Staying Power

Boarding continues to grow in popularity with increasing numbers of pupils choosing to embrace a 24/7 school life. Here, Georgina Blaskey investigates why so many families are opting for this path.

Despite the grim economic outlook, boarding numbers are up. The most recent report from the Independent Schools Council showed 66,325 boarders, making up 12% of total pupil numbers in independent schools and an increase on the 65,232 boarding pupils reported in 2022. Boarding numbers based on pupils who boarded or will board at any point during the academic year 2022/23 were 70,123, an increase of 186 compared with 2022. So even with households under growing financial pressure, why are many families choosing to embrace a boarding education?

One of the reasons for its enduring popularity is the array of possibilities available. “When considering boarding there’s a whole range of options, from full boarding, to flexible, to weekly boarding where pupils spend weekends with family. Which option you choose depends on the family’s lifestyle,” explains Simon Bird, Deputy Head, Cranleigh School. Flexi- boarding has become increasingly common and it is here where the most change is happening because it is an excellent fit for 21st-century families.

Florence Corran, Senior Deputy Head at Woldingham, explains: “Woldingham introduced flexi-boarding, where students can board for one or two nights per week, in September 2016. Its popularity has grown
from around 15 day students opting to flexi-board to around 100 per term in 2022-2023.

The original idea behind it was to offer day students a taste of the independence – and the fun – that boarding offers and to fit around their schedules of school sports matches and activities. However, it’s become increasingly clear that many parents value the flexibility that flexi-boarding gives them during the busy working week – or even the opportunity to have a night out, knowing their daughter is safe and happy at school.”

When pupils are at school, communication between parents, their children and the school is another area which has evolved. As well as most pupils having their own phones with them at certain times of day, making it easy to speak to their parents, channels between house staff and parents are always open.

PREPARING YOUR CHILD FOR BOARDING

How should you start preparing them?

• Create opportunities to stay away from home
• Take them on a tour of the school, real or virtual. Better still let them spend a taster day and night there
• Show them photos of the bedrooms
• Explain how exciting the environment will be

What practical steps to take?

• Teach them how to put on a duvet cover and pillowcase
• Explain how to manage sending dirty clothes to the laundry on the right days

How do you ensure good habits around food and meal times?

• Make sure your child is in the habit of eating three meals a day
• Make sure they are aware of a good range of healthy snacks so they don’t always reach for the more unhealthy ones

How do you create good personal hygiene habits?

• Children should be able to wash their own hair in a shower
• They should also be in the habit of brushing their teeth for a full two minutes

How do you prepare children for sharing a room?

• Discuss with your child in positive terms about how to be respectful around others’ personal space, boundaries and belongings and to consider how they would like to be treated by others
• Sharing with a sibling may also help How do you support a child who is homesick?
• Explain that it is OK to feel this way • The boarding school will likely buddy up your wobbly child with another child with the same issue
• Encourage them to personalise their bedroom as they would at home and surround themselves with home comforts such as cuddly toys

Source: Cranleigh, Mayfield, Royal Russell, Woldingham and Windlesham

William Chaloner, Senior Boarding Housemaster at Whitgift, explains: “Boarding staff are always contactable during term time and can be called upon at any time to discuss any emerging concerns. We aim to be as proactive as possible, and regular opportunities to discuss their son’s progress are provided through remote calls and gathering of feedback from academic staff. Each term a written report is sent home, on which parents are encouraged to provide feedback.”

Independence is one of the key skills a boarder develops, whether that’s managing their day-to-day requirements, such as remembering sports kit or learning to do their own laundry. “Many of the skills developed by the young men at Whitgift come from the independence that naturally emerges from the boarding environment,” says Chaloner. “Our ethos is one of ‘create the child for the path, not the paths for the child’ and we aim to create a platform where opportunities are abundant and yet pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their personal standards and organisation.”

Alongside independence, boarders develop other life skills such as confidence and resilience. Communal living offers many positive experiences and a second family, which lots of pupils value enormously.

“The primary aim of any boarding house is to create a warm, supportive sense of community which feels like a home when at school, where there is a natural sense of fun and camaraderie,” says Cranleigh’s Bird.

But with life in a boarding house, like in any home, there are moments where a pupil will need to adjust their own behaviour or expectations to accommodate those around them. “Cohesion, compromise, conflict resolution, respect and tolerance; all of these are developed and nurtured in a boarding environment,” believes Shirley Mitchell, Assistant Principal (Boarding and PSHE), DLD College London.

A boarding day is set up to maximise everything the school has to offer. In addition to timetabled lessons there is designated time before school, during lunchtime, after school and into the evening to spend time studying, partaking in co-curricular pursuits, meeting with tutors and quite simply making the most of each and every day. “The additional hour or two each day that is afforded to boarders, compared to pupils who may need to travel to and from school, means more time for activities and studies, but also the all-important rest, relaxation and sleep that adolescent boys need in order to be at their best,” says Whitgift’s Chaloner.

Despite the busy day, the range of activities and the house camaraderie, one of the pitfalls of boarding for some pupils will be feeling homesick. Preparing to leave home and board is a huge step – emotionally and practically – but there are ways to help mitigate this. Chaloner advises a few nights away from home beforehand on a summer camp or an educational tour, where there is no contact with home, as well as some time spent talking and listening. “There will be an intense mixture of excitement and nerves at being away from home that can be managed. Spend some time discussing them. Do reassure your child regarding their worries and be compassionate towards their feelings.”

Another key piece of advice is encouraging your child to talk to their house staff about any concerns or worries they have. Building up that trust and communication from the start is vital. “Discuss how they are going to address or manage any concerns and prepare them to seek different avenues of support in addition to you, as parents,” advises Chaloner. “The boarding staff within the house are always on hand to help students, and your child should become used to and comfortable with turning to them with any concerns they may have. As a parent, being away from your child can feel disempowering – encourage them to engage with the support available.”

Learning to ask for help, be it from a teacher, a peer, or a senior prefect, is an underrated life skill, and understanding when to offer support is just as important. Everyone was new and nervous once and looking up to the pupils at the top of the school can be a game-changer. “The best boarding schools have a culture where senior students take prefecting and role modelling responsibilities seriously and develop a strong sense of duty and service,” says Cranleigh’s Bird