THE COMPLETE STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO BOARDING SCHOOLS – ACCOMMODATION

Day to day living at boarding school can seem rather ‘mysterious’ before students arrive. As this latest article in our complete guide shows, it really is just a different kind of ‘home’, with nurturing around the clock.

When you think of sleeping and socialising arrangements at Boarding Schools, what comes to mind?

THE COMPLETE STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO BOARDING SCHOOLS – ACCOMMODATION

Fictional works like the Harry Potter series make life at Boarding School seem packed with incident and, well, magic! Other storybooks portray draughty, soulless dorms, with regimented beds, and students trudging barefoot to sparse bathrooms.

It should come as no surprise that neither of these extremes is even close to the true picture of accommodation at contemporary and outstanding independent schools. For more information on what boarding school is really like, check out our what are boarding schools like page.

The second article in our step by step guide to boarding schools will take you inside our lovely accommodation.

Shared living support

First, it’s worth pointing out that students who board might live in 'home-like- situations', but they experience some major boarding school benefits too.

How many homes have a fully equipped medical centre nearby, with child-friendly bedrooms? Also, very few of our boarders have ‘back gardens’ as vast, varied and explorable as our beautiful grounds!

Then, of course, there are diverse and wide-ranging leisure and activity options to choose from, without leaving 'home'!

THE COMPLETE STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO BOARDING SCHOOLS – ACCOMMODATION

A look inside boarding school accommodation

Clearly then, a leading residential school provides a home with its own particular kind of benefits, but what is the accommodation like at a private boarding school?

For a start, forget vast dorm rooms.

Rendcombe College boarders live in separate, well designed and comfortable houses within our well-appointed campus.

Each of these homes is purpose created for specific year groups, to enable students to enjoy leisure time with their friendship circles. It also enables our superbly trained house parents to mould their support around what different aged young people need.

Each student is provided with their own specific bed space or bedroom, of course, for that school year. Flexible and occasional boarders may sometimes need to be adaptable to whatever is available. But thankfully they are all lovely anyway!

Browse our website  for profiles on each of our home-away-from-home properties.

You may be particularly heartened by the fact that we do provide access to a healthy amount of gaming ‘action’ for boys and girls whose love of technology is part of the social life! It’s just one of the ways our boarding school accommodation and our ‘professional parents’ make life at residential school a relaxing and enjoyable experience.

Also, keep in mind that the best way to see our warm and welcoming bedrooms, kitchens and other communal facilities at Rendcomb College, is to arrange a visit. If you’re lucky, one of our students will even put the kettle on for you!

Sixth Form and ‘Park Life’

As part of our emphasis on celebrating the individual and ever-developing needs of students, Rendcomb College is well aware that older students thrive if given a healthy degree of independence at a sixth form boarding school.

All wrapped up in our 24-hour safe, secure and caring framework of course!

To help final year pupils to prepare for University – and indeed the rest of their adult lives – they live in Park House.

This accommodation is the most far removed from outdated notions of life at boarding school.

Our boarders have their own rooms, for privacy and quiet study. However, the rest of this beautifully designed home offers ample opportunity for fun and activities with their friendship groups. Their independence and life skills are also nurtured by having tasks to contribute to daily boarding school life, and opportunities to be self-sufficient in the kitchen.

Houseparents within this vibrant and warm boarding school home are skilled at knowing when they are needed, and when to step back.

Boarding school accommodation builds for the future

Park House for sixth formers is the final step in helping our students to grow their resourcefulness and resilience.

As we often state, opportunities for learning and development don’t start and end in classrooms at Rendcomb College!

Yes, we make sure students have plenty of rest and fun, but we also offer a living situation which nurtures their natural abilities and spirit.

Do boarders ever have the 'blues'? Don't we all! Even those times can be greatly eased by the caring community of Rendcomb College, within homely accommodation.

THE COMPLETE STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO BOARDING SCHOOLS – ACCOMMODATION