit in the same site and there are two tennis courts. It is an outstanding home for the boys to come back to at the end of their day at school and provides a wonderful space to recharge at the weekends.

History

Kingweston House has been a Millfield boarding house since January 1946. Prior to that date, the house had always been the home of the Dickenson family. The history of the current house begins in 1783 when William Dickinson had plans for a new house drawn up by Henry Holland the younger. The house was built between 1785 and 1788 by Samuel Heal of Bridgwater. The house and grounds were officially given to the school in 2006 by Mrs Joy Burden, the last descendent of the Dickenson family. Prominent former Kingweston residents include rugby players Mako Vunipola and Ollie Lindsay-Hague, Formula E driver Sam Bird, cricketer Rory Hamilton-Brown, journalist John Sergeant, and UAE Minister of State for Tolerance His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan bin Mabarak al Nahayan.

Senior Boys' House

Housemaster: Stuart Robertson
Assistant Housemaster: Michael Gorman
Non-resident assistants: Richard Horn and Ben Percival
Matron: Carrie Harding
Liaison tutors: Kirsty Barry, Sarah Graves and Richard Horn

House Spirit

Orchards is a unique and warm house with some longstanding traditions, such as the Drone's Club. It is a family orientated house where values and principles form the basis of how the boys aim to lead their lives. We have a saying that “An Orchards boy is a responsible, honest and humble gentleman” and this guides us in our courtesy and respect towards others.

Housemaster

Stuart was fortunate to become Housemaster in January 2017. Before this, he was Housemaster of Ivythorn House, one of Millfield’s day houses, and a Head of Year at a previous school. He also coaches hockey and teaches in the Geography Department, whilst staying active by running (and an increasing amount of swimming as his ageing knees start to tell him off!). His wife Holly has coached netball at Millfield and, prior to joining the school she was a Head of Year at an independent day school. Together they have three children, Isobel, Stanley and Zachary. Family life is important to them and these values are imparted on the boys.

Facilities

The house has two large common rooms and a small common room for the Upper Sixth. There are also fully fitted kitchen areas for the boys to make themselves snacks, a private study area which contains a selection of books and a quiet room with computers and daily newspapers. Wireless broadband is available throughout the house, as well as a pool table, table tennis tables and table football.

An Interesting Fact...

Sir Gareth Edwards, CBE boarded at Orchards, the main school rugby pitch was named after him and he still returns to visit the school occasionally.

History

Originally located in Street, ‘The Orchards’ moved to Chindit Avenue, its new site, in 2003. It gained its name because the original house was surrounded by an apple orchard. We have tried to keep us surrounded by apple trees with the planting of one in the centre of our courtyard and others in our surrounding gardens. Orchards have seen a number of famous faces come out of their time at Millfield, including; England rugby player John Mallett, England professional golfer and former cricketer Craig Kieswetter, England cricketers Tom Moores and Daniel Bell-Drummond and American musician Steward Copeland.

Senior Boys' House

Housemaster: Tristan Kingsford
Assistant Housemaster: Tony Cheung
Non-resident assistant: Andrew Fraser 
Matron: Jane Whitehead
Liaison tutors: Ben Pender, Lydia Richardson and Stephen Du Plessis

Twitter: @ShapwickHouse

House Spirit

The house has an incredibly warm and friendly atmosphere. In my Christmas dinner speech this year I wrote the following.  ‘My first terms impressions are of a house who cares for each other. I have seen true care and compassion on a number of occasions and I am genuinely heartened by these acts of kindness and altruism. I have been involved in a number of houses at Millfield and I have to say that the ‘Wick Love’ is definitely a characteristic of this house which must continue and do not let this change’. We are the house that is closest to campus and as such the boys come ‘home’ more than any other house. The boys would not swap this world the world. As such the boys are in each other’s company a lot which forges an incredibly strong house spirit.

Housemaster

Tristan Kingsford started as Housemaster of Shapwick in September 2019. Previously, he was Housemaster of The Grange since September 2016 and an Assistant Housemaster at Butleigh for four years. Other previous roles include him being aa Assistant Head of Year. He still teaches Geography and has coached the Senior Colts rugby squad for the past 12 years. He loves anything to do with sport and is known for playing the odd game of rugby and cricket. He also sings very loudly, sometimes in tune!

An interesting fact...

The house tie colour used to be brown. They are quite glad to have adopted the maroon formerly of Butleigh!

