Boarding Schools in the United Kingdom - what is it like? Is it for my child? How to choose the right program? What are the costs? These are some of the frequently asked questions I get from prospective clients, and in order to answer them and help families make the right decision for their children our inside knowledge and experience are extremely helpful. The UK has some of the most reputable schools and a diversified offer of boarding establishments. If that is an opportunity you would like to provide your child with, we can help you, ensuring you pick the most suitable setting and turn this dream into an invaluable learning and enriching experience.

Why go to a UK boarding school?

Whether you’re an international student or live in the UK, there are many reasons why boarding school could be right for your family. The decision of attend boarding schools can be based on practical and emotional reasons.

Mobility & Working Life

In some families, parents may be transferred for work reasons and move around often, therefore boarding provides stability and security for children.

Other families where parents and guardians may have to frequently be away from home may mean your child could benefit from boarding school too. Juggling the demands of work can be challenging and while it may seem daunting to send your child to boarding school, these days parents can still take an active role in their child’s education even from far away. This ensures that parents stay connected and communicate with their child.

The Education

On an emotional level, your child may not be developing or accessing the education they deserve and therefore an independent education at a boarding school could be the right path forward compared to a traditional state school route.

Boarding schools offer something for every pupil and a range of choice when it comes to subjects and extra-curricular activities too. This allows pupils to develop academically, spiritually and creatively enriching the child as a whole – not just from the academic perspective. The learning experience at boarding schools is very often cited as one of the main reasons to attend boarding school.  Every school is different though and the blend of approaches can vary distinctively.

Small Class Sizes

Boarding schools often have small class sizes meaning access to 1-2-1 learning or small group learning. Teachers can offer extra support to pupils who have learning challenges, and this is especially attractive for international pupils. Where English may not be the first language, pupils can benefit from additional support through assigned teaching assistants and dedicated English language teaching and EAL examination programmes.

The Facilities

Access to superior facilities such as swimming pools, tennis courts and state of the art theatres can be a major reason to attend boarding school. Facilities help children to thrive and develop outside the classroom and if your child has a particular passion or talent in a particular field, a boarding school which offers specialism in this area may be a good route for your child.

The UK Experience

Being immersed in the UK culture and being part of a diverse community is one of the main drivers of attending boarding school here. Many boarding schools are set in beautiful campus settings with access to quality facilities and accommodation as standard in addition to learning the English language in the process. For international pupils, this can be particularly appealing as this has the potential to open up more career opportunities later in life both in the UK and in other countries.

Boarding schools tend to be a great experience for international students - they make friends, learn much beyond a new language and keep this memorable time among their most treasured adventures.