EDUCATION EDITION
Home from home Full boarding for families who want – or need – a seven-days-a-week option is still widely available. While pupils at Gresham’s can go home on Saturdays, usually returning on Sunday evening, a vibrant full boarding community is in school at the weekends, with a packed programme in place. There are off-campus excursions on the Saturday and plenty to do on site, including making use of facilities such as the swimming pool and gym. If staying at school full time doesn’t quite fit a family’s lifestyle, there are plenty of permutations enabling children to stay at school as and when it suits them. Some pupils at Kimbolton are full boarders, with others remaining at school throughout the school week. Flexi-boarding for, say, two or three fixed nights a week is also available, as is occasional or ad hoc boarding. “For local parents with demanding work schedules, or who need to travel for work, our option of occasional and flexible boarding can be very useful,” says the school. “Additionally, if a family is curious about boarding, but doesn’t want to make a full commitment straight away, occasional boarding is ideal to help inform the decision-making process.” Laura Hadden, houseparent of the girls’ boarding house at Kimbolton, explains that every boarder, regardless of how many nights a week they’re in school, is always made to feel welcome. Even those staying for one or two nights ‘have storage spaces and their own wall space to put their things up so they have somewhere that feels just like home’. At The Leys, too, the emphasis is firmly on family-friendly boarding. Some pupils stay in school over the weekend, others leave after their Saturday fixture or games practice, returning either on Sunday evening or Monday morning. The right environment
It gives young people an element of independence they don’t get by attending a day school
practicalities of family lifestyles. Boarding also provides valuable experience in the realities of getting on with other people, explains Melanie Sanderson, managing editor at The Good Schools Guide , whose boarding schools guide remains in huge demand. “It gives young people an element of independence they wouldn’t get from attending a day school – the ability to rub along with all manner of different kinds of people and live as considerate members of a community from an earlier age than children usually do,” she says. Boarding can also encourage good behaviour from a young age as they are quickly taught how to act in a living situation away from home. According to Melanie, “you can’t be lazy, you can’t be rude, you can’t be inconsiderate, you can’t be selfish. You have to adopt some pretty adult traits at quite a young age and that’s always a positive in life.” The opportunity to get to know yourself and be supported in that process shouldn’t be underestimated. “Boarding
rhythms of a child’s day, supporting what Zoe Fisher, principal of Wymondham College, describes as “a well-rounded, healthy lifestyle in an open, safe and supportive environment. From prep time to enjoying activities, supper with their house family to making friends from around the world – there are benefits to boarding that cannot be gained elsewhere.” For day pupils who want to keep a foot in both camps, schools are increasingly offering an extended day where children can stay on for food, prep and activities but be home for bedtime. At The Leys, home boarding gives day pupils “the best of both worlds: pupils participate in boarding routines, eating supper in school, completing homework and taking part in evening activities, before going home at around 8.30pm. They are, for all intents and purposes, fully fledged members of the boarding houses, balancing their school lives with family time,” says the school. The benefits of boarding, however, extend far beyond dovetailing with the
Ultimately, it’s all about creating an environment that’s in tune with the
© KIMBOLTON SCHOOL
BREATHE EASY The flexibility at Kimbolton lets pupils find the perfect balance to excel
CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK MAY 2024 57
Powered by FlippingBook