Boarding Schools Guide
What is a boarding school?
A boarding school is an educational institution where some or perhaps even all pupils not only study at the school, but also live there. The word 'boarding' in this sense means to provide food and lodgings. There is usually also an excellent range of facilities and activities offered.
Boarding in the UK
In the United Kingdom, 700+ schools, both single-sex and co-educational, offer boarding places and most also admit a significant number of day pupils. The ratio of day to boarding pupils will affect the overall character of the school. As many as 13 per cent of all independent school pupils are boarders. Research has shown that boarders enjoy school life and welcome the special benefits which boarding offers, including immediate access to help with studies and to a full range of facilities and activities. Boarders develop their inter-personal skills and self-reliance abilities and many make long-lasting friendships.
Boarding options - full-time, weekly or flexi-boarding
Whilst traditional full boarding has declined in popularity, interest is growing in more flexible boarding arrangements, offering the best of both worlds. Flexi- and weekly boarding are now widely available, enabling pupils to spend more time with their families, while still enjoying all the benefits of boarding life. Flexi-boarding generally means an arrangement that enables pupils to board for part of the week and attend as day pupils for the remainder. Most schools can also offer accommodation on an occasional basis, for example for a sleepover party, the night before or after a school trip or in the event of an emergency at home.
Accommodation and care
The accommodation offered to boarders will vary from school to school. Generally speaking, younger children are likely to sleep in small dormitories. Children accommodated in dormitories will often have a cubicle - a separate area for each child, with a curtained doorway. Older students may be offered twin rooms and those in sixth form will often be provided with single study bedrooms. Students are encouraged to personalise their space, bringing their favourite toys and games from home and other items such as posters and duvet covers. Boarding houses are staffed by houseparents who are often senior members of the teaching staff. The houseparents provide care and supervision and the school will also have qualified staff to deal with students' medical needs. The boarding houses may be situated on the school campus or in streets in the neighbourhood, depending on the school's size and whether it has a city or rural location.
Meals served each day are breakfast, lunch and supper. Students usually eat together in a communal dining room (sometimes called the refectory) and, if the school accepts day pupils, the dining room may be shared with them at lunchtime. Many schools also offer kitchenette facilities in the accommodation houses so that older pupils can help themselves to a warm drink in the evening, or perhaps make a light snack such as toast.
Schedule
Students attend normal lessons from Monday to Friday, just as they would at day school. After school hours, students will have homework and there will be a designated study area either in the main school, or in the boarding house. There are also communal areas where students can spend time together relaxing, watching TV or playing games. Schools may also offer evening activities for students and day pupils often stay on to take part.
The school year is divided into three terms, with half term holidays and occasional exeats (weekends when students go home). Students whose parents live overseas will have guardian families to take care of them during the shorter breaks, and they will return to their own family home in the long vacations. Gabbitas Education can offer a complete service to parents seeking advice or help with appointing a guardian family.
Weekend activities
In some schools, there are lessons on Saturday mornings which students must attend. Most schools have sporting fixtures arranged at weekends and there may also be supervised excursions or weekend trips away. Students will be encouraged to take advantage of the school's facilities such as squash and tennis courts, swimming pools, or the library, and the school may run clubs or societies (e.g. swimming, amateur dramatics, orchestra). Older students have more freedom to plan their weekend activities but houseparents will want to be kept informed, particularly if students will be leaving the school campus.