The term housemistress is also used, for a female member of staff in charge of a house, and houseparent is used less often, usually when a married couple shares the role.
The Housemaster's primary role is leading and running their boarding house, along with (if any) an assistant housemaster/mistress, resident tutors, senior prefects or a pupil 'head-of-house'.
Their primary duty is to care for the boarders' physical and mental well-being by providing advice, support, and information about various charges on a daily basis.
The Housemaster additionally may be a teacher, sports coach, cadet forces instructor, or, in religious schools, a member of the clergy.
It is a semi-autonomous position and the Housemaster may have a wide range of ways in dealing with unruly or unwanted behaviour, such as official sanctions.