‘The best years’
An email from an ex-pupil has reminded WILLIAM GOLDSMITH, Head of Packwood School in Shropshire, of the longer-term impact of his school’s focus on character, adventure and high performance.
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IT’S Sunday, 1 September 2024. After 15 months as ‘head-elect’, my first day in post has finally arrived and I am eager to discover what constitutes a Packwood education. I don’t have to wait long. An email pings into my inbox from an ex-pupil who has just finished her secondary schooling in Bali.
She says: “I feel immense gratitude for the foundation that was laid during my time at Packwood. The values, skills and character that Packwood instilled remain pivotal to who I am. The dedication of the teachers, the nurturing environment, and the emphasis on both personal character and academic growth, were amazing. I feel extremely fortunate to have been a pupil at this school.”
I am naturally delighted to have such ringing endorsement as I set out to devote
the autumn term to outlining my vision for Packwood. Her words reinforced the longer-term impact of a focus on character, adventure and high performance for prepschool aged children. These three broad areas form the basis of what I believe to be a relevant education, and therefore what underpins our approach at Packwood.
CHARACTER
Phillips Brooks, one time Bishop of Massachusetts, once commented that: “Education is manifested in the great moments, but it is made in the small ones.” And it is in this spirit that character, adventure and high performance are woven into the fabric of Packwood life. Character education, as a fully embedded and intentional strand across school life, is more relevant now than ever before. We are grappling with the juxtaposition of human vs AI, global uncertainty, a rapid
change in societal trends and increasing pressures and expectations on young people. Therefore, acquiring virtues, attributes and attitudes from a young age are crucial for our pupils to flourish –both for themselves and as contributors.
ADVENTURE
The development of character co-exists with another important facet of growing up: adventure. This term conjures up images of the outdoors, campfires and pursuits requiring self-resilience and collaboration. And yes, this is our part of our vision: nights spent in Shrewsbury School’s bothy in Snowdonia having climbed mountains, kayaked lakes and cycled in the Welsh hills. Engaging in
exchange trips with our partner schools in countries like India, Cambodia and Thailand. Adventure also relates to the smaller, day-to-day experiences. A child’s time at school and, in particular, in the classroom, needs to be magical, engaging and memorable for life. Our outstanding academic record doesn’t mean dull, rote learning. It is, in fact, the product of an adventure in relevant learning experiences.
PERFORMANCE
Which then leads to soaring performance. Settling for mediocracy simply won’t cut it in an AI-integrated way of living and working. It should be every educator’s passion to unleash the
brilliance in every child, in whatever field or interest and with whichever personality trait. Largely through an outdated education system, the western world encourages a certain type to emerge from our education system, where through an obsession with grades and measuring potential, our children’s true abilities and passionsare capped. It is our job to challenge this through a culture whereby each child develops a strong understanding of who they are and what they can achieve. And, as with character and adventure, this isn’t just the “great moments, but it is made in the small ones too”. From our spot in idyllic Shropshire, I think I have found
what constitutes a Packwood education, which was once described by another ex-pupil as “the best years of my life”.
IT’S OUR HOME
Packwood is a co-educational, day and boarding prep school for children aged 4 to 13 years old, set in 65 acres of beautiful Shropshire countryside. Our amazing site and facilities make Packwood a truly special place for children to grow and develop, whilst enjoying an extended childhood. We have a national and international reputation for academic strength combined with a focus on all-round education in a genuinely caring environment. Small class sizes and
dedicated, specialist teachers help to ensure that every child makes the very best academic progress. Our cocurricular programme plays a central role in school life. All pupils enjoy lessons in the creative and performing arts every week as well as playing sport almost every day. We encourage all of our pupils to discover new passions and talents as well as further develop their existing strengths. All pupils, whether boarders or day pupils, benefit from the close-knit community – it is so much more than a school, with many staff and pupils calling Packwood “home”.
□ William Goldsmith became Head of Packwood School in September last year. He was previously Head of St George’s School Windsor Castle for nearly six years, and Head of Leonards Junior School, St Andrews. William is a passionate about a skills and mindset-based learning philosophy. He has a background in emotional wellbeing and mental health, and strongly believes in the value of learning outside the classroom. He has a Masters in Learning and Teaching from the University of Oxford, is a founding fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching, and fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts. He is also Chair of the Education Committee of an HMC School, a board member of ISEB and Vice-Chair of the Executive Board of The Institute of Boarding, part of the BSA Group.
Together we go further
Being part of a ‘through school’ offers junior boarders some incredible advantages, according to
MIKE MARIE, Headmaster of Bromsgrove Prep and Pre-Prep Schools.
