What provision do you make for the needs of children from Service families?

Raymond McGovern, current Chair of the State Boarding Schools Association

If you are reading this article then clearly a boarding education is something that you are investigating and considering. And it may be something of a surprise to you that that does not inevitably mean an independent school education. There are currently 37 maintained schools and Academies where high-quality boarding is offered.

In maintained or state boarding schools and academies, parents pay only for the boarding element and the government pays for the education. This means that, typically, parents pay between £8,000 and £10,000 per year for a state boarding education, while this might be the termly figure in some independent schools. In addition to the affordability factor for many Service families there is also a philosophical dimension to their choice of school, and some find themselves in conflict believing that they have to choose an independent education to ensure their child can have the continuity of education that boarding provides.

State boarding schools offer the benefits of a boarding education but at a third of the normal price. Is there a catch? Well, the simple answer is no. If you don’t believe me, put us to the test. What are the questions that you would want answering when selecting an independent school? Academic performance? Excellent pastoral care? Quality accommodation? Good sports facilities and access to great range of activities? Well, state boarding schools can provide all of these, and you will find one that will match your needs as a Service family and your child’s individual needs.

Many are among the highest-performing schools in the country judging by the raw score of GCSE and A-level results, and also by the measure of ‘adding value’ – students do better in a state boarding school than their previous achievements would lead people to believe. A better education can be measured in many ways, but the state boarding sector does well in all of them.

The government made a significant investment of over £20 million in new boarding facilities in the maintained sector and is encouraging a number of new academies to include boarding provision. Demand for places is high in state boarding, so the new places that will be created will give more parents the opportunity to send their children to these popular schools. The sector is also varied, with schools ranging from single-sex grammar schools to the largest mixed boarding school in Europe! There is also a school that specialises in rural technology and attracts 50% of its students from the world of farming. So there is real diversity and choice, which means that families and children will find a school that will suit them and help them to realise their potential.

Living and working together is part of the adult world, so state boarding rightly claims that it prepares its student for real life and, of course, real work. The facilities at state boarding schools can match those in the independent sector, but it is the ethos that is so obviously shared. Responsibility and caring for others are integral to how boarding schools operate. Working and playing hard are essential ingredients, but so is the caring relationship that is formed between staff and students. The stability offered by state boarding gives parents the confidence of knowing that their children are cared for, working within the national curriculum and gaining the benefits of growing and learning with their friends.

Most Service families may not be aware of this, but Ofsted recently published a report on the quality of provision for children from Service families. Sexey’s was selected to be part of this survey, as were a number of other state boarding schools. HMI Andrew Harrett wrote that ‘Sexey’s’ contribution to the quality of provision and partnerships for students who are in families of Service personnel is outstanding.’ I have no doubt that parents will find the same applies throughout the sector, and parents may want to find out more when they visit school by asking the question, ‘What provision do you make for the needs of children from Service families?’

The State Boarding Schools Association (SBSA) website (www.sbsa.org.uk) has all the details and I can guarantee that not many of your friends know that state boarding schools exist. Now that the government knows and has invested so significantly, it won’t be long before everyone knows – so get there first!

Raymond McGovern is Headmaster at Sexey’s School, Bruton. He has been head at the school for the past four years and is currently Chair of the State Boarding Schools Association. Prior to being Headmaster he was Deputy Head Responsible for Boarding at the school. He has also been a Housemaster at Christ College, Brecon, and before his teaching career served in the Royal Air Force as an Aircraft Engineer at RAF St Athan, RAF Bruggen and RAF Brawdy.