By Laura Vida
Does the word 'Boarding' make you wince? If so, you may be surprised to learn what 'Boarding' today entails.
SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL WELLBEING
Boarding school staff are in loco parentis 24/7. But they work closely with parents and carers. And day pupils at boarding schools also benefit from excellent pastoral care. Furthermore, class sizes tend to be small with Support for Learning readily available if needed.
Mental health is now a real priority in boarding schools. For example, St Leonards (in St Andrews) runs a Wellbeing Hub. While Cargilfield Prep School receives weekly visits from a child mental health specialist at The Anchor Practice in Edinburgh. In addition, you’ll find Mental Health First Aiders (specifically trained staff) in every school.There are over 60 at Dollar Academy alone.
Schools know that parent/carer-child bonds are crucial. So many offer a range of boarding options to suit everyone. And even so-called ‘full boarders’ are encouraged to make regular contact with home. Most boarders will see their parent(s)/carer(s) often, both inside and outside school. At St Leonards, for example, boarders can be taken out on any weekend. There are also regular opportunities for parents to attend competitions, exhibitions, sports matches, concerts, prize givings etc.
PHYSICAL WELLBEING
We know that physical and mental health are linked. And physical fitness is a priority at any good boarding school. Students enjoy extensive grounds and incredible indoor and outdoor sporting facilities. So, whether naturally sporty or not, your child will develop healthy habits.
A WARM, UPLIFTING ENVIRONMENT
You can expect first-rate, updated living facilities. At St Leonards (St Andrews), for example, the boarding houses recently underwent a £4 million redevelopment. Yet pupils are privileged to grow up in historical buildings by the sea.
Schools now strive to be a home from home. At Dollar Academy, each house has its own live-in houseparents, house tutors and house staff. And pupil heads and deputies help run the houses. Moreover, older pupils look out for and support younger ones. Which creates a ‘caring, family ethos across the school and boarding houses’ (Care Inspectorate, 2020).
TIME OPTIMISED
Boarders spend less time commuting. Instead, they’re socialising, working or pursuing a hobby. And day pupils who stay late also benefit from (what’s known as) ‘wrap- around care’: supportive staff, nurturing activities and time with friends.
A number of today’s boarding schools permit day pupils to stay the night. At Glenalmond College, for instance, day pupils have a bed for ad hoc boarding. Flexi boarding has also become relatively common in schools. Which can be useful during exam times since staff are always on hand to offer extra support. Or if your child gets back late from an educational trip or sports fixture.
SECURE YET INDEPENDENT
A secure, well-attached child naturally grows more independent. But some children need time to adjust. Which is why many schools now offer weekly and flexi boarding. Or fortnightly boarding (Belhaven Hill School). Boarding weekends (Cargilfield) are another way for your child to give boarding a go.
Being away from home helps a child develop important life skills: the ability to plan, prioritise, make lists, organise clothes and possessions etc. Of course, boarding staff are on hand to help. But your child will be positively influenced by their peers. Tidying up, for example, makes more sense when living communally.
LESS TIME ON GADGETS
A key role of boarding school staff today is to monitor and regulate internet usage. As professionals in an educational setting, staff can enforce blanket rules which promote every child’s long- and short-term wellbeing. At Cargilfield, for example, devices are used for short periods of time and chiefly to make contact with family members. But in a richly stimulating, sociable environment, the internet is less of a draw.
BUSY WEEKENDS
A typical weekend (St Leonards) might involve: sports fixtures, bowling, go-karting, hill walking, watersports, cinema trips or combat challenge.
At Dollar Academy, the Sunday programme includes: sporting events, theme parks, paintball, go-karting, laser quest, treasure hunts, climbing walls, shopping, the cinema, shows and concerts.
Older pupils may visit school friends, explore the local town or venture further afield to Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Boarders also make the most of on-site sports and recreational facilities: grass and all-weather playing surfaces, fitness suites, swimming pools, sports halls and music rooms.
SELF-DISCOVERY
Perhaps the main attraction of a boarding school is the scope it provides for extracurricular enrichment. For one thing, your child discovers their talents and interests. For another, they take a break from the pressures of academic work and exams. Thereby developing healthy habits.
The school day at a boarding school tends to be longer. Which means more time for extra- or co-curricular pursuits. And even day pupils at boarding schools stand to benefit.
ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES
A co-curriculum enables your child to impact the local community via social and environmental action projects. At Belhaven Hill School, for example, children recently planted trees, baked for local care home residents and sifted Belhaven Bay for micro-plastics.
Senior children at boarding schools will often chooseto join the Combined Cadet Force (CCF). In Dollar Academy’s CCF, over 300 pupils form close friendships whilst developing useful qualities such as resourcefulness, endurance, self-reliance, responsibility, leadership and public spirit.
At any boarding school, you can expect clubs and activities galore (c.100 at Dollar Academy alone). But each school has its own extracurricular strengths. For example, Dollar Academy and St Leonards offer world-class golf programmes at Gleneagles and in St Andrews, the home of golf.
Your child will also have access to specialist teachers and modern facilities. Dollar Academy employs 11 PE specialists who teach onsite. And there’s even a designated Music Technology classroom.
LIFELONG CONNECTIONS
Any boarding school worth its salt will encourage qualities such as kindness, courtesy and respect. And your child should emerge with friends and memories that last. What’s more, your child will be able to connect with children from all over the world. Twenty percent of the boarders at Merchiston (Edinburgh) are from overseas. And Dollar Academy sponsors international pupils every year.
“There are people from all around the world, with all kinds of backgrounds and simply by talking to people you can learn so much.” - St Leonards boarder ■