SPECIAL REPORT: BOARDING SCHOOLS

Homes away from home

Boarding schools have come a long way in the past few decades, and now they really are a home away from home for country kids who need to leave the farm for their education.

-Words TONY BLACKIE

Many country people have vivid memories of boarding school life – and they often include a spartan boarding house existence and draconian security that would make the pandemic lockdowns look like a picnic.

But the truth is that boarding schools and the way of life for young people attending them has changed a great deal, and today they really are a home away from home for most students. There are more than 28,000 children and teenagers currently boarding in Australia, and the numbers are rising as the facilities and education options provided by the schools increase. Add a greater focus on rural and farming career options to the mix, and boarding schools for families in regional areas become a sensible choice.

FRIENDS FOR LIFE: People who have experienced boarding school life often say that they will always remain close to the friends they made in school as they share such a strong bond.

(Photo courtesy of Scots All Saints)

Most of the boarding schools on offer are one of more than 148 independent schools currently providing boarding for more than 17,000 students.

The spread of schools through regional NSW continues to increase, but the traditional boarding schools located in major centres (predominately Sydney and Canberra) are still the major venues for country boys and girls.

Increasingly, the NSW education system and especially the boarding schools catering for rural youngsters have altered their curriculum to meet the changing demographic of rural and regional Australia.

Vocational guidance identifying viable career options in rural and regional based professions is now also offered to students as a way to support business and community needs in the rapidly growing regional centres.

As a bonus, boarding school students are also most likely to get the best jobs, with a number of international surveys showing that they generally have better outcomes in university and working life, compared to those of students only studying by day.

FROM AN OLD GIRL OF ABBOTSLEIGH

From the moment a boarder arrives at Abbotsleigh, she feels less like she is in the big smoke and more like she has discovered an unlikely haven in the city.

With all the advantages of a large city school, but set on 12 hectares in Sydney’s leafy North Shore, Abbotsleigh offers girls from the country a rare space they can relate to, and grow and learn in.

Young ladies from Abbotsleigh

According to Rhonda Kaan – a former student at Abbotsleigh – the experience of boarding develops self-reliance and a high level of motivation among the students.

Rhonda now helps the current cohort of Abbotsleigh’s boarders, while also maintaining precious connections for past students as the ‘Old Girls Relations Assistant’.

“I came from a mostly grazing property at Gurley, near Moree,” Rhonda explains. “We never had a need to go to Sydney until then, so my first day at boarding school was also my first time in Sydney.

“Dad always said he regretted sending us (my brother followed the year after me) away to boarding school. He said not only did he lose his two best gate openers but, because we had to, we instantly became independent. He said we missed out on valuable family time but, in some ways, I think going away probably brought us all closer together.

Young men from Shore

“Experiencing life without them made me appreciate my parents and brother more and any time spent at home during school holidays was always precious. Also, not that they ever discussed it with us, but it was obviously an enormous financial sacrifice – especially given the timing of the collapse of the Australian Wool Reserve Price Scheme in the 1990s.”

As it is for so many farm families, there really wasn’t much choice, as the local school was at least an hour away with a car and a bus connection. And for many farming families, the extracurricular after hours activities are also not an option due to distance and time away, and bad weather often means they are not able to get to school at all.

As Rhonda says: “We had a decent drive when we had dry weather, and that was only to make it to the first bus stop.”

If it rained, the black soil meant that Rhonda had at least the next few days off school and then she’d have to take a bigger bus down the Newell Highway.

Youngsters from Scots All Saints College. Surveys have shown that boarders have better outcomes in university and working life than students who only attend school by day.

“It was almost three hours of travel every day.” Rhonda says that without doubt, the biggest benefit to being a school boarder is the tightknit circle of friends you make for life.

“If you haven’t been a boarder, you simply can’t understand that,” she says. “I was lucky to be surrounded by girls who were all equally appreciative of the sacrifices being made by their families. They hailed from Moree to Cootamundra and everywhere else in between including Coonamble, Forbes, Molong, Lithgow through to the Central Coast.”

