Boarding at Royal Russell
Welcome home
Not for Oneself but for All
A broad curriculum
Extensive co-curricular activities
Bespoke pastoral care
A school with heritage
A day in the life of a Royal Russell boarder
A family for life University and beyond
Frequently asked questions
Boarding | Royal Russell School
Our supportive environment nurtures and empowers our pupils to achieve outstanding academic and co-curricular success.
Our beautiful 110-acre / 45-hectare campus includes a delightful mix of historical and state of the art buildings. Our happy, safe and stimulating environment is home to both day and boarding pupils.’
Children who join our warm and welcoming community settle in quickly and develop lifelong friendships with pupils of all ages from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Learning at Royal Russell extends well beyond the classroom; weeks are full of trips and activities, fixtures and outings.
Boarding | Royal Russell School
home
When you ask me what makes boarding so special, I would say Oxford House has become a big extended family of mine.’ - Lucas Tan
Boarding | Royal Russell School
Boarding houses become a home away from home for our pupils in the term time. Each house provides the space to study, relax, and enjoy being with friends.
Each Russellian belongs to one of our ten houses. Being a part of a house fosters a sense of community, helps to build solid friendships and encourages friendly competition.
We have four new, state-of-the-art boarding houses; these are led by an incredible team of housemasters and housemistresses who are devoted to the children in their care. In addition, senior pupils and staff members fulfil a unique role in creating our family atmosphere that develops Russellians into happy, positive and thriving community members. The
- ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate) Inspection Reportoutcomes for boarders are excellent and reflect the successful implementation of boarding aims and principles.’
Boarding | Royal Russell School
Our School’s motto - ‘non sibi sed omnibus’ translates to Not for Oneself but for All and is at the heart of our community. Our international community of boarders brings many talents and skills that develop a shared learning experience that makes Royal Russell an extraordinary school.
Our new boarding houses have a home from home design for our pupils. Each house includes TV and games rooms, kitchens and dining areas, quiet study and tutorial spaces, an onsite laundry and plenty of spaces to relax with friends.
All our boarding houses display a relaxed family atmosphere with a powerful sense of community. Our pupils develop resilience and communication skills whilst they settle into daily life at Royal Russell; they support one another to excel in academics and celebrate each other’s successes.
We have four Boarding Houses, two for boys (Cambridge and Oxford) and two for girls (Queen’s and Hollenden). Every year group is represented in each boarding house, and pupils can develop friendships with peers from across the school. Older pupils have a vital role to play in welcoming, caring for and mentoring younger pupils.
I have made lifelong friends from all different walks of life, cultures and backgrounds’.
-Bibienne Yeoh
We provide as broad a curriculum as possible before pupils choose their GCSE subjects so that they can have the opportunity to challenge themselves and explore subjects and new ways of learning.’
Boarding | Royal Russell School
Our broad and stimulating curriculum, highly dedicated staff and the latest in learning technology combine to spark imaginations, inspire creative thinking and broaden horizons. Our pupils have an extraordinary range of talents which we nurture and celebrate.
We know that at Royal Russell, the best learning takes place with girls and boys working together, problem solving and benefiting from different interpretations, perspectives and learning styles. Emphasis is placed firmly on effort, both academic and in the wide range of co-curriculum activities on offer to enrich learning. Hard work and commitment is expected, recognised and rewarded.
We provide as broad a curriculum as possible before pupils choose their GCSE subjects so that they can have the opportunity to challenge themselves and explore subjects and new ways of learning. This approach prepares pupils for their public examinations as well as life beyond Royal Russell.
As we take the time to know every child, we can recognise those pupils who need to be stretched more and those who would benefit from some extra support.
Each pupil is guided through a bespoke educational pathway from Year 7 through to Year 13 based upon their individual learning needs.
The development of social skills, confidence, leadership and resilience are not developed through purely an academic curriculum. We encourage a healthy balance of academic rigour and co-curriculum participation, where pupils can try something new, explore alternative interests and unearth hidden talents.
We run an exciting programme of enriching clubs and activities, in which all pupils are encouraged to participate, to enhance their studies, learn new skills, extend their friendship groups or simply just to have fun and relax at the end of a busy school day.
