Boarding FAQs

• A purpose-built boarding home in McCabe House
• A welcoming and inclusive boarding community grounded in Ignatian values
• Exceptional pastoral care and wellbeing support
• Strong academic guidance and structured study
• Extensive extra-curricular and leadership opportunities
• Modern facilities designed for living, learning and belonging
• Easy access to Sydney CBD while enjoying a spacious 25-hectare campus
• Lifelong friendships and connections

McCabe House has been purpose-built to support students as they live, learn and grow. Facilities include:

• Modern bedrooms - 5 and 7 bed dorms, double rooms and single rooms
• Dedicated study spaces
• Common rooms with facilities such as small kitchens, dining and lounge seating, TVs, exercise bikes, and ping pong tables
• Large dining facility serving all meals
• Laundry facilities
• Outdoor recreation areas
• Quiet spaces for reflection and wellbeing
• Staff available around the clock

Every space has been designed to create a genuine home away from home.

The boarders begin the week with Mass or a Liturgy on Sunday evening. The boarders can be part of the Choir, prepare prayers, be Eucharistic Ministers. It is a wonderful time to come together as a whole community, enjoy the stillness of the Chapel and celebrate being a boarder at Loreto.

The benefits of earlier entry need to be considered. Our major intake is in Year 7 when students are starting secondary school and are all 'in it together'. They are all starting their learning and friendship journey together and the bonds made at this stage provide for a easier long term journey.

We welcome students from the Sydney basin, country NSW, interstate, international and Australian expatriate families. Over 85% of boarders come from country NSW.

Loreto Normanhurst is home to over 200 boarders from Year 7 to Year 12. McCabe House has capacity for 216 boarders.

As the majority of our boarders reside in remote and/or rural NSW there is always a high number of resident boarders over the weekends and a good source of company for one another. Having larger numbers within each year level provides individual students the flexibility to explore a range of friendships.

Prior to commencement:

All new boarders and their parents will experience 2 separate opportunities to immerse themselves in the LN boarding community. Some of what you can look forward to; boarder sleepovers, various boarder appointments (including uniform fittings) to get to know your daughter better, parent events for you to make connections and build your community.

Start of Term One:

• Buddy System: A vibrant buddy system providing inter-year relationships between the day and Boarding School, guidance and friendly support from the get-go!
• Mentoring Program: A mentoring program to find connection with a senior boarder who acts as an ‘older sister’ within the boarding community.
• Counseling Services: A team of professionals who remain connected to your daughters throughout their journey at Loreto Normanhurst. Every new student will meet the counselling team to learn about the services available to them as a Loreto Normanhurst Boarder.

All new girls are allocated buddies to help their move to a new school. In Boarding you will have also have a Boarder Buddy to help find your way around and meet new friends and staff, and a Day School Buddy to help get to classes and extra-curricular activities.

The Loreto Normanhurst Sport program is grounded on encouraging widespread participation with the aim to create student pathways to be lifelong participants in sport and recreation. We offer competitive pathways and peer teams. Sport is compulsory for boarders in Years 7-10 with many of our girls continuing sport into Year 11 and 12.

Weekend life in boarding offers the perfect balance of structure, relaxation and fun. Year 7 and 8 students participate in a structured recreation program featuring both on-campus and off-campus activities, while all boarders can enjoy organised social events, movie nights, sport, excursions and community activities.

Boarders also make the most of McCabe House's welcoming common spaces to spend time with friends, study, relax or simply unwind after a busy week. Older students may enjoy approved leave to explore Sydney with friends, while many choose to stay on campus and enjoy everything boarding life has to offer.

Throughout the year, students also participate in compulsory 'in-house' Commitment and Community Weekends, strengthening friendships through shared experiences and activities.

The onsite Mary Ward Health Centre provides access to nurses and counsellors who assist with the holistic care of the Boarders.

The nurse attends the Boarders in the boarding house for medication early in the morning and the evening, as well as presenting wellbeing programs around nutrition, hygiene and personal development.

The Counselling team support the Boarding staff to deliver wellbeing programs as well as providing services in times of stress for the Boarders.

All of the Boarder’s medical needs are met by the nurses in our health centre. They care for the girls on a daily basis and will be in contact with families if their daughter is unwell.

The Mary Ward Health Centre hours are 7:00am - 9:00pm, Monday to Friday and 4 hours each on Saturday and Sunday.

Normanhurst is in an area well served by two hospitals and a variety of specialists. Younger girls are assisted in attending appointments and older girls can get there by train or bus. We encourage the use of local professionals in the Hornsby or Pennant Hills area.

