Welcome to the ISB International Residence, a 'home away from home' for ISB students.  We strive to provide an environment where students in our care are treated as individuals and receive a personalised educational experience.

Building a community is the primary objective of the Residence. We believe in a stable, caring and supportive family-like environment where students receive adult guidance through a well resource residential programme. “Family” is the key word and the Residential Staff are committed to providing a positive in loco parentis philosophy for students.  ISB is becoming the 'school of choice' in Brunei for many parents and students, because of the quality of education on offer in the day school and the quality of care we offer our residential community.

The ISB International Residence provides students with a unique opportunity. Living together in a harmonious setting allows the opportunity to learn and explore the ideas, values, and histories that underline each cultural group’s uniqueness. This rich experience also teaches us that despite our obvious differences, there are many more similarities shared between us as human beings, which we might not have previously realized. We strive to educate students to be responsible, productive and ethical citizens with the skills to think creatively, reason critically and communicate effectively, with an attitude of respect towards people of other cultures and our environment.

The Residence has a team of dedicated supervisors and support staff that aim to provide an environment where the students are safe, happy and have the opportunities to develop and grow in body, mind and spirit in a structured setting.  The Residence Team is made up of three resident/teacher supervisors, a full time nurse/supervisor on-call 24 hours, two housekeepers, 3 drivers and a full-time, in house chef.  Food is always an important part of residential life and we offer catering of the highest standard providing an appetizing and nutritional diet that meets the needs of all tastes.

Our residential community offers an environment where students are able to acquire productive and effective study habits and to participate in the wide range of opportunities available to them at ISB.  This enables them to achieve, in the classroom, on the stage or on the sports field, and to leave as confident, independent, self-disciplined and well-rounded young adults, ready to take on the world.

Richard Tyler
Residence Manager

Residence Charter

At the International School Brunei we believe that our core purpose in providing a Residence is to care for and nurture the students who have been placed in our care.  We strive to make residential life a positive experience for all students by providing a care system that recognises the individual and provides a caring family-like environment based on trust, cooperation and open communication.

We believe that :

• A safe and secure environment is our first priority.
• Our residents should consider the Residence as their 'home away from home'.
• Every member of the Residence community has a role to play in the creation of a 'caring Residence family' where we all look after each other.
• Personal best can be realised through fostering of sound study habits.
• Our residents should be given the opportunity to participate in stimulating and challenging sporting, cultural and recreational activities so as to foster personal growth and a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
• Independence and self-reliance are important life skills for all residents to learn and apply.
• Our residents need to take ownership of their behaviour and accept responsibility for their actions.
• Honesty and integrity are vital for a successful residential life.
• Pride in self engenders pride and care for our physical residential environment.
• Mutual respect fosters good interpersonal relationships and celebration of difference.

Accommodation

The ISB International Residence is located close to the school and convenient to all local amenities.  Our specially adapted townhouses allow the students to enjoy all the comforts of home in a safe and controlled environment.

ISB has moved away from the traditional boarding concept of large numbers, dorm style living quarters and impersonal experiences.  Instead, ISB has created housing for our international residential students in a professionally managed 'home' environment.  We have set new standards in Secondary student accommodation giving an unsurpassed opportunity for comfortable, spacious and quality housing while creating safe and professional surroundings for a successful learning and enjoyable living atmosphere.

We have six townhouses in a quiet, leafy, cul-de-sac only five minutes from the school.  Dedicated school buses shuttle residents each morning and afternoon.

Students share spacious, air-conditioned bedrooms with residents of similar age and gender.  Approximately 10 students share each house, its three bathrooms and two living areas.  Wireless internet is available in all locations of the houses.  The Residence Manager and support team live on-site, and an ISB adult staff member lives in each house, so the children have 24-hour supervision.

Each resident is allocated a bed, cupboard space, desk, chair, rubbish bin, coathangers, towel rack and lockable cabinet in their bedroom.  All bed linens and pillows are supplied and laundered regularly by ISB.

Each child is allocated a bed, cupboard space, desk, chair, rubbish bin, coathangers, towel rack and lockable cabinet in their bedroom.  All bed linens and pillows are supplied and laundered regularly by ISB.

Residents are allowed to decorate their bedroom, as long as it is tasteful and inoffensive.

Living in a close community can be challenging and students benefit from a clear structure during the week.

Our Usual Weekday Schedule

Friday:
Dinner               7.00 pm

Saturday:
Breakfast           9.30 am
Lunch                1.00 pm
Dinner               7.00 pm

Sunday:
Breakfast           9.30 am
Lunch                1.00 pm
Dinner               6.00 pm

At ISB, we expect for our dining room:

• Residents are ready on time, seated quietly with hands washed and appropriately clothed (no singlets, dirty/sweaty attire).
• Take a healthy serving of food, including vegetables, but not to be greedy.
• Residents are welcome to go back for a second serve after ALL have had their first serving.
• Use appropriate table manners and have a sensible attitude.
• Conversation should be inoffensive and not be so loud that it interferes with others.
• Return your plates, glasses & cutlery to the trolley. Put rubbish in the bin.
• Dinner takes around 30 minutes unless residents are dismissed early.
• If a staff member on duty addresses the group all residents should listen carefully.

