Junior Boarding

Many of our boarders will be leaving home for the first time and a number of them have families in other parts of the world. Our house system is structured to allow new boarders to settle in quickly, with older girls in a position to nurture younger pupils. This ensures that all our boarders have a home from home, where they feel included, appreciated and part of a close-knit community. 

The house is a sanctuary where girls eat, sleep, play, relax and study. There is a strong sense of camaraderie and family, with girls developing a fierce house spirit which manifests itself noisily during inter-house competitions of all kinds. 

Lower and Upper College girls who board live in one of our six junior houses for 11 - 16 year olds. There are five senior houses for Sixth Form girls. Each of the Houses is run by a Housemistress, who may also have a small teaching commitment. She is supported by a Deputy Housemistress and a team of staff, some of whom live-in, as well as a dedicated Chef and kitchen and domestic staff.

A typical day

The shape of the day varies depending on the academic and co-curricular options a girl takes; a typical day looks like this:

Flexibility at Weekends

We are primarily a full boarding school, however, from September 2021, we have introduced additional flexibility at weekends for our junior boarders. In addition to the full Exeats and half terms, most weekends boarders are permitted to leave College on a Saturday afternoon to be with their families or guardians once they have fulfilled their afternoon commitments, many of which will be sporting. All girls will then be expected to return to their boarding house for supper on the Sunday evening. There will be some exceptions ("closed weekends") such as the first and last weekends of every term, and for special functions, when boarders will be expected to remain in residence. 

This flexibility has already been enjoyed by our Sixth Form boarding community for several years, and it's hoped that extending this to junior boarders will help families throughout College to balance their school and home lives. We also hope it will enable more parents to be able to support their daughter’s participation in College events during Saturday afternoons and evenings and feel a greater sense of connection to the College community. 

Arrange a Visit

We are delighted to welcome prospective boarders and their families to College for an Open Day or private tour, so that you can see for yourselves the opportunities available within our vibrant community.