Our Model United Nations (MUN) programme is second to none in the UK and our own annual conference, held in October, has an international reputation for excellence. We have an active Combined Cadet Force (CCF) who train weekly in Army and RAF sections. Our cadets attend prestigious leadership courses and
Boarding | Royal Russell Schooltravel to many residential camps at military bases throughout the year.
Our Duke of Edinburgh training represents significant personal challenge with regular Bronze, Silver and Gold expeditions.
There are over 100 activities on offer every year and pupils are encouraged to try something new. There is something for everyone, from creative and expressive clubs to physical and mentally challenging clubs.’
We pride ourselves on our supportive, caring and inclusive community.
Pupils have access to experienced and sympathetic housemasters and mistresses, a deputy and a tutor team. All houses have senior prefects whose role is primarily pastoral; an onsite medical centre, a school counsellor, and a GP regularly visits the school. There is always a qualified and caring member of staff available for pupils to turn to if they wish.
Each pupil is an individual, as well as part of a House. Each benefits from our bespoke pastoral, approach which we develop through open channels of communication and time spent getting to know one another. We aim to establish warm, friendly relationships with parents through regular email updates and telephone conversations.
At all ages, students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent; they are self-aware, confident, tolerant and respectful. Relationships throughout the school are excellent.’
- ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate) Inspection Report
Royal Russell is proud to have enjoyed Royal Patronage from its foundation, and for having The late Queen Elizabeth II as our Patron during her reign. She inspired generations of Russellians throughout her life and service and visited the School on four occasions.
Boarding | Royal Russell School
Royal Russell was founded in 1853 as a charity to look after orphans of families from the textile trades. Former Prime Minister Lord John Russell became President of the school and the majority of pupils were supported by generous donations and scholarships.
The famous author Charles Dickens spoke to those who supported our school in a speech he made at the London Tavern in 1857: ‘This is a school which provides such a home as their own dear children might find happy refuge in, if they themselves were taken early away. And I fearlessly ask you, is this not the sort of school which is deserving of your support?’.
Reference to our heritage can be seen throughout the School in the many plaques laid by our generous benefactors, the stained glass in the Chapel and Great Hall and the many portraits of Queen Elizabeth II, Presidents and Headmasters. The original architecture, designed by Sir Aston Webb, is also reflected in the sympathetic design of our more modern buildings. Our school dates back almost 170 years and we are incredibly proud of our heritage, we are very much a forward thinking 21st century school, equipping pupils to be global citizens, confident in their unique skills and abilities.
From 7.30 am – Breakfast is served in the Dining Hall for all pupils in Year 7 to 13. A wide variety of options includes a cereal and porridge bar, a selection of hot items for a cooked breakfast, a continental selection of Danish pastries, fresh fruit and a juice bar. Weekends include the choice of a cooked to order restaurant-style experience.
8.00 - 8.10 am – Pupils can prepare for the day. They may choose to tidy their room, put out any laundry and get ready for House Assemblies in the Lounge before attending chapel or tutorials.
8.45 am – Pupils begin their lessons for the day. All pupils have 53 curriculum periods in their school week and these are shared between academic subjects. The distribution of lessons and daily schedule depends on the year group and school timetable.
Boarding | Royal Russell SchoolOn Mondays and Fridays, lessons begin at 9.15 am.
12.45 pm - All pupils break for lunch, selecting from a delicious range of hot and cold options from the servery. Pupils dine in the Great Hall or in Drapers’, our café.
Pupils can enjoy an extensive range of lunchtime clubs including Running Club, Chamber Choir, STEM Club, Orchestra, Latin Club, Photoshop Club and Japanese Club, to name but a few.
13.50 pm - Lessons recommence, running through to 15.50 pm.
13.50 pm - On one afternoon each week, depending upon their Year Group, pupils enjoy a vast array of sports including football, cricket, hockey, trampolining, basketball, athletics, gym sessions, cross-country and swimming. We have an extensive fixtures list, regularly competing against other schools in local, regional and national competitions and leagues as well as friendly fixtures.