MY FIRST ever encounter with the notion of boarding was at the age of 10. As a young boy, seeing the dormitories of Pileforth Academy for Girls was quite enlightening, as was the account of what a boarding school education is like from the austere Headmistress Miss Elspeth Lomax. Of course this image was presented to me via the ‘big screen’ in the box office hit Three Men and a Little Lady
Boarding in the 21st century couldn’t be further from the trope trotted out in decades gone by. Boarding houses today are modern, even if sometimes in old stately buildings. The focus on pastoral care, student wellbeing and creating a home-from-home environment means boarders have 24/7 access to a wonderful fusion of home and school life. Medical assistance is on hand immediately, as are counselling services. A thriving boarding community provides an entire support network at times of need.
IMPORTANCE OF CONSISTENCY
One of the most important benefits of boarding is the consistency provided for families. At Bromsgrove, we have a strong military contingent within our boarding community. Given the nature
of the employment of the families involved, knowing that their children are well looked after, cared for, and safe is critical to them being able to provide the service that they do for their country. Our international community is also an integral part of what makes boarding at Bromsgrove brilliant. The world is ever more global, with industries spreading across continents, connected by technology that grows exponentially. This means our children’s futures are more likely than ever before to include travel, employment overseas and a need for a greater understanding of a wide variety of cultures and customs. Beginning that authentically by being part of a truly diverse community found at boarding schools is a huge plus.
Bromsgrove School doesn’t offer flexiboarding, primarily due to the strong demand for full and weekly boarding that exists. However, it is important to recognise the place that flexi-boarding has in the sector and the need for it to remain a healthy and viable option for schools and parents. Flexi-boarding gives children the opportunity to see the benefits of boarding without the full financial and time commitments that full boarding entails.
LEARNING AND THRIVING
Boarding in Prep Schools should be about children growing up, learning and thriving in an environment surrounded by friends and adults who care deeply about them. This is certainly true at Bromsgrove. We are unashamedly childcentred, but this does not mean that our boarders rule the roost. Pupil Voice is a thriving group at Bromsgrove and an essential part of our boarding offer. We encourage boarders to have their say on what boarding looks like for them, but when we have to say ‘no’, we do so with an explanation. Recent reductions in mobile phone usage, for example, were not immediately a hit with the youngsters. However, discussing with them the rationale behind such a decision helps to demonstrate that we have their best interests at heart.
At Bromsgrove, we do not have Exeat weekends. This means that the children stay with boarding staff throughout the term’s duration. They can even stay in our Guardian Angel care during holidays, also overseen by familiar faces from the school staff. This is a particular favourite of some of our international families, but also represents a lifeline to some UK families who do not have relatives to call on for childcare in every holiday.
SUPERB ROLE MODELS
Being part of a ‘through school’ offers our boarders some incredible advantages. Our Prep Boarding house used to be a Sixth Form boarding house, and many of our Year 7 and 8
boarders get to enjoy dual occupancy en-suite rooms. The boarding house opens out into the vast acreage of the Senior School campus and is adjacent to the fabulous music concert hall and practice rooms, plus two full-size Astroturfs that boarders can play on out of hours. Early morning swimming sessions are available, and boarders are catered for in our exceptional Senior School dining facility. Some of our senior boarders – particularly those with Prep School siblings – visit the house every evening to check in on younger boarders. They are superb role models for prep boarders and are able to talk about their experiences of boarding both when they were younger and as senior boarders.
Remembering that film again, I’m sure Tom Selleck’s character, Peter, would have been much more inclined to consider boarding for young Mary had Miss Lomax been showing off Bromsgrove.
Mike graduated from Hull University with a PGCE and joint honours degree in Maths and Sports Science in 2002. He began his career in the state sector at a selective grammar school, before moving to Witham Hall – a rural standalone Prep School. At Witham, Mike was Head of Maths and then Deputy Head, running the boarding house for five years with his wife, Natasha. Mike moved to Bromsgrove Prep School in 2016 as Deputy Head and has been Head since 2021.
A haven of stability
The evolving dynamics and timeless virtues of prep school boarding underpins its popularity in contemporary society. DR TREVOR RICHARDS, Head at All Hallows Preparatory School, reports.
IN THE landscape of modern parenting, where the emphasis on hands-on involvement is paramount, one might wonder about the enduring appeal of prep school boarding. But in a world characterised by rapid change, prep boarding schools offer a haven of stability.
This stability is important because it allows children to revel in the simplicity of childhood. Here, amidst extracurricular pursuits and enduring friendships, pupils build the confidence and self-assurance needed to navigate future challenges such as senior school and beyond.
