The decision to send your child to a boarding school is life changing. As parents we all want the best possible start to life for our children including the best possible education, environment and support to ensure not only the very best academic outcomes but ensure good mental health and life skills too.
It is all too easy for parents juggling hefty working commitments alongside hectic family lives to rely upon electronic devices and screens which have become a huge challenge for many in recent years.
The solution to which may be very simple.
Just one of the advantages of boarding school is that it provides an engaging, activity packed environment for your child from the time that they wake up to the moment the lights go off in the evening.
But there are so many more…
1. Round-the-clock education
Pupils attending boarding school have access to additional support from their teaching staff and house staff ‘after hours’. This means that after all of the ‘Day’ pupils have finished school and gone home, your child will continue to have support from high calibre teachers as they complete their homework in ‘Prep’ sessions. Being around classmates in the boarding houses also means pupils can continue to work together on school projects after the school bell rings.
2. Extra-curricular opportunities
Of course, parents are able to source and organise extra-curricular activities for their children outside of school, boarding pupils can access an extensive list of activities that they can take part in on any given day. At Bredon pupils take part in organised extra-curricular activities ranging from horse riding to jujitsu. Having these opportunities is not only integral to the personal development of your child but will also contribute to the success of their university application.
3. Built-in social life
Although we can’t promise that every night will feel like a sleepover, there are certainly social advantages to boarding life. Friendships formed at boarding school are often life-long. Shared experiences and time to be together allows for relationships to grow and develop. What is more, relationships at home can benefit because the time together during the holidays is not taken for granted.
4. Access to facilities
A benefit of living within a school campus, such as Bredon you have access to facilities that you most likely wouldn’t have at home, such as a swimming pool, a fully equipped gym, and acres of gardens and woodlands. Full size rugby, football, hockey and cricket pitches and tennis courts are all in your ‘back garden’ if you are a boarder at Bredon.
5. Independence
By sending your child to boarding school, they will get to experience life outside of their family unit, and are given more independence. Most children don’t experience this until they have to leave home and attend university; by attending boarding school children learn to be independent much earlier, enhancing their preparation for life beyond education and developing their levels of maturity before entering the ‘adult world’.
6. Preparation for Adult Life
Boarding life promotes key characteristics such as self-resilience and responsibility, and teaches pupils useful life skills such as organisation, cleanliness and time management. Living in close proximity to their peers will challenge your child to sharpen their social skills, interact with others and step outside of their comfort zone. A boarding experience helps to develop well-rounded individuals with a strong ability to make decisions for themselves.
7. Expert Pastoral Care
By sending your child to boarding school, you can feel safe in the knowledge that they will have the best pastoral care throughout their educational experience. Whilst boarding, your child will embrace a strong set of core values such as determination, ambition, and confidence; they will have to learn to adapt to various rules and build their interpersonal skills. Your child will have an extremely strong support network, from members of teaching and house staff, to a dedicated pastoral team who are employed to maintain a consistent high level of pastoral care. Boarding staff are able to give a level of attention and support to each child that simply may not be possible to match at home due to work commitments and busy schedules.
8. Structure
Children crave structure and routine. Life in a boarding house can be full on, but there is always a clear and strict daily structure which helps pupils to feel secure. A clear structure instils a sense of organisation into pupils and helps them to manage their time well. Set rules such as limited screen and/or device time also helps to promote different interests and encourage children to explore various hobbies and engage in conversation with their peers.
9. Discover New Interests
By socialising with friends and taking part in a varied range of extra-curricular activities, your child is far more likely to discover a range of interests. Discovering an activity that they are passionate about can lead to an earlier choice of career path, and a better sense of happiness and wellbeing. At Bredon, boarders are often given the opportunity to listen to visiting speakers who have achieved great success either in their career or vocationally – these speakers are able to share their advice and/or lead a workshop with pupils and spark conversation around various new topics.
