Boarding at an independent school

Consider the experience of being a boarder in the twenty-first century – tentatively exploring ‘who I am’ through the glaring lens of relentless social media feeds, with the emotional burdens of ‘always on’ connectivity, commentary and unprecedented self-comparison to peers. Add to this the worries of climate change, political upheaval and the arrival of a game-changing global pandemic. Such psychological pressures are compounded by the rapid pace of technological change, where more than half of children entering primary school today will end up working in completely new jobs that don’t yet exist. How can our children and young people be better prepared to cope in such a world?

After the turbulent past two years, the need for excellent pastoral care has never been more important. Since it was established in 1965, St David’s College has always placed enormous value in focusing on the individual and supporting each pupil to realise the potential of their own gifts – giving them the freedom to flourish.

The North of England is understandably a popular choice for boarders and their families. With vibrant cities, stunning coastlines and spectacular landscapes, the North attracts boarders from across the UK and beyond. This area of the UK is renowned for its friendly communities, and a warm welcome awaits boarders who choose to call the North of England their home. 

The physical and mental wellbeing of pupils is central to a boarding school’s sports offering. Sport is a crucial part of boarding school life. It provides a healthy and active lifestyle, promotes good physical and mental wellbeing, teaches teamwork and leadership skills, and develops resilience, determination and many other important lifeskills. 

Education is transformative – it is the lens through which future opportunities are viewed and, hopefully, it provides the ability to enable them. A boarding education magnifies this further – being in a community where learning is a way of life develops understanding through practical engagement.

Sherborne Girls sets out to nurture and inspire a vibrant community of fulfilled, inquisitive and confident young women who are thoroughly prepared to enter higher education and embark on their future lives, with a desire to make a difference. A fundamental part of our vision and aim to develop the future generation of twenty-first century women is ensuring every pupil is comfortable and confident with digital technology, appreciating its importance and the opportunities it brings. The development of the use of technology is fully aligned with our five core values of curiosity, courage, compassion, adaptability and spirituality. 

Far beyond any of our memories, our predecessors spent most of their day outside. Nature was where they spent their free time, worked and ate. Fast forward to the present day and many of us are guilty of putting time outdoors at the bottom of our to-do list. In fact, a fifth of the teenagers we surveyed at The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) have never been for a walk in the countryside!

Major developments in boarding education in the last 20 years include an increase in the number of co-educational schools and the global digital revolution. But the importance of keeping pupils and their development at the centre of learning has remained. A key part of this is keeping parents in touch with pupils’ academic and personal progress, achievement, successes and also challenges. Regular communication between home and school is essential for a happy pupil and boarding experience. 

The word ‘wellbeing’ is used a lot in today’s culture but what does it really mean? When the Office for National Statistics (ONS) measures wellbeing it looks at an ‘individual’s feelings of satisfaction with life, whether they feel the things they do in their life are worthwhile and their positive and negative emotions.’¹