THRIVING COMMUNITIES
As the demands on parental schedules continue to intensify, the appeal of fulltime, flexible, or weekly boarding options
is on the rise. This trend has cultivated thriving communities within boarding schools, where comprehensive development is nurtured through the support of peers and mentors alike. We recognise this shift which emphasises the crucial role of adaptability in addressing the changing dynamics of contemporary families. Providing wrap-around care alongside an inclusive, nurturing ‘family’ atmosphere is essential in assisting both parents and pupils as they navigate the complexities of modern family life.
Prep schools play a paramount role in fostering a profound sense of selfassurance and belonging in a society that can often leave children feeling lost. Prep boarding schools serve as a refuge where young individuals not only excel academically but also flourish emotionally and socially. In an era characterised by
societal demands and digital inundation, these schools offer a sanctuary where children can authentically be themselves, afforded the opportunity to prolong their childhood.
VALUED AND SUPPORTED
Crucially, the sense of belonging begins long before enrolment, with initiatives such as introductory days and heartfelt correspondence from peers facilitating a seamless transition for new boarders. This, coupled with ongoing communication with families, serves not only to bridge physical distances, but also to nurture a profound sense of belonging, ensuring that each boarder feels valued and supported within the All Hallows community.
In today’s hyper-connected world, families are more connected than ever before … despite being thousands of miles away! The traditional image of prep school boarders being dropped off and picked up only at the end of term has evolved significantly. At All Hallows, parents are integrated into every aspect of their child’s boarding school journey. This comes via a multitude of channels including social media platforms, bulletins, weekly newsletters, both ‘onthe-cusp’ and planned emails, plus regular video calls with teachers and house parents.
PROACTIVE PARENTS
There is also a proactive parent committee with group chats and year group representatives, which means
parents remain closely involved despite potentially being abroad. Pupils are given scheduled time to video call home, and can spend the evenings writing handwritten letters to family and friends. With a dedicated residential team available round the clock, parents can rest assured that their child’s well-being is a top priority. Notably, the inclusive approach extends beyond mere communication. Parents are encouraged to visit at their convenience, and pupils have the flexibility to temporarily leave school for educational or personal reasons as deemed fit by their families. This level of flexibility and openness reflects a modern understanding of educationally values, family dynamics and individual needs.
EMOTIONAL RESILIENCE
Central to every prep boarding school is a dedication to nurturing warm relationships among pupils, parents, and boarding staff. I am a stalwart advocate for these connections, highlighting their significance in building a robust support system for each pupil, as well as their families. Within the nurturing embrace of boarding life, enduring friendships take root, providing a bedrock of emotional resilience for pupils.
Here at All Hallows, I lead a team of educators that focus on equipping pupils with the confidence and self-assurance needed to confront future challenges head-on. This means that your child will have the necessary tools required to navigate the complexities of both childhood and beyond. Who wouldn’t want that?
Prep boarding schools such as All Hallows not only provide a broad education but also equip students with the necessary tools to navigate the complexities of childhood and beyond, making prep school boarding a compelling choice for modern families.
Dr Trevor Richards has served as Head of All Hallows Preparatory School in Somerset since 2017, with a longstanding association with the school spanning over two decades. Trevor brings a wealth of expertise to his role, as both an educationalist and child psychologist. He attended the University of Liverpool and the University of Bath, culminating in a Doctorate of Educational Psychology from the University of Bristol.
Striving for excellence
A rigorous academic programme at prep school, coupled with a focus on personal development, ensures that graduates are well-equipped for future success.
TOM ROGERSON, Headmaster of Cottesmore School,
explains more.
LAST-MINUTE, whole-school water fights. Barbecues by the school’s lake. Impromptu tree-climbing competitions. Playing cricket until the shadows lengthen across the square. These are the hallmarks of a boarding prep school experience –or at least they are at Cottesmore.
Boarding prep schools are second to none for providing huge opportunities for ‘self-actualisation’. Self-actualisation is a concept derived from humanistic psychology, primarily associated with Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. It is a process of realising one’s potential, talents and abilities, achieving personal growth, self-awareness and fulfilment. This may sound a little high-minded, but high levels of self-actualisation are at the crux of every excellent boarding prep school’s success.
ENGAGING EVERYONE
Boarding is fun too. There is so much going on every day, and the multi-
faceted approach and philosophy ensures that everyone is engaged. Cottesmore, a boarding prep school founded in 1894, has a golf course on site, a paddle boarding lake – and even a ten-pin bowling alley. The grass tennis courts get huge amounts of use in the summer, and the beautiful gardens and grounds provide a glorious backdrop.
Boarding schools in the UK offer unique and enriching experiences, providing a blend of rigorous academic and holistic development in a pastoral environment. Cottesmore boasts outstanding academic results alongside a rich array of extracurricular activities, ensuring a well-rounded education for all girls and boys aged 8 to 13. The school’s ‘family’ size allows for individualised attention, ensuring each student receives tailored support and guidance, helping them to achieve their full potential.
