BOARDING
en-suite bathrooms. But regardless of age, fixtures and fittings increasingly have a high-quality feel to them – schools have invested huge amounts in improved design. And constants include a cosy common room in each house with comfortable sofas for lounging in – a place to relax once the academic day is over – as well as little touches like regularly replenished bowls of fruit and well- stocked kitchens. Schools aim to make boarding feel like a home from home, with boarders divided into houses, each headed up by a house parent and a thriving community in its own right, with activities, character and a strong sense of identity – inter-house competitions spanning everything from quizzes to music are hotly contested.
“Pupils may board for two or three nights a week, or just stay occasionally when there’s a late rehearsal or training”
One of the biggest changes is the age at which pupils board. Just 2% of junior school pupils in independent schools now board, compared with around a third of sixth formers. The amount of time that boarders spend in school is also very different now. In the old days, children could expect to be at school for most of the term, interspersed with occasional weekend visits by friends and relatives. Today,
boarding comes just about any way that works for the family. Over eight in ten sixth formers and more than 70% of senior school pupils who board do so full- time, and it remains an essential option for international pupils and those whose parents work overseas. However, an increasing number of families are opting for weekly, flexi or occasional boarding. Pupils may stay at school Monday to Friday, board at school for two or three
CAMBRIDGE EDUCATION GUIDE 37
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