History

Shapwick Manor in Shapwick village opened as a boarding house in 1956 with RH Goodwin as Housemaster. Barry Hobson took over in 1958 and ran the house until 1981 when the house closed and moved into its present building on Butleigh Road. Northfield and Shapwick Houses were amalgamated into one house in 1985. 

Senior Boys' House

Housemaster: Paul Williams
Assistant Housemaster: Mungo Winkley
Matrons: Tina James and Cheryl Brazil
Liaison tutors: Justin Dodd, Paul Wadeson, Declan Bartlett, David Moon and Kay Penly
Group tutors: Abi Swales

Twitter: @St_Annes_House

House Spirit

There is a warm family atmosphere at St Anne’s with the pupils getting to know each other and the staff very well. House staff strive to create a ‘home-from-home’, providing a relaxed and caring environment which allows everyone to feel safe and respected; in essence, a place the boys will look forward to returning to at the end of a busy school day. Furthermore, the boys dine in house for five out of the seven nights each week, which helps foster a strong sense of community and enables friendships to grow across year groups, as well as develops positive relations between the boys and the staff. This very social occasion also helps build an immense feeling of house spirit within St Anne’s.

Housemaster

Paul joined St Anne’s as Housemaster in 2017. Paul comes with previous experience as the Assistant Houseparent at Millfield House for over two years, and then as the Deputy Houseparent at Keen's Elm House for two years. Paul is also a Geography teacher and sailing coach, his wife Helen is a solicitor. Prior to joining Millfield, Paul spent eight years working in the advertising and marketing industry in London and the South West, after completing a Geography degree at the University of Exeter. Paul and Helen are both keen sailors and enjoy cruising the waters of the West Country on their yacht with their son, Joshua, and daughter, Imogen. In addition, they enjoy watching and participating in a variety of sports and activities.

Facilities

The house has two main common rooms with televisions, PlayStations, DVD and satellite facilities; one for the Sixth Form and one for the remainder of the house. There is also a table football table, pool table and two table tennis tables (one inside, one outside), as well as a large gym with numerous weight and CV machines. There is study space, which contains computers, a selection of books, daily newspapers and monthly magazines. There are also two kitchen areas for the boys for snacks and drinks. Outside we have a floodlit hard court for tennis, basketball or football; a football pitch; a golf driving net; a croquet lawn and badminton court. The country houses have good transport links with the main school campus, with a morning coach departing each day from house at 7.40am and minibuses departing back to house every half hour from 3.30 to 6.45pm. Taxis operate in the evenings between both sites. There are no charges for these transport services.

An interesting fact...

St Anne’s, originally set within an orchard and farmland, was formerly a nunnery school for a Christian order of Oxford Nuns. The old chapel can still be seen, as can a number of the original features; there is even a turret room!

History

A former manor house, St. Anne’s has been a boarding house for the majority of Millfield’s existence. St. Anne’s dates back to the early Victorian period and is situated in the pleasant Somerset village of Baltonsborough.  The house has been home to many famous names from a range of talents and achievements. To mention a few: Jonathan Joseph (Bath & England Rugby); Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa & England Football); Henry Thomas (Bath & England Rugby); Olly Morgan (Gloucester & England Rugby); Ian Ward (Surrey & England Cricket, and Sky Sports presenter); Guy Bennett (former art advisor and former co-head of Christie’s impressionist and Modern art department); John Brake (England 7s Rugby); Warren Marston (former National Hunt Jockey); and Sandy Strallen (Theatre Producer and Entertainment Marketing Consultant).

Senior Boys' House

Housemaster: Ben Pender
Resident tutor: Ben McEwen
Matron: Elaine Nelson

House Spirit

There is an intimate family atmosphere at The Grange, where the students get to know each other and the staff very well. House staff strive to create a home-from-home, providing a relaxed and caring environment which allows everyone to feel safe and respected; in essence, a place the boys will look forward to returning to at the end of a busy ‘Millfield School’ day. The Grange is closely linked with Shapwick House, a larger boys’ house for Years 10-13 opposite the main campus, and they join for a variety of house activities, games and socials. Additionally, Lower Sixth student tutor groups are combined. Mr Tristan Kingsford, who led the Grange for four years before becoming Shapwick’s Housemaster, also has the oversight of The Grange house. The Grange  boys have much to gain from this partnership and will have great strength by collaborating, whilst also retaining a distinct identity – the best of both worlds.