The length of the day ensures that a detailed and broad curriculum is fully
serviced, allowing the teaching team the time to foster a love for learning, intellectual curiosity and critical thinking skills. This bespoke environment helps students build strong academic foundations, preparing them effectively for senior school entrance exams and future educational challenges.
Beyond academics, prep schools emphasise holistic development, giving generous amounts of time to a diverse range of extracurricular activities including sports, arts, music and drama. These activities allow children to explore their interests and talents, promoting creativity, physical health and emotional well-being. Such varied pursuits help the development of wellrounded personalities, teaching important life skills such as teamwork, effective communication, discipline and resilience.
TRANQUIL AND INSPIRING
The countryside setting of many UK boarding prep schools provides a tranquil and inspiring environment. Cottesmore exemplifies these benefits, but with effective transport links to London. Proximity to nature allows children to engage in outdoor activities such as mainstream team sports, gardening and animal care, which have been shown to enhance cognitive function and emotional health. These activities instil a sense of environmental stewardship and teach valuable lessons about the natural world.
Safety is a paramount concern for parents, and countryside boarding schools provide a secure environment, far removed from the frenetic whirlwind of urban life. Boarding schools also have robust pastoral care systems and sophisticated medical teams, ensuring each child’s emotional and physical wellbeing is closely monitored and
supported. Boarding prep schools encourage independence and selfreliance. Living away from home, children learn to manage their time, take responsibility for their personal space and navigate social relationships independently. These experiences build character, fostering confidence and selfdiscipline. The structured environment of boarding schools provides a balance of clear parameters and freedom, essential for the development of independent, well-adjusted individuals.
Boarding prep school life builds a strong sense of community. With students living and learning together, close-knit bonds form quickly, leading to lifelong friendships. The shared experiences of boarding life create a supportive network, providing emotional and social support. This sense of belonging is vital for children’s social development and helps them feel secure and valued.
WARM AND NURTURING
As a family-owned school, Cottesmore offers a warm, nurturing environment, where each child’s well-being is a top priority. Staff members at Cottesmore understand the seriousness of their role in loco parentis and are expected to take a genuine interest in the welfare of every student, creating a supportive, caring atmosphere that helps children feel safe and valued.
Cottesmore places a strong emphasis on character education, instilling values such as integrity, respect and responsibility. Through various programmes and activities, children learn the importance of these values, helping them become considerate and responsible individuals. The school’s ethos encourages students to strive for excellence in all areas of their lives: social, sporting, spiritual and intellectual.
Cottesmore instils a love for learning and a strong moral compass, preparing students for the challenges of senior school and beyond. The school’s rigorous academic programme, coupled with its focus on personal development, ensures that graduates are well-equipped for future success.
Tom has been working in the independent school sector for 33 years and is about to enter his 17th year of Headship at Cottesmore School, on the border of Surrey and Sussex. His only other aspiration is to become a rock star and he hopes to pick up on this in retirement. He is in a rock band called The Replicant Saints who met at school. He would like to start a group made up of heads, but he can’t find a drummer. Tom’s wife wants him to get rid of some of his 24 guitars.
The route to HAPPINESS and success
The rich tradition of family prep boarding at Windlesham House has been enjoyed by generations of children since 1837. Headmaster BEN EVANS reports.
THE benefits of boarding in standalone, family prep schools such as Windlesham House are many and varied. Above all is the ethos of ensuring children flourish in a kind, nurturing environment with the space and freedom to enjoy their childhood to the full. This is the route to happiness and success.
The best measurement of success for a boarding school is happy children who flourish in a warm, dynamic and inclusive environment. This is where they feel known, understood and valued as individuals, and are safe and well looked after. Pupil happiness must be at the heart of a boarding environment and should be visible in the strong and warm relationships between children
and staff, often seen in the easy and enjoyable conversations at mealtimes.
Although there are many tangible benefits to be had from boarding, the sector is constantly having to innovate to survive and remain relevant in today’s fast-paced world. The evolving needs of families today also means that one size never fits all, as everyone is looking for a personalised experience. A strong and cohesive community is made up of many individuals all with their own requirements and personalisation. As a stand-alone prep school, at Windlesham we are able to constantly review our boarding provision by listening to children and parents to ensure that we are meeting the personal needs of each and everyone in our community.
DYNAMIC AND INCLUSIVE
Boarding should be dynamic, inclusive and cater to children’s various needs and ages. Boarding at Windlesham House, for example, is far more than just a home away from home. Whether it is visits from Mutley, the school cat, tea and toast in the Grub Hub, a game of table football or simply Friday night treats with a big screen film surrounded by comfy furnishings, it is important to ensure that all children feel part of a special and kind community.
