Parents’ Guide to State Boarding Schools November 2020 Contents “The school is brilliant, and the children are Foreword 1 really happy there. It has high standards and good discipline. Both pupils and teachers show a Why choose an SBF school? 4 lot of respect for each other. The children are Frequently asked questions 6 really proud of their school.” Benefits of Boarding 17 Summary of Boarding Provision 18 Parent Directory of Schools 20 The SBF 38 Keswi ck Foreword School Welcome to the latest edition range with academic results as of the ‘Parents’ Guide to BSA good as any in the UK.Parents of Dal lam School Ripon State Boarding Forum schools. boarders at state boarding Grammar School Lancaster Royal schools choose them for a host Grammar School A few years ago a regional of reasons, including academic G tourist board coined the phrase quality, the chance for their Liverpool College ‘Britain’s best-kept secret’ as a child to fulfil their potential and way to lure more visitors. This is the opportunity to take part in Skegness not a tourist guide of course, an extraordinary wide range of The T homas Adams Grammar School School but it might be fair to say that activities. Most importantly Haberdashers’ Adams state boarding is perhaps the however, over 90% say their Wym ondham The Royal School Wolverhampton C S College ‘best-kept secret’ in British child is happy boarding and G education. would recommend their school Old Swinf ord Hospital and boarding to others. Members of the State Boarding Hockerill Anglo - European College Colchester Royal Grammar School Forum represent enormous Members of The BSA State The Royal St George’s diversity. There are 36 state Boarding Forum (SBF) represent Grammar School School Burford School boarding forum (SBF) schools enormous diversity. These are Royal Holyport College Alexandra and right across the UK ranging in dedicated, hard-working Reading School Albert School Beechen Cl iff School boarding numbers from under professionals who don’t just go The Wellington Gordon’s School Richard Huish College 50 to over 60 0. T h e mix of the extra mile, day after day, to Academy The Duke of York’s G Sexey’s School Peter Symonds Brymore A cadem y Royal Military School schools includes grammar look after boarding students, College Cranbrook School Shaf tsbur y School Steyning schools and schools specialising but meet the stringent Grammar School i n areas like agriculture or standards set by the Exeter College military. It in cludes schools close Government’s National to towns and cities to those in Minimum Boarding Standards more rural loca tions, and a wide for England. C S G 1 Over 77,000 pupils across but confident, assured and well- England benefit from a boarding grounded too as they prepare to education, including over 5,000 face the real world. at state boarding school. Their parents, with them, decide on This guide makes it easy to learn state boarding carefully and and understand more about the wisely. Because they know they great things offered by British will witness the development of state boarding schools. I hope young students who are not just you find it helpful. accomplished in the classroom, ! Mark Dixon Chair, BSA State Boarding Forum and Headmaster at Royal Alexandra & Albert School 2 3 Why choose “My sons had a fantastic range of courses to choose from at GCSE and A Level” an SBF school? Parent There are many reasons for choosing a state boarding school for your child. Here are just a few: Excellent educatio n Top quality boarding facilities Affordable boarding education Wide choice of schools All state boarding schools and The boarding facilities are When you can get top quality, Parents will usually find a school academies follow the National indistinguishable from those at education combined with state- that meets their requirements – Curriculum and pupils take the independent schools. Following of-the-art boarding facilities it is however specific they are. There same exams as they would in a investment in recent years easy to see why so many are selective schools and state day school. Whilst the many schools have new parents choose state boarding comprehensive schools; co-ed exams are the same, the boarding houses with modern education for their children. and single-sex schools; primary performance exceeds that of facilities and all are supported Boarding fees are similar to schools, secondary schools and many other schools with state by staff who are totally those at independent schools. sixth form colleges; specialists in boarding schools frequently committed to the well-being of However, because tuition is free many different subjects; featuring at the top of league the children. By selecting a state the total cost is much lower at predominantly boarding or tables. This applies to both boarding school parents are SBF schools, while standards of minority boarding. The schools selective and non-selective choosing the very best boarding care, education and facilities are spread throughout England. schools. Some state boarding care. compare very favourably to schools offer the International private schools. SBF schools offer a diverse Baccalaureate in the sixth form. educational experience and include Prep/Junior, Boys’ and co-ed (there are not any Girls’ schools), selective (Grammar) and non-selective, academies, sixth form colleges and senior 4 schools with sixth form. 5 Frequently asked questions Who can be a boarder at a What is a state boarding How many state boarding How much will a state boarding state boarding school? school? schools are there? place cost me? State boarding schools welcome A state school, free school, or There are 33 SBF schools but This will vary from school to children from all backgrounds. academy which provides only 31 have decided to be school – geography influences They can admit UK pupils. boarding for at least some of its included in this publication. the school’s own costs – and Children from outside the UK pupils. Boarding fees are low Of these two are sixth form from year to year – sixth form need to have the right of because whilst they cover the colleges. places may be slightly more residence in the UK before they cost of providing the boarding expensive than the younger can be accepted as boarders. place; the school, like every Several schools now have years. Schools charge fees to state school in England and academy status, and more will cover the cost of providing Please note that the holding of a Wales, does not charge for surely follow, but this status boarding and vary between BN(O) passport does not make education. makes no difference to pupils about £10,000 and £17,000 the child eligible for a State within the schools, or to parents per year. Prices are not listed Boarding School in the UK. What is it not? considering applying. here because they will change It is not a residential school, every year. Borstal, approved school, special needs school or ‘military school’ in the American sense of being a ‘boot camp’ for children who lack discipline or have behavioural difficulties. In fact, it is pretty much like an independent boarding school in most respects. 6 7 Why are the fees low? When should I apply? which you are interested does it If my child becomes a boarder, Because the schools are not For admission in any have a space in class, and does will they be gone for months charging for teaching at all – in September, apply from the it have an available bed in on end? the UK, education provided by previous September. Be ready boarding. If they do, they may Most state boarding schools will the state is free at the point of to do so as early in September be able to make a swift have an ‘exeat’ (home leave) admission at any time of the access and state schools are not as possible and you MUST do so weekend every three weeks, in year. permitted to charge for tuition. by the national closing date at addition to the usual half terms. the end of October if you are Increasingly, they are providing Do I have to live in the school’s Is there a centralised system applying for a Year 7 (11+) place. weekly boarding, with boarders catchment area? for applications? This will mean enquiring and at home for weekends, if that is No. If you live in England and visiting and making choices in No, not for a boarding place – what families prefer. Please will be applying for a place at a the summer term of the year for boarders, effectively there is enquire of the school you state boarding school at the preceding entry. For entry at age no catchment area. choose what their pattern is. normal time when children 11, successful applicants will be If you wish your child to be at transfer to secondary school in notified they have a place on the Do any of them take Junior school at the weekend, ask your local authority area, you Common Admission Date, 1 boarders about their programme of March preceding the September will need to apply to the school Yes, at least two to do and weekend activities. of entry. Schools will have of your choice and also need to please see details of individual different numbers of pupils for apply to your home local schools in this publication. Are there any girls’ only authority. Otherwise you simply day places and for boarding schools? places, but all are notified on apply to the individual school. No. the same date. State boarding places in sixth forms are particularly popular, so early application a year ahead of admission is sensible.