Meals

The kitchen provides residents with a well balanced diet with significant variety and options.  It is important for residents to eat well and they are encouraged to do so by Residence staff and health staff.

• All meals are compulsory.
• Any food brought into the house needs to be stored in a sealed plastic container.
• Food is to be consumed in the Dining Room only.

• If a resident needs a late meal or take-away meal (due to tuitions, excursions, sporting or other commitments) they must organise this with the residential duty staff member at the earliest convenience.  The consumption of fast food is not encouraged and any delivery needs to be authorised by the member of staff on duty.
• Parents are welcome to visit and come for dinner occasionally (especially on parent/teacher interview nights). Please inform the Residence Manager at the earliest convenience

• Chewing gum is not allowed in the School or Residence.

Activities

Activities and outings are organised for residents to allow them the opportunity to develop as individuals.  These are offered to complement the already impressive range of School CAS sports and activities.

It is expected that residents participate in all 'compulsory' activities that are organised by the residence staff.  Often these outings / activities are used for team building and introduce our residents to new experiences.

Some of the activities on offer may include:

• In-house movies & popcorn;
• RBA Club for swimming, badminton, gymnasium;
• Movies at the cinema;
• Celebration of festivals such as Dashain, Tihar, Chinese New Year, Christmas, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Easter, US Independence Day, Australia Day;
• 10 Pin Bowling;
• Shopping at the Mall/Yayasan/Kiulap;
• Pancakes/Waffles and Board games in the house;
• Beauty Night;
• Night Markets;
• Day Outings to nearby venues (beach, parks, jungle walking);
• Restaurant Outings;
• and Residence Camp.

Most of these activities are covered by ISB, although some are charged.

All Residents are expected to have appropriate clothes for 'dressed-up' events.  In particular, boys are expected to have a neat, collared shirt and a good pair of jeans or slacks, suitable for going to a restaurant.  Girls are asked to dress appropriately to respect the culture of Brunei.  Flip-flops or slippers are not considered appropriate footwear on such occasions.

Bus

The school bus will shuttle your child to and from school and around BSB (to CAS activities) as required.  We allow our residents to choose their own CAS commitment at school, and we run an individualised pick up service in the afternoons so that your child is waiting for the bus for the minimal amount of time possible. 

If your child will return home to your family in KB/Seria/Panaga for weekends, a bus will shuttle your child from BSB to your home in KB/Seria/Panaga on a Friday afternoon (leaving BSB at approximately 1.00 pm).  A member of ISB staff is on the bus and accompanies your child to ensure they are safe at all times.  This same bus and and ISB member of staff will collect your child from your home in KB/Seria/Panaga on Sunday afternoon between 3.00 pm - 4.30 pm and return them to the Residence. 

Charges for this bus service to KB/Seria/Panaga will be invoiced to you.

Reports

Your child's progress in Residence will be communicated through a written report as part of the academic report cycle issued by ISB twice yearly.

Living Away From Home

Residential life in the initial stages is a huge step for children and their parents.  Our residents will be required to live within boundaries on a daily basis that they may have not had to do before; live with people they might not necessarily associate with and accept instructions from people other than their parents.  Residents need to adapt to a structured regime which requires them to be at pre-determined places at specified times, to do their homework and to go to bed according to our timetable.

You, as parents, can assist your children (and us) in making the transition easier if they are already familiar with a few specific life skills.  They need to be able to make their bed, tidy up after themselves, look after their own personal hygiene, be able to use a diary, organise their study and structure their leisure time.  The nature of residential life requires that students are compliant and considerate; a positive attitude and a willingness to 'give it a go' should ensure that residents get the most out of the ISB residential experience.  Students who take pride in themselves and their environment will find the transition easier.

Hygiene is essential.  This applies to both personal and clothing hygiene.  ISB provides sufficient laundry facilities to service all the students who are in Residence, but the students themselves must take responsibility for their personal hygiene and for putting their dirty washing into the basket, and place the basket outside the door of their bedroom when they would like their clothes to be washed.

When living with 40 other children, personal privacy is extremely important.  Residents should treat others the way in which they would like to be treated.  This entails not entering other residents' personal areas without permission; they should not touch, take or use the possessions of others without their express permission.

These demands are easier for some children to come to terms with than others, but residents all develop tolerance, resilience, a sense of justice, self discipline, independence and as well realise the value of interdependence in varying degrees during their time in Residence.

