UNITED KINGDOM
to move internationally to further careers,” says Nichola Haworth. “Many of our parents are expatriate; they work in a vibrant global mix and recognise a similar mix in the make-up of our international boarding houses. Their children are here because they believe the connections that they make will open up a whole world of opportunity in the future.” Mark London, of ACS International Schools, echoes this assertion and believes that, in an international boarding school, the experience for students who find a home from home can be truly unique. “The diverse mix of cultures that make up the dormitory means that our students integrate and engage with peers in a way that others may not,” he says. “This is not only invaluable experience for a world that is becoming ever more globalised, but also creates a welcoming environment for each and every student, no matter where they come from.” But regardless of its international flavour, Ruth Hughes believes that life in a boarding school can be character building in a variety of ways. “I am passionate about the many benefits of boarding-school life,” she says, “especially developing the characteristics of empathy, tolerance and independence in our young people.” Dr Martin Stephen, chairman of Warwick International College, an international maths and science sixth-form college, believes that international students “grow in maturity, are resilient and happy in their own company”. He adds, “They are more open-minded than many of their stay-at-home contemporaries, more curious, and much better at meeting new people for the first time. They are more independent, by which I mean willing to make their own minds up rather than simply following the gang.”
EXTRA ACTIVITIES
Indeed, at Stonyhurst, Ms Hughes says that it is engaging in activities together outside school hours that really creates the bond between students. “Doing things together is what builds memories and forges friendships,” she says. “To be happy and settled at school, making good friends is very important, and most boarding schools have a huge range of opportunities for your child to share their interests with others.” Most boarding schools will offer extracurricular activities that include a wide range of sports, music, dance, drama, art and photography. It will be worth checking that the activities on offer during the evenings and at weekends at the school of your choice match the interests of the child and the family. Lord Wandsworth College, in Hampshire, has recently changed its academic timetable so that the curriculum is delivered from Monday to Friday. This frees up Saturday mornings for pupils to become inquisitive learners, to go off- piste educationally, and to challenge themselves. The school offers a programme of courses and clubs that spark new interests, explore creativity and consolidate learning. Recent examples of pupil-led initiatives include launching a school radio station, holding improvisation evenings, starting an Amnesty Club, and pulling together a War Memorial fundraising group.
ENTRANCE EXAMS
Some boarding schools will require prospective students to take an entrance exam, but, as Tessa Howard-Vyse, of Mayfield School, explains, “Entrance exams are not there to trip you up.” Often, the entrance test is a useful device for schools to ensure that they can make appropriate provision for the individual child. Of course, there remain some highly selective boarding schools for which the tests will be extremely challenging, but this will be made clear during the application stage. With the proliferation of the wide variety of boarding options in the UK, there will be a school that caters for the needs of most families.
VARYING FEES
Fees will vary from school to school, from region to region, and across the different boarding options. Junior-school fees are typically lower than senior-school fees, while fees for sixth- formers are the highest charged by boarding schools. The average termly fee in the sixth form is around £7,000. In the junior years, it is a little over £4,000.
But it is not just the school fees that parents will need to enquire about. Tessa Howard-Vyse urges them to ask what exactly is included in the published school fees, as there may be many hidden costs, such as study materials, school trips, and unexpected charges for extracurricular activities. “While one school’s fees may seem lower than the fees of your other shortlisted schools,” she says, “by the time you have added all the extra costs together, the picture may look very different.”
LIVING WITH OTHERS
“Learning to live with others, to cope with snoring, to share and to empathise, helping to look after a friend when they are feeling sad, have lost a pet, or have failed an exam, will teach children skills that will benefit them throughout their whole lives,” says Ruth Hughes. “Equally, others will be there to support them when they need a hug, to push them when they need encouragement, and to work with them in order to create a culture of achievement that will take them forward in the next step of their lives, at university or in the world of work.” Kyla, a 16-year-old full boarder at Mayfield School,
agrees wholeheartedly. “Being a full boarder, I have gained independence and wonderful friendships, strengthened my patience and perseverance, but, most of all, I’ve gained so much knowledge,” she says. “The best thing is the immense diversity, but we all get along and care for one another like a big family. Mayfield has opened my eyes to the world and all the experiences possible, here and beyond.” “At the start of term, a boarding houseparent’s biggest complaint from parents is that their child is homesick and phoning home all the time,” concludes Ruth Hughes. “At the end of the year, the biggest complaint is that the child is too busy and never phone home at all. You are giving your children the most amazing opportunity.”
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