Boarders hand their computers in each night until the end of Year 10 and they hand their phones in until the end of Year 11. This is in line with all best research and assists the girls in learning how to manage their technology and get a good night's sleep, undisturbed by messages and notifications.

The laptop issued by the School and one phone and SIM are the only technology the girls have while in boarding.

Leave is entered and approved, by boarders, parents and staff through the REACH system. Leave is age appropriate and increases with age and experience. Younger boarders are supported by staff for outings and attendance at appointments. Older boarders travel with friends, or with appropriate permissions, are able to travel by themselves to attend appointments and on leave. There is a chart with all leave allocations on it available to parents and boarders.

Leave allocations are generous with only one compulsory weekend in per term. It is expected that all boarders will be in from Friday afternoon to Monday morning on this weekend. Leave after school mid-week is closely monitored and is usually only in exceptional circumstances. Leave is allocated in an age appropriate way and transport arrangements for leave must be adhered to. All boarders on weekend leave must return in time for Mass on Sunday evening. Boarders have a busy program and the allocated study times are an important part of their program. Dinner leave is for special occasions and should be irregular, in particular if study is being missed.

Yes. Every year group has welcoming common spaces within McCabe House where students can relax, spend time with friends, enjoy afternoon tea, celebrate birthdays, participate in activities or simply unwind after the school day. These shared spaces play an important role in building community and belonging. The Common Rooms are fitted with things such as small kitchens, tables and chairs, lounges, ping pong table, exercise bike, TVs.

Just like the family kitchen, the Dining Room provides a welcoming meeting place to enjoy a meal, study during exams or have a meeting. Breakfast and dinner during the week are in the Dining Room and on weekend all meals are taken here. During the week, dinner tables are arranged vertically (Year 7-12) and the Year 12 Table Head takes great pride in her running of the table. Games, dress up nights and theme nights are arranged by the Table Head to add to the camaraderie of the dinner sitting.

Chartwells Catering provide a well-balanced menu for the boarders. The menu runs on a four-week cycle and is dietitian approved. A new menu is provided each term. The boarders have access to snack foods in common rooms for afternoon tea and supper. Morning tea and lunch on weekdays is collected by the boarders and then they head out to enjoy this with their friends. Lunch has a hot option as well as salad and cold meat choices. Dinner provides a number of choices for the boarders including meat and vegetarian options. Special diet options are also available. Breakfast is served from 6:30am to ensure the early sport teams have access to food. Dinner is served between 5:30pm and 6:30pm and provides an opportunity for the boarders to come together every evening.

Laundry is done off site three times a week.

Each dorm has access to a washing machine and dryer for delicate and emergency washes.

Boarders are supported by a dedicated team who work together to provide academic, pastoral and wellbeing support throughout their time at Loreto Normanhurst.

Each year group is supported by a Boarding Head of Year, providing continuity of care and a key point of support for students. The six Heads of Year also oversee specific areas of the boarding experience, including recreation, community engagement, cultural programs and academic care.

Boarding Coordinators and Assistants provide day-to-day care and support, while evening tutors from a range of subject areas are available to assist students with their academic work.

Boarders also have access to nurses and counsellors for additional health and wellbeing support when required.

This integrated model ensures each boarder is known and supported across her academic, pastoral and personal development.

Academic Mentors are responsible for their incoming Year 7, 8 and 9 mentees from Orientation, as a supportive presence and a friendly contact point until they start the following year. This role offers new boarders with both a pastoral and academic ‘big sister’, allowing them to have someone they can meet with multiple times in any one week. The Mentors support the younger students by guiding and modeling the development of effective time management and study skills as they transition into secondary schooling, and by providing examples of positive and acceptable choices to their mentee and younger boarders.

While they can be a social support, spending afternoon time or weekend time together in games, swimming, walking or excursions down the hill or even taking their mentee to appointments, the program allows them to get to know each other, where they are from, their family unit, birthdays, interests, hobbies, school activities, sport choices and weekend activities.

The Mentor Program enables the development of happy and authentic relationships, supporting students to grow into young Loreto Normanhurst women, exploring what brings them joy, what will enable them to be the best person they can be, whilst staying true to themselves.

As such, the relationship between Academic Mentors and junior boarders can be continued throughout Year 7 and into Year 8 with the senior girls modelling successful academic skills and positive attitudes to learning and assisting the junior girls to themselves become independent and reflective learners.