Boarding for the 21st century

For pupils, there is the opportunity to make friends in a caring community, often with children and adults from many cultures, countries and backgrounds. There are the benefits of small classes and expert tuition from staff that pupils come to know well because of the life that they share outside the classroom. There is time for those extracurricular occupations and pre-occupations which enhance lives and are the building blocks of interests which may last a lifetime. And there is space, sometimes in places of unparalleled beauty, to grow into a reflective and responsible adult.

Parents can relax in the confidence that their child has the benefit of a school community geared to discovering and nurturing his or her talents. The combination of hard work, good fun and, above all, great expectations is an excellent recipe for bringing out the best in children and offering them a real education rather than just a string of qualifications. Friendships for life are forged in dormitories of four, and the whole enriching experience is possible without exhausting daily journeys or a frantic ferrying schedule every weeknight.

Opportunities for pupils abound at boarding schools. First and foremost there is the academic climate that expects the best of every pupil. Academically gifted children will be encouraged to excel and enjoy their talent for scholarship as much as the rugby players are urged on from the touchline. The work ethic encourages all pupils to become systematic and self-disciplined students. Supervision for homework sessions and individual attention, both in and out of class, support many students to higher grades in public examinations than they had thought possible.

One teacher reported recently, “I had four A grade physics candidates at A level last year, but the student I’m most pleased about was the boy who got a D – he believed he wouldn’t pass at all, but he gave it everything and this pass will make a difference to his whole career.”

The long school day means choirs and orchestras, debating societies and art clubs flourish in the evenings. Access to football pitches and swimming pools mean that relaxation can be energetic as well as restful and that the patterns of a healthy life-style can be laid down at a young age.

Last year alone, independent schools in Britain spent more than £84 million on new or refurbished boarding accommodation. Schools have responded promptly and effectively to the requirements of modern boarding families. Parents and children expect pleasant and homely surroundings in which they will be comfortable and happy; boarding schools provide these. Accommodation is likely to be in smaller bedrooms than would have been the case ten years ago. Gone are the days of the huge freezing dormitory with 40 grim iron bedsteads and draughty bathrooms and communal showers at the end of a dark corridor. Often there are en suite facilities attached to bedrooms. Younger pupils benefit from the shared life of a bedroom in which they have their own space (usually wonderfully personalised) as well as company and companionship.
Single study bedrooms for pupils in the public examination years are becoming common, as is in-room internet access in addition to the libraries and study centres that are often open from early morning until late at night. For many families, one of the pleasures of modern boarding is being more in touch than was ever possible 20 years ago: email and texting mean a boarder never feels far away. Communal living facilities such as common rooms, games rooms and kitchens help young people develop vital life-skills – preparing snacks in the evenings or at weekends and tidying up after the feast is fine preparation for the joys and responsibilities of university halls of residence.
Sixth Form boarding is perfect preparation for university life: the young person experiences greater independence, but parents know that a discreetly watchful eye is kept on their offspring as they grow to maturity.

Apart from the evidence of their own eyes and the happy and positive reports from their children, parents draw comfort from the rigorous inspection regime to which boarding schools are now subjected. Over and above the Independent Schools Inspectorate, which inspects education in Independent Schools, and Ofsted, which performs a similar function for the state boarding schools, boarding provision itself is specifically inspected every three years. Since 2002, the Commission for Social Care Inspection have carried out boarding inspections, judging schools according to the National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools. From April 2007, boarding inspections have passed to Ofsted, which will ensure that boarding schools continue to be thoroughly accountable for the levels of care, education and development which they offer young people. Inspection reports are readily available and will in future focus on what are known as the Five Outcomes which we expect for every child – to be healthy, to be safe, to enjoy and achieve, to make a positive contribution and to achieve economic well-being.

Supporting schools in achieving their high standards, the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA) offers a wide range of training courses for staff from Governors to Gap Assistants, from Heads to Matrons. Single seminar days cover vital topics such as child protection and the emotional needs of boarders, while five-day courses, accredited by Roehampton University, offer Professional Development Certificates for both graduate and non-graduate staff. BSA publications such as Libby Purves’ little book Parenting the Boarder and its companion, Being a Boarder by Libby’s daughter Rose Heiney, have proved very popular with parents and pupils alike, while weightier volumes on legal and care issues are invaluable as points of reference for member schools.

There has probably never been a better time to become a boarder in a British boarding school: high standards of care, education, opportunity and facilities mean that these schools are among the best in the world. One of them may be perfect for your child. I hope you will enjoy the journey to the school of your choice.

Hilary Moriarty is National Director of the Boarding Schools’ Association.