Schools Guide

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Many parents assume that boarding schools are all independent or private schools. This means they are unaware of the existence of 35 flourishing state boarding schools, which between them account for around 5% of all boarders in the UK. These schools have been described as a jewel in state education’s crown, and certainly one of its best-kept secrets, as a glance at the school league tables will reveal.

Boarding schools, both independent and state, have the huge advantage of a much longer day, which allows supervised ‘prep’ as boarding schools call it, much more time for sport and activities such as music and drama, as well as time for quality pastoral support and guidance. Developing self-confidence in boarders is another real strength of all such schools.

So what are the differences between state and independent boarding schools? The answer is that all boarding schools are different and that is why prospective parents spend time reading prospectuses and visiting schools in order to discover one school that will really suit their child.

The fees charged by state boarding schools are, however, significantly lower than those of independent schools. State boarding schools have the cost of the education financed by the local authority, meaning that parents pay only the cost of boarding and the many activities. In practical terms, this means that state boarding fees for 2007–08 ranged from £8,000–£11,000 per year, making them a more attractive and affordable option for many parents.

The State Boarding Schools Association (SBSA) has a website (www.sbsa.org.uk) that provides details of all state boarding schools and allows prospective parents to search for a school by geographic area. Alternatively, the Parents’ Guide to Maintained Boarding Schools is obtainable free of charge from the Boarding Schools’ Association, Grosvenor Gardens House, 35–37 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0BS.

State boarding school fees are easily below the maximum for the MoD Continuity of Education Allowance (formerly known as the Boarding School Allowance), meaning that Service personnel who qualify for the CEA pay only 10% of the boarding fee.

Almost all members of the SBSA have a mix of day and boarding pupils, ranging from half a dozen that are majority or totally boarding to, at the other end of the scale, small, friendly boarding communities within larger schools.

Most SBSA schools are co-educational, though there is one girls’ school and a small number of boys’ schools. Most cover the age range 11–18, but one takes primary boarders from age 7, another covers only the age range 13–18, and two are sixth form colleges.

Weekly boarding is increasingly available for parents who do not live too far away and who can thus take advantage of having their child home for some weekends.

Almost all state schools are now specialist schools, and the state boarding schools are no exception – with everything from technology colleges and language colleges to sports colleges and arts colleges. Such specialisms are often of interest to prospective parents as they seek to identify the school that will best suit their child.

Independent boarding schools are allowed to admit overseas boarders of any nationality, and almost a third of boarders are non- British with parents living overseas. State boarding schools are allowed to admit only those boarders that have a UK or EU country passport. One concession, however, is that children of all serving members of HM Forces are eligible for admission to state boarding schools.