Interpersonal problems will arise from time to time.  It is important for residents to share these earlier rather than later.  It is far easier to deal with issues when they are small concerns; so early information is valuable information.  Parents are encouraged to develop open and honest communication with the school and residential staff, so that each individual resident gets the most out of their time at ISB.

We work on the assumption that children come to the International School Brunei so that they can obtain a better education and we support this in any way we can.  "We aim to treat your children the way in which we would like our own children to be treated by others."

Homesickness

It is normal for children to feel homesick at times.  We recognize and understand these feelings and we (as a team) work together to get your children through these difficult periods.  It is important that they know that it is quite normal to feel homesick and is nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about.

It is our experience that children will often ring home when they are feeling their lowest, and the worst features of boarding school may be exaggerated in an effort to convince parents of their miserable state.  Please encourage your child to limit their phone calls in the initial 'settling in' stages, and often, telephoning in the morning is better than the evening, when they are tired.  We have noticed that a child who appears to be happy and coping well, will sometimes suffer a setback after ringing home, or a child who will be quite upset on the phone will appear happy and unconcerned as soon as they hang up.

Homesickness can present itself as other symptoms like headaches, stomach aches, or just generally 'feeling sick'.  If your child is complaining that they are unwell, please advise them to make contact with the residence nurse or residence staff. Quite often a chat, some placebo medication and distraction will mend these bouts of illness in the early weeks of life away from home.

There really is no cure for homesickness (because even going home often replaces homesickness with feelings of guilt, embarrassment and stress of deadlines for schoolwork).  The best advice we can give you is to listen your child, be patient, and distract them without making them feel that what they are saying/feeling is unimportant.  Distraction really is the best 'fix' for homesickness - a busy mind and body does not have time to reflect on what they miss.  Residents who involve themselves in the various activities on offer, both in and outside the classroom, generally settle into residential life more readily.  Please encourage your children to avail themselves of the many opportunities we offer.

In the initial stages poor grades or difficulty with high learning expectations may also contribute to homesickness.  Sometimes, it is simply a different method of teaching, higher expectations or a more structured timetable than they are use to.  Please explain to your children that they need to seek assistance, before small problems become large problems.

All residents adjust to residential life in their own way.  A child who settles early can often suffer from homesickness once the initial excitement of boarding school wears off.  In the first few weeks it is best that you let your child experience the normal routine of boarding life.  We suggest you allow them to settle in to these routines, to make new friends and experience the 'whole' residential life experience over the first few weeks.  Please make contact with the Head of Residence if your child is experiencing homesickness, we can offer support and advice to both you and your child.

Study & School Work

Each week-night, except Friday and Saturday evenings, residents have a set study hall. This gives them the opportunity to complete homework and consolidate and revise the work done during the day and to prepare for the next day's lessons.  We insist that homework is done in an atmosphere conducive to study.  Residents will not be permitted to disrupt the learning of others.  All students must have a fair chance to do their work without interruption, in order to achieve their personal best.

Study time is between 7.00 pm - 8.30 pm.  We ask that parents please try to avoid telephoning their child during this time.  All residents come together to study in the dining area.  IB students who are academically sound are invited to study in their own bedrooms if they choose to.  For some students the workload of the International Baccalaureate may require additional study time outside of the allocated supervised study hall.

Special permission to study after lights out must be sought and will be considered by the duty staff member dependent on the diligence of individual residents.  

Residents, like all students at ISB, must accept responsibility for their education.  If they are having problems with any of their subjects they need to tell someone as soon as possible and seek remedies.  Suitable people would be:

• Class teacher
• Tutor Teacher
• Your relevant year level Pastoral Coordinator
• Lower Secondary Curriculum Coordinator/IGCSE Coordinator or IB Coordinator
• Residence House Parents
• Head of Residence
• ISB School Counsellor
• Secondary Principal

Computers

The Residence has a wireless internet network, which is available during allocated times during the day.  Student residents may choose to use their own personal laptop computer, but school laptops are available for study hall.  We ask that personal laptops be clearly named, have password access and be fitted with a filtering programme.

Residents must adhere to the ‘acceptable use policy’ for computer and internet use.  Any inappropriate use of the computer or failure to meet ISB expectations will result in restrictions being put into place and/or the immediate withdrawal of computer use privilege. Further actions may be required if serious infringements occur.

Residence Student

Fee Structure for Secondary School

School Year 2011 - 2012

* Refundable Withdrawal Deposit

Parents wishing to withdraw their children will need to give one (1) term's notice in order to have the withdrawal deposit refunded.

Payment can be made by bank transfer with the following information:

Name:                     The International School (B) Bhd

Bank:                      HSBC

Account No:          001-019249-001

Sort Code:             HSBCBNBB

Or by VISA & MASTER Card