Boarding Private Schools

Boarding Private Schools: These range from schools which are all-boarding or very close to it, to mainly day schools which offer boarding facilities for a few pupils. An increasing number of schools offer weekly boarding, where the pupil comes home at weekends.

Private Boarding education suffered a decline in the early 1990s, but it has re-established itself as increasingly popular with young people. The Children Act did much to raise boarding standards and the Private Schools' Inspectorate (ISI) is empowered to monitor standards in this sector. Many boarding schools provide a very high level of recreational, sporting and specialist facilities which cannot be matched in the state sector.

The UK's boarding private schools include famous names recognised the world over. Yet these are just a few of many excellent schools offering the benefits of a boarding education. Good boarding schools offer superb facilities and pastoral care and a full range of weekend activities. Accommodation is in small dormitories for younger pupils and individual study bedrooms for examination candidates. Boarding houses are often furnished and decorated to a very high standard and pupils are encouraged to bring their own home comforts. Boarders also enjoy immediate access to teachers and resources and often make long-lasting friendships. Within a boarding community there is also a keen emphasis on the development of personal qualities such as tolerance and consideration for others.

Modern boarding, which bears little resemblance to the stereotyped media image, offers many advantages:

• You have a wider choice of schools
• Boarders have access to a wide range of facilities and activities
• Most boarders think it is more fun than being a day pupil
• Flexible boarding arrangements permit frequent contacts with home.
• Most boarding schools have day places too, so children can convert to boarding later if it attracts them.
• Boarding in Britain: the Children's Choice (free)
• One Big Family: survey of boarding pupils' views
• The Best of Both Worlds: survey of parents of boarders

More information on Private Boarding Schools