Boarding houses should be a home away from home with a warm and nurturing atmosphere. They should be comfortable, suitably furnished and decorated to cater for different age groups. They should have a good
balance of recreational areas so that everyone can find somewhere to relax, be with their friends or escape from the hustle and bustle of busy school life. The personality of each boarding house is largely determined by the adults who also live and work there. This is really what makes the biggest difference in terms of culture and the day-to-day atmosphere.
Windlesham House, which was founded in 1837 and is the oldest prep school in the UK, is a day and boarding school of 340 pupils aged four to 13. The boarding houses are full of vibrancy and spirit where children and staff work together and positive things happen. It is essential that a purposeful and busy boarding community is full of opportunity and engagement. It should be a place where children can flourish, grow and develop new skills both academically and personally using the additional time and space available. Boarding helps children to learn about themselves and others, while having fun
in the process. The personal growth and development evident in our boarding pupils is one of the school’s significant strengths.
HEARD AND RECOGNISED
Recent years have taught us to ensure that we provide a balance of both structured and unstructured time to ensure that boarders are able to relax and mix socially, but can also use their time with purpose and accomplishment. Part of our strong boarding culture is ensuring that every pupil voice is heard, recognised and acted upon. Even from a young age, children have a tremendous sense of justice, fantastic ideas and a keenness to play an active role in their school community.
Community and spirit must be the life blood of boarding schools today. The very culture of a boarding house dictates how adults and children behave and interact, and how the whole community treats one another. The respect and kindness shown will
ultimately determine the happiness and overall wellbeing of the children. Boarding in today’s modern world and at Windlesham is really all about passion, vibrancy, enthusiasm and the strong level of happiness and enjoyment that every child should feel.
A school such as Windlesham House with a strong boarding ethos and vibrant, busy full and weekly boarding community are very special places. Always open, welcoming and with family-centric atmosphere, they are great fun, full of energy, where positive and exciting things happen.
Ben Evans has been Headmaster at Windlesham House since September 2020. Before arriving at Windlesham, Ben was Headmaster at Edge Grove School (2012-20), Head of Junior School at the British School in Colombo, Sri Lanka (2008-12), Deputy Head at Bramdean School in Exeter, and Head of History at Brighton College Prep School.
READY FOR THE REAL WORLD
Boarding at prep level is very special, fun, and a distinctive experience for many children. EMMA KÁROLYI, Head of St George’s School Windsor Castle, reports.
PREP schools are special, formative places where our students grow and mature at their own pace in a safe and known environment. By the time they are 13 years old, they have become confident teenagers, ready to take on the opportunities at senior level. More importantly, they can then develop greater maturity to manage the significant pressures that inevitably lie ahead, both socially and academically, from Year 9 onwards.
Here at St George’s, boarding contributes to our ‘real world ready’ vision in developing our students for the future. The advantages of boarding are clear: our students’ personal, social and emotional skills develop quite significantly, and they gain greater selfconfidence and responsibility. Boarding also develops independence and resilience, and our students learn to live alongside each other, to be diplomatic, empathetic and ready to compromise.
STUDENT VOICE
Our boarders feel valued and show pride in their boarding house. At St
George’s we value the student voice right across the school, including within boarding, where they are encouraged to share their ideas and make a difference to each other and the wider community. In fact, our three boarding values of ‘friendship, adventure and independence’ were democratically elected by the boarders themselves. Following our extensive recent refurbishment, the boarders also chose names not only for each individual dormitory but for the boarding house overall: Castle Boarding House. Opportunities such as these are key not only for building a sense of belonging, but also in developing life skills such as decision-making and accountability.
Boarding at prep level is very special, fun and a distinctive experience for many children. It is a community that sits alongside the busy day school, and provides a special, home-from-home experience. Small and cosy dormitories with domestic-style carpets and highend washrooms were all deliberately chosen for Castle Boarding House to create a homelier feel. As was the modern, calming yet fun colour scheme.
The boarders’ kitchen features a kitchenette, an oversized L-shaped sofa facing a widescreen TV and a large communal table enthusiastically used for prep, board games, puzzles and other activities. A second communal area, the boarders’ common room, provides space for different uses and interests, enabling boarders to pursue their own passions in their free time, as well as take part in those of others.
BEAUTIFUL SURROUNDINGS
When school ends, the boarders also have full use of the school’s facilities and beautiful surroundings in the evenings, including the playing fields in the private grounds of Windsor Castle. Spending time in school beyond the normal school day means they can pursue more activities, clubs and outdoor pursuits than their day school counterparts, as well as having more time with their friends.
