Ming House is the boarding house at Hiba Academy Hangzhou, open to pupils in Grade 3 and above. With world class facilities, a pastoral environment and professional boarding mentors, it offers a unique learning experience to our boarding pupils.
Candy, captain of the boarding house, kindly shared her experience as a Hiba Academy Hangzhou boarder. Let us follow her steps and check some boarding highlights!
The boarding experience at Hiba Academy Hangzhou is designed to support the development of the Hiba Identity: pupils who are inspired, intellectual, independent, individual and inclusive. Our aspirations are high, and we encourage all our boarders to embrace all opportunities available to them both socially and academically.
Ming House provides a safe, caring, family community that is built on a foundation of trust, mutual respect, openness and empathy. Their boarding peers become an extended family as they are in a space where they can interact with other pupils; constantly building confidence and developing lifelong relationships. Our team of boarding mentors, made up from teaching staff, are there to build strong relationships with pupils to ensure they are engaged and motivated. The team have a wealth and variety of experience to support children during adolescence. Pupils receive guidance and support helping them to enjoy their time.
Children in boarding see their English language skills accelerate at a speed beyond what is possible for day students. A mixture of western and bilingual Chinese staff work, study and live with the boarders to ensure that all children’s needs are met, while encouraging them to use and develop their English language skills. Children are expected to embrace speaking English first and foremost in boarding; immersing themselves in the English language and developing their English skills beyond the classroom. It has been noted that our current boarders have benefitted from this experience, demonstrating increased confidence and competence in using English fluently, on a day-to-day basis.
Through offering a range of activities, pupils try many new things, exploring their potential across a range of experiences. Activities take on a structured yet relaxed approach, providing important social time with peers, while offering the opportunity to extend learning beyond the curriculum. Daily activities include sports, arts, music, mathletics, accelerated reading programme, board games and swimming to name but a few.