Housemaster

An experienced pastoral and academic leader, Ben is very excited to be Housemaster of the Grange from September 2020. He joined Millfield in 2017, having been both a Head of Middle School and a Head of Department in previous schools. Ben teaches English and runs two collaborative projects with local state schools as part of the EAGLES initiative, he has also directed two major productions at the school. His wife Nicola is the Head of Alumni and Foundation at Millfield and, in her role, she has seen how Old Millfieldians have a deep and lasting emotional bond with their boarding house and the school. Ben and Nicola have two children, Adeline and Nathanael who both attend Millfield Pre-Prep, our newest addition is Poppy, a labrador retriever puppy.

Facilities

The Grange has been refurbished as a small Sixth Form house for boys, and located just a few minutes’ walk from the centre of campus. The house is unique, with large bedrooms and a variety of communal spaces. The main common room has a table tennis table, an X-Box console, and a large flat-screen TV/DVD player, supplemented by a second social area – which includes another large flat-screen TV/DVD player. It also has a well-equipped kitchen that the boys can use to prepare meals and snacks in addition to attending to the school dining hall. Outside the house is a large garden, excellent for 5-a-side football, touch rugby, cricket and other activities as well as for barbeques and parties. 

An Interesting Fact

The Grange was built in 1845 by a Quaker called Robert Impey, and was called Askew House, later becoming Portway House. His daughter, Catherine Impey wrote and published Britain's first anti-racist periodical, 'Anti-Caste', between 1888 and 1895. Her family invited guests from all around the world to stay with them, setting the tone for a global mindset that we embrace within our Millfield community.

Senior Boys' House

Housemaster: Joe Lewis
Assistant Housemaster: Craig Devlin
Non-resident Assistants: Stacey Edwards-Newnham and Andrew Swift
Matron: Yvette Carver and Michaela Palmer
Liaison tutors: Richard Brafshaw, Jeff Peabody, Karl Leonard, Stacey Edwards-Newnham and Andrew Swift

Twitter: @house_walton

House Spirit

Walton sits in its own beautiful bucolic grounds in the village of Walton, which is a short drive from Millfield. It is a true ‘home’ away from school and the extensive gardens and wonderful facilities provide the boys with an idyllic to grow up together. There is an emphasis on manners, kindness and integrity within the family run house. The boys are encouraged to be the best version of themselves and to look after each other. It really is full boarding at its very best.

Housemaster

Joe Lewis joined as Housemaster of Walton in September 2018 with his wife Milly and their four children Cecily, Posy, Bertie and Laurie (who are all at the prep school). Previously a Housemaster at Pangbourne College, Joe brings a wealth of experience, including roles as Head of English, Head of Careers, Head of General Studies and Master i/c cricket. He has also coached rugby, one of his many sporting interests, which also include football, cricket, tennis and golf. Originally a boarder himself at Malvern College, and a boarding house assistant in Australia on his gap year, his experience of boarding schools spans a lifetime. In his free time, Joe appreciates literature, the arts, travel and spending time with family, friends and their dogs Lara and Willow. They come as a happy, busy family and throw themselves into boarding school life at every opportunity.

Facilities

The facilities include floodlit outdoor tennis and basketball courts, a football pitch, a squash court (Millfield’s original!) and a multi-gym, whilst inside there is a games room including table football and pool table as well as four common rooms to help the boys relax and wind down from the ‘melee' of school life. The newly- refurbished dining room provides a wonderfully spacious room for in-house suppers and house events. The boys also have a base during the day at school, the ‘Country Club’, where they can relax at breaks or before returning to their houses at the end of the day.  They share the Country Club with boys from our other two country houses. 

An interesting fact...

The boys compete against each other in ‘wolfpacks’, the groups in which they do their orderlies and house duties, on a weekly basis. This internal competition looks to reward good behaviour both in house and in the wider community. The results are published weekly (and half termly), and the winning group are rewarded with a steak supper, a lie in and either supper or a trip! This system aims to raise personal standards, and focuses on teamwork and recognising positive behaviour. Ultimately, the aim is for boys in Walton to be ‘good blokes’ and have a positive impact on the community and the wider world.

History

We have had a number of famous face board at Walton including;

Lord Brougham and Vaux, CBE (1952-1957); British peer and a Member of the House of Lords

Major General Michael Charlton-Weedy, CBE (1960*-1968); Head of International Resilience in the Cabinet Office

Duncan Goodhew, MBE (1970-1975); Olympic Gold Medallist Moscow 1980, OM of the Year 2011

Gordon Miller (1952-1956); Olympic Athlete Rome 1960

Jeremy Thomas (1963-1967); Chairman, the British Film Institute; Film Producer - The Last Emperor (9 Oscars); Director - Crash; OM of the Year 2007