These friends may differ from those they spend most time with during the school day, as boarders lose the sense of being in different year groups. Students mix socially and learn to get
along with each other, whether they are close friends or not. The boarding house becomes a support network with strong bonds created across the year groups, also crossing into the day school.
The benefits for the students are clear, but they are for parents too. Boarding supports family life and busy work schedules. It frees up time for parents to focus on other priorities, knowing their children are in safe hands, that their time is structured and their mobile use is regulated. They also know their children are encouraged, through an extensive enrichment programme, to be outside in the natural world and socialise, rather than spending long periods of time on screens. When a child returns home, the time spent with family is more special.
Boarding has many positives and helps to build life-long relationships and friendships. Our choristers stay a minimum of three nights a week, alongside flexi boarding non-choristers. At Christmas and Easter, they have the advantage, as a group, of enjoying many
trips and specific events around their busy rehearsal schedules.
Our well-trained and dedicated staff have a privileged pastoral role in a boarder’s life: they get to know all the boarders very well, ensure that they are happy and flourish, and they support and guide them to develop and grow, in close liaison with parents. This enables all the boarders to feel both secure and relaxed, away from home.
Emma became Head of St George’s School Windsor Castle in September 2024, following seven years as Head of Junior King’s School in Canterbury. She has a wealth of prep school knowledge gained over 30 years in the sector, including eight years as Deputy Head and Director of Studies (Academic) at Loretto Junior School in East Lothian. A published author, Emma holds an MA in Classical Studies and Ancient History from the University of St Andrews.
Creating a ‘home from home’
The best junior boarding schools support and nurture students with a family-like atmosphere, structured routines, personalised care and enriching activities. PADDY MOSS, Headmaster of Dean Close Preparatory School, explains more.
CHOOSING to send a child under the age of 10 to a boarding school is a significant decision for any parent. Understandably it can be challenging, both for the young child adjusting to life away from home, and for the parents entrusting their child's well-being to the school.
However, many UK independent prep schools are renowned for their exceptional junior boarding houses that create a nurturing and enriching environment, offering numerous benefits to young boarders.
Naturally, one of the key features of the best junior boarding houses is their ability to create a ‘home from home’ atmosphere. Boarding parents extend their nuclear family to include their boarding family, ensuring children feel safe, loved and supported. The environment is carefully structured to mirror the warmth and comfort of a family home, helping to ease the transition for both the child and the parents. Individualised attention is paramount, and each child’s eccentricities are known.
Birthdays are celebrated with parties and lashings of cake, individual achievements are recognised with house points and various home traditions are maintained, such as the excitement of a lost tooth. Our house parents also constantly build their own family traditions into the week such as ‘Friday Hi-5’s’ (sometimes with music, bubbles or stickers), and bedtime routines including story times, prayers and a ‘thumb-kiss’ goodnight.
SPECIAL AND VALUED
Each child is made to feel special and valued, fostering a strong sense of selfworth and happiness, and a boarding experience tailored to meet their specific needs.
Another key element of junior boarding is maintaining familiar routine. In our setting we are fortunate to have separate boarding houses that enable our younger full-time boarders to be separated from older children and flexiboarders at key points in the day, such as directly after school and at bedtime. This set up is fundamental to a successful boarding structure as it avoids unnecessary disturbances and inconsistencies for the children, ensuring they have a stable environment, which in turn helps them feel secure.
All that being said, time to build close connections with the wider boarding community is also an important part of weekly routines. Children will spend plenty of time with older siblings and friends, and develop relationships with the house parents of senior houses to aid transitions as they move up the school.
Facilities in our boarding houses are designed with the needs of the children in mind, including well-equipped kitchens, work areas, inviting playrooms, and comfortable bedrooms. Children also have designated spaces to keep their personal belongings. Encouraging children to collaborate with bed-making, care of the house pets and activities such as baking all adds to the sense of belonging and community. By living away from home, children learn to manage their time, take care of their personal belongings, and develop essential life skills. These experiences build resilience and self-reliance, preparing them for future challenges.
FREEDOM TO CHOOSE
Beyond facilities, opportunities for fun activities, both indoors and outdoors,
are plentiful. Children have the freedom to choose what they would like to spend their free time doing, pursuing hobbies such as sewing, art, sports, team games and reading. Exciting trips over weekends are another benefit of junior boarding. These outings are not only enjoyable, but also provide educational experiences, support children’s social and emotional development and enable children to bond with their peers in new settings.
