What is a Boarding School?

A boarding school is an institution where the pupils live as well as study; some schools are only for boarders whilst others may accept a mix of both boarding and day students. Boarding schools can be single-sex or co-educational and most schools today offer the options of full boarding, weekly boarding or flexi-boarding.

Children may board from prep school age upwards and schools ensure that boarding houses are as homelike as possible. The youngest boarders are usually accommodated in dormitories, or shared bedrooms, with a small number of other children of their own age group, whilst older pupils have twin or single rooms. Schools encourage boarders to personalise their bedrooms with photos and posters and to have their own choice of duvet covers.

School boarders have all their meals provided. Older children may also have a common kitchen area in the boarding house where they are able to make themselves hot drinks and snacks.

A recent development for sixth form boarders at some schools is accommodation in the style of small apartments where students may cater for themselves at weekends. This supervised independent living is said to be a valuable stepping stone towards life after school, whether at university or at work.

Boarders are cared for at night by house masters and mistresses (who may also be class teachers) and there are qualified nursing staff to take care of minor accidents and illnesses. If required, a pupil will be seen by a doctor who has particular responsibility for the school.

Boarding school pupils aged under 18, whose parents live overseas, must have a legally-appointed guardian who will act in loco parentis. Guardians may be family members who live reasonably close to the school, although there are agencies who provide professional guardianship services for students of all ages and nationalities.