St. Francis' College Boarding Options Booklet

Boarding Options

“Needlesstosaywe havebeen,and continuetobe,very happywiththe boardingprovisionand greatlyappreciatethe supportoftheboarding staff.“

Parentof Anna,current boarder.

We create a happy, family atmosphere, in which our boarders, from Years 6 - 13 can enjoy life to the full. Our highly qualified boarding staff ensure that boarders are safe and well cared for, and make sure there is plenty to do in the evenings and at weekends.

We understand that a one size fits all approach is not ideal when it comes to considering boarding for your child. As such, we have several boarding options, which are explained in this leaflet.

We are delighted to welcome visitors to the Boarding House and boarding staff are always pleased to explain the various packages to parents and students. Please do not hesitate to contact me to discuss any of the options in more detail.

We are immensely proud of our boarding family and all our students are cherished and valued as part of the St. Francis’ community.

Welcometo BoardingatSFC Head

Why Consider Boarding?

Home From Home

Our Housemistresses look after the students’ needs ‘at home’ in the Boarding House. They ensure that the bedrooms are kept clean and tidy, that the laundry is done, and that school uniform is of a high standard. They also take the girls to any necessary medical appointments, including dentist, optician or orthodontist. We have a Registered Nurse who comes into the Boarding House in the evenings to look after the Boarders’ medical requirements. She works closely with the College Nurse to supply medical advice and primary care treatments.

Supervised Homework

At the end of the school day, boarders head to the Boarding House where, after a snack and a drink, they sit down to do their homework at 4.30pm. Homework is supervised by highly qualified and experienced Academic Tutors who live and work in the Boarding House.

The Academic Tutors provide one-to-one and group support, as well as running revision sessions and English Language conversation activities.

Exciting Activities

We keep our students remarkably busy with a wide variety of onsite activities every evening and at weekends. These may vary according to the time of year, but the tennis courts, swimming pool and gymnasium are busy all year round and we offer various clubs such as arts and crafts, cooking and cross stitch to name but a few. All the common rooms are equipped with TVs, and we host weekly film nights in the Games Room, which are hugely popular, especially when the popcorn and hot chocolate appear!

The Boarding Community

Students who board make great friends. We’re very proud of the cultural diversity of our boarding community, which which gives students a fantastic global awareness and appreciation of different cultures.

Boarders also learn to become independent and their maturity develops in leaps and bounds. For many students, they also become even more engaged in College life with all the benefits that entails, from both a scholarly and extra-curricular point of view.

Boarding Options

As well as full time boarding, many families at St. Francis’ take advantage of our flexi boarding packages which can often be advantageous for busy families.

We are delighted to welcome visitors to the Boarding House and Boarding Staff are always pleased to explain the various packages to parents and students.

Full Time Boarding

Full boarders live in the Boarding House throughout the term and go home for the half term and end of term holidays.

They can choose to go out at weekends to visit friends, by arrangement with the Boarding Staff.

Weekly Boarding

This option offers boarding for five nights during the week and your daughter would return home every weekend.

Weekly boarders may return to the Boarding House on Sunday evenings after dinner.

Flexi Boarding

This option offers the flexibility of boarding for between one and four nights during the week. Flexiboarding can be pre-booked for regular days every week. This is a popular option for students who have after school commitments such as sport or a club. It also gives students the boarding experience for a shorter period during the week. Those boarding for four nights stay at school Mon - Thurs. Alternatively, parents may arrange occasional or one-off Flexi-Boarding. This is particularly helpful for those tricky situations such as short notice business trips, or the opportunity for a last minute holiday or weekend away. Flexi boarding is charged at £75 per night.

Day Boarding

Day Boarding is a popular choice as it offers a way to accommodate parents’ work commitments and can also be a useful option if your daughter is returning late at night from a school trip. Day Boarding includes homework time, dinner in the Dining Room and an evening activity. We offer two options:

WEEKLY DAY BOARDING

From 7.30am - 8pm Monday toFriday

OCCASIONAL DAY BOARDING

7.30am - 8pm

Day Boarding should be booked in advance and is subject to availability.

Day Boarding is charged at £20 per night.

Welcome From Our Deputy Head Girl (Boarding)

The Boarding House is a very friendly, lovely and supportive place where we welcome everyone. It is a melting-pot of cultures, housing students from a variety of countries and backgrounds. It is a place that cultivates respect and kindness, and shows appreciation for its students.

There is always a sense of celebration and fun, with a multitude of trips, activities, and grand events scheduled throughout the year. The games room is the main hub of the Boarding House. It is where we participate in clubs and socialise. It is fully equipped with a kitchen, allowing for big cookouts at the weekend. Together with our three other common rooms, the Boarding House gives us the space to mix with each other, have some quiet time, and feel comfortable, as you would at home.

The Boarding House is only one flight of stairs above the rest of the College, which means that we can use all the school facilities in the evenings and at weekends.

Students are very involved in how the Boarding House is run. We have a Boarding Council and a Food Committee, which meet regularly, allowing boarders to voice their opinions, suggestions, and concerns. This is clearly reflected in the boarding menu, which is heavily influenced by the suggestions of the Committee.

Whether it is just for an occasional night or a full-boarding adventure, the Boarding House welcomes you.

Natalie