A healthy staff-to-pupil ratio is another hallmark of high-quality junior boarding houses. Staff must be consistent, building trusted and close relationships with the children. They are trained to offer empathy and support when young boarders feel homesick, always comforting and reassuring them. This understanding and compassionate approach helps children navigate their feelings and gradually become more comfortable with boarding life. Alongside this, we regularly listen to boarders’ opinions. We hold house forums, have a confidential ‘Thoughts and Concerns’ postbox, and involve the children in planning weekend activities.
Lastly, parent partnership is key and paramount to success. Parents must feel listened to and communicated with regularly, with respect and awareness of the pressures and anxieties that some
families may feel as they are separated from each other. House parents are always readily available to converse with them, making the boarding experience more transparent and less daunting.
KEY SKILLS
In conclusion, whilst it is undoubtedly challenging to embark on the journey of junior boarding, the best schools offer an environment that supports and nurtures young boarders. They provide a family-like atmosphere, maintain structured routines, ensure personalised care and offer enriching activities. In this way, junior boarding becomes not only a positive experience, but one that develops key skills, such as independence, responsibility and resilience to prepare our young people for their futures.
Paddy joined Dean Close in 2015 from Kenya, after nine years as Headmaster of a premier Britishcurriculum preparatory boarding school. A Canadian by birth, Paddy grew up in the west of England and studied Geography and Economics (SOAS, London University), before completing his teacher training in Canterbury. Paddy has a passion for outdoor activities and enjoys the freedom of long-distance cycle rides across the country. He and his wife, a maths and PE teacher, have three daughters who all attended Dean Close School.
Developing life skills
Making sure that children are happy but also prepared for life in the outside world is a delicate balancing act. OLLY LANGTON, Headmaster at Belhaven Hill School, reports on how prep boarding schools help to develop life skills and resilience.
CHILDHOOD is a precious thing. Anything we can do to protect and extend it should be valued, as the wider grown-up world becomes more and more accessible to our children. Good mental health is predicated on an individual’s ability to stay in the moment, enjoy and appreciate every experience and have fun and play.
Constantly looking ahead to the next stage is likely only to increase anxiety, a precursor to poor mental health. Making sure that children are happy and at the same time prepared for life in the outside world is therefore a delicate balancing act.
A programme of activities allowing pupils to gain new and challenging experiences in a safe and nurturing environment helps boarding prep schools stand out. It means they o昀er children something increasingly rare – an extended and protected childhood that allows them to become con昀dent in their own abilities.
Prep school boarding life provides time and space: time to focus on skills beyond the classroom, and space to explore potential and respond to physical and mental challenges. Being away from home and learning how to thrive at a boarding school provides daily opportunities for the gentle encouragement of key life skills and this builds children’s inner con昀dence and resilience. At Belhaven Hill School we have a bespoke life skills programme, The Belhaven Award. This programme gives pupils an opportunity to take on new challenges, developing practical skills that take them outside their comfort zone.
Life skills include learning to iron, sew or make a bed, serving the community, organising charity events, motivating their peer group, understanding 昀nance, learning to program and experimenting with entrepreneurship. These are all key life skills that together can help to produce a child ready for the challenges of the world beyond.
BEING COURAGEOUS
Our life skills programme is built on the school’s core values: courage, creativity and courtesy. Activities that qualify for Being Courageous include completing a 10km to 25km walk, doing a 10km run, cycling 10km to 40km, doing a 昀rst aid course or public speaking.
Activities for Being Creative include writing a story, poem or book review, taking photos, reviewing an art gallery, concert or play, learning famous quotes or learning how to tie knots. Activities for Being Courteous include doing one to three hours of community service such as litter-picking, supporting sta昀 and reading to younger pupils.
Also central to preparation for the next stage of schooling and for life in general is the ability to engage with everyone around you – the charitable element of the school’s Award is key for us at Belhaven.
and resilience
HAPPY CHILDREN
All pastoral care in a boarding prep school is designed to help young boarders make good decisions more e昀ectively. Having a clear set of school values provides the framework and the variety of experiences of everyone on the teaching sta昀 in a small prep school ensures a broad range of life skills are transferred through the school’s co-curricular programme. Regular features of life in a boarding prep school include playing team sports or activities every day, practising a musical instrument, taking a role in a play or completing a project in art. Activities like these help to provide pupils with many important opportunities and challenges.
Happy children learn well. The more we enable pupils to experience real-life experiences, the more they will connect the sometimes abstract concepts taught in a classroom to real world problem-solving, so vital if they are to thrive in an increasingly unpredictable environment.
□ Olly Langton joined Belhaven Hill School as Headmaster in 2020 having taught at Ludgrove (2005-07) and Radley (2007-20). He is married to Rosie and together they ran a boarding house at Radley before moving to Belhaven. They have three young children, Alexander and Cleo (both at Belhaven) and Lettie, plus a dog called Nelson.