Nearly 30 years later, Rhonda’s Abbotsleigh boarding mates are still some of her closest friends. “They are extra family, and we call ourselves ‘soul sisters’,” she says. “We are godmothers to each others’ kids, and we’d drop anything for anyone at any time. I can’t think of a better place for girls to mature, learn resilience and form valuable lifelong connections as they commence their life journey.”

Headmaster John Weeks of Scots All Saints College with some students

Mrs Chemane Fairleigh is Abbotsleigh’s Head of Boarding, and she is passionate about boarding and driving a range of new and innovative initiatives.

“Our goal for boarding is to have happy, confident, healthy girls of great character who leave at the end of Year 12 and make a positive impact on the world outside of the Abbotsleigh’s gates,” Chemane says. “I love the noise, laughter and the drama a boarding house brings – things come to life during term time. It’s exciting, vibrant, challenging, busy, emotional and very importantly – fun!”

DEVELOPING SUCCESS AT SCOTS ALL SAINTS

Michaela Barclay is Operations Administrator at the Bathurst-based Scots All Saints College, which offers boarding facilities for boys and girls.

Because of its location in the NSW Central West, Scots has a uniquely rural feel and offers a range of agricultural courses and interests to the students.

With the benefit of two large campuses, the school is able to provide a modern and progressive college of all-round excellence. Students are able to stable their

own horses at the school, and the care and maintenance of the animals is a part of their learning experience.

Scots provides day and boarding students from Preparatory School up to Year 12.

Students from Abbotsleigh enjoy some fun and games.

“This is a great advantage as we have lots of young people from rural and urban centres throughout NSW and Queensland,” Michaela says. “The school’s headmaster John Weeks, focusses a great deal on pastoral care for all students, but in particular for the boarders to ensure that they see the school as a second home that is safe and nurturing.”

Because of the large rural cohort, Scots offers a wide range of agricultural oriented subjects to students with an emphasis on the fact that rural life is fulfilling, and provides a great career path.

Michaela says at the core of the school’s philosophy is the aim to develop the students into successful men and women with a firm foundation for life built on the gospel of Christ.

SHORE HELPING TO BUILD GOOD MEN

Shore offers its boarding students a comprehensive and contemporary education, supported by the school’s heritage and Christian values.

Brendan Morris – Senior Boarding Housemaster at Shore – is proud of the generations of boys (many from across rural and regional NSW) who have entered the boarding school environment and emerged as mature and capable young men.

At Shore, the focus is on developing the whole person – intellectually, physically, socially, emotionally and also spiritually.

“We place a strong emphasis on character formation and offer a variety of programmes to help all our boys grow into good men,” Brendan explains.

Shore currently houses up to 205 boarders from rural and regional NSW, overseas, as well as weekly boarders.

The school’s facilities provide a strong learning and growing environment, including the recently opened RAI Grant Centre – a multi-purpose academic and sports facility.

“Shore is committed to offering a truly comprehensive education, meaning we pursue engaged rigour in academic work and also offer a wide range of learning experiences, both in and out of the classroom," Brendan says, adding that boarding is a part of the essential, binding fabric of the life of Shore.

Rowing team from Shore

“Life in our boarding school is very rewarding for the boys, and they build friendships that will last a lifetime,” Brendan says.

At Shore, the boarding environment also fosters a sense of community, which feeds into the cultivation of academic endeavour. And as boarders, the boys are given the opportunity to develop leadership skills by helping each other in many various activities.

“The unity and diversity of our four boarding houses create a place where boys from all backgrounds and those who care for them can thrive within distinct positive households founded on respect, common sense and a growing understanding of themselves and the world in which they live,” Brendan says.

“Our curriculum provides depth and breadth for our boys. Courses offered allow a degree of specialisation, giving the boys an opportunity to keep their future options open while allowing them to follow their own particular interests.

“We enable each student to discover their individual talents and prepare them for the realities, challenges and choices of our contemporary world.”

Shore has been offering boarding facilities for boys since it began in 1889. “Our rich history and traditions have shaped the School, fostering a sense of community and belonging,” Brendan says. •