15.50 pm - Our extensive range of after school activities begin, including Model UN, Combined Cadet Force, National Theatre Playwriting Club, Driving Club, Leisure Swimming, Art and Design Club, Football Club and Hockey Club, to name but a few.
Pupils may attend Prep in the Library to complete work set for them.
17.25 pm - Pupils gather for their daily house meeting and registration to check in with one another, ask questions and discuss plans for the evening and next day.
17.30-18.15 pm & 19.00-20.00 pm
Houses engage in quiet time for prep and study. Pupils can use the study rooms, computer labs, library or rooms to complete homework and prep for academic studies.
18.15 pm - 18.45 pm - Pupils look forward to meeting their friends to enjoy dinner together in the Dining Hall.
20.00 pm - until bedtime - Pupils have free time to join in several activities organised by house staff, including movie nights, baking competitions, wellness activities and much more. Boarders also can make use of exclusive access to the school sports facilities, including the swimming pool and gym.
“I joined Royal Russell in Year 12 to do A-levels. Having moved abroad from Kazakhstan for the first time in my life, I was apprehensive of a new country, new school, new people, foreign language and, indeed, of a boarding life. However, Royal Russell very quickly became my family, my home and a place where I would love to come back again. These two years have been truly rewarding.
To begin with, Royal Russell gave me a wonderful opportunity to pursue my academic goals. The school has excellent departments for Mathematics and Economics, which help pupils develop their abilities and skills. I scored high marks in all my subjects (Maths, Further Maths and Economics) with thanks, to a great extent, to the professionalism and day-to-day support from my teachers. I received offers from LSE and UCL, universities of my dreams.
Boarding | Royal Russell SchoolMy boarding life at Royal Russell turned out to be a fantastic life experience. Queen’s House is a comfortable environment with clean and cosy rooms. The shared facilities for studies and leisure time are spacious and offered everything
Queen’s has a unique home-like atmosphere with friendly and caring staff. In Year 12, I shared a room with a girl from China, who is now my very best friend. I lived next door to pupils from all over the world and learned a lot about their cultures, traditions and beliefs. Enjoyable moments in house included: revising for exams with friends, taking care of junior pupils, shopping at weekends, ordering pizza on Friday nights, fun trips, celebrating birthdays together. These seem like small things but they have shaped my personality and taught me to value friendship, open-mindedness, responsibility, respect and care for people.”
I wanted.
Our tutors and Head of Careers put the pupil at the centre when planning for the future, understanding their vision and goals and offering support and guidance as they progress on their educational journey. Bespoke Careers advice encourages all our pupils to aim high and choose a rewarding career. Personal Tutors and subject teachers play an essential role in providing invaluable advice and guidance to support individual academic and personal progress. Our Lecture programme features motivational and inspirational guest speakers presenting on a wide range of topics and professions. We aim to broaden horizons and give our pupils an insight into a wealth of careers and opportunities that they may not have yet considered.
University entrance is highly competitive. Our tailored mentoring guides pupils through the entrance procedure ensuring they select the most appropriate course and university for their chosen career. Those considering Oxbridge entrance, medicine, veterinary science and law are given bespoke guidance and preparation to support them through this unique process.
We provide expert assistance in the writing of UCAS personal statements, with interview preparation and find appropriate work experience to help pupils build a high-quality application, highlighting their unique skill set.
Our Careers Fairs showcase a wide variety of professions and our extensive Work Placement Programme enables our pupils to gain valuable, hands-on experience in their chosen fields.
Boarding | Royal Russell SchoolPlease get in touch with us at admissions@royalrussell.co.uk to arrange a visit during your trip so that you can truly experience the atmosphere and character of our school. You will have much to discover and consider when choosing a boarding school and we are here to help you. If this is not possible, interviews can be carried out via SKYPE, WhatsApp, Facetime, WeChat or Zoom.
We run open days, and personal visits can be arranged by appointment throughout the year. Individual families or small groups are welcome to view our outstanding on-site facilities and meet our staff and pupils at a mutually convenient time during any working school day.
Candidates should submit copies of their latest school reports before sitting test papers in Maths and English. The final stage is an interview online or in person.