Shaping the future
Bilton Grange is investing in a modern and flexible boarding house to unite tradition with mid-21st century accommodation, comfort and pastoral care. Headmaster GARETH JONES reports.
FROM my first visit to Hong Kong, I recall standing on the balcony of a modest apartment on the 16th floor of a tower block, marvelling at the South China Sea in front of me. The apartment belonged to parents of a child at my school who had invited me there while on school business.
How strange it seemed to be there, thousands of miles from home, because of the trust that those parents had placed in a British independent boarding school, and their faith that this pathway would shape their daughter’s future. If I did not know it already, that moment made me realise that the true value of a boarding education extends far beyond the financial.
While some may argue that boarding is in decline, especially in the prep age group, the schools that do it well are
thriving. Modern British boarding schools are warm and welcoming, wellregulated, pastorally proactive and alive to the more flexible demands of their market. As a consequence, they offer a fantastic and reassuring proposition for working parents with demanding jobs.
PERFECT ENVIRONMENT
Most prep schools offer a values-based education that combines self-reliance with a sense of service to those around them, and promotes industry, empathy and cultural awareness. A prep boarding school is the perfect environment for this.
Boarders have to be organised and acclimatise to routines and structures. They must learn to co-habit, to look up to those older, look out for those younger, and be interested in those from another country. Boarders learn to
use their time wisely and, importantly, spend their evenings being socially active through sporting or creative activities with human beings rather than interacting virtually through the realms of social media. Can one put a price on that right now?
To those who claim that prep boarding deprives children of their family’s warmth, I’d argue that a child benefits from the company and security of their friends, under the watchful eye of a dedicated team of boarding staff Stressed-out parents rushing from their own commute with their minds on other things agree. Prep boarding is a traditional form of education, especially in the UK, and that can be off-putting to the uninitiated. But I’d argue that there is nothing wrong with tradition, as long as it evolves to suit modern life.
FUTURE INVESTMENT
This is why, in its 150th year, Bilton Grange is investing heavily in its provision by building a modern, flexible boarding house to unite tradition with mid-21st century accommodation, comfort and pastoral care. We believe that our confidence in promoting prep boarding will prove attractive to parents and serve as a beacon for other prep schools to do the same with investment in their facilities.
Our new building, due to open in April 2025, has been designed for the children who will be living there. Built over four levels, the lower two floors feature communal spaces for socialising and study, a cinema screen and a large dining-room which will be used by day children and parents as well as boarders. A bespoke helter-skelter slide provides a sense of fun when travelling to the ground floor. With the latest technology dividing corridors and floors for the boys and girls, the dormitories on the upper two floors will feature
bedrooms for two, three and four students, all ensuite. This is a departure from older designs, and is the way the market will move, making it similar to high-end schools in Switzerland. Pastoral routines will adapt to ensure hygiene and welfare are appropriately monitored, and the staff accommodation has been designed to support the children, day and night, as effectively as possible.
With solar panels on the roof and other energy-efficient features, we believe this sustainable building will be a benchmark for boarding design. Its design has been carefully crafted to provide children with the time and space to develop academically, socially and emotionally, as well as explore further opportunities in sport, outdoor pursuits and performing arts that do not require the taxi service of mum and dad. Most importantly, it will be a space for adventure, fun, down-time and togetherness, which are the true values of any strong boarding community.
Gareth Jones has been involved with co-education day and boarding prep schools throughout his career. Formerly a House Master at the Dragon School, Oxford, and then Head of St Andrew’s Prep, Eastbourne, since September 2021 he has been Head of Bilton Grange Prep, which is part of the Rugby School Group. Gareth is a member of the IAPS Pastoral Committee and has been a Governor of two other schools, one state and one independent.
BOARDING FROM YEAR 3 - 13 FULL, WEEKLY OR FLEXI OPTIONS AVAILABLE A WELCOMING HOME-FROMHOME FOR PUPILS TO GROW, ASPIRE AND ACHIEVE WE OFFER A SPRINGBOARD FOR INDEPENDENCE, FRIENDSHIP AND OPPORTUNITY
Boarding at Framlingham: Where Individual Stories Begin
At Framlingham we believe in the individual. There is no typical Framlinghamian, no singular path that we take: we are academics, actors, musicians, expeditioners, sports stars, innovators, entrepreneurs, scientists, linguists, storytellers, teammates, artists. Often, we are many things within one. Every pupil is valued for who they are.
START YOUR CHILD’S JOURNEY TODAY Join us for an Open Day or arrange a personal visit to experience boarding at Framlin gham College for yourself.
Visit framlinghamcollege.co.uk or contact admissions@framlingh amcollege.co.uk, 01728 723789
