Boarding FAQ
Where is the boarding house located?
The boarding house is located in the Cathedral Close, a short walk from the school. This has the benefit of allowing the children to feel they are ‘going home’ at the end of the day. We have one family house where all our boarders are accommodated. The girls sleep upstairs and the boys downstairs, sharing three common rooms on the ground floor. The boarding house can accommodate 45 children.
What boarding options are available to my child?
We offer five types of boarding:
- Full boarding - the children remain at school for the weekends and go home for exeat and school holidays.
- Weekly boarding - the children board during the week, going home after 4.30pm on a Friday, (if they have no commitments at school) and return to school either Sunday night, or Monday morning
- Part-time boarding - a set night/s booked in advance of the start of term
- Casual boarding - adhoc days, subject to availability
- Day Choristers are able to board over the weekends they are singing in the cathedral.
At what age can children start boarding?
All children from Year 3 are welcome to board at SCS.
Who will look after my child?
We have a dedicated boarding team, led by Katie and Jack Stredwick whose main aim is to ensure the children are happy and secure when away from home. Do read more about the team on the ‘Boarding Staff’ page.
How can I keep in touch with my child?
It is important for both parents and children to feel they are able to contact each other easily and conveniently.
- During the school day and in prep time, the children have access to their own school email accounts.
- Children are allowed the use of their own mobile phones at designated times with Facetime proving to be popular.
- The boarding house has two incoming land lines for parents to call in the evenings.
- The boarding duty phone can be used for parents to call in or children to phone home.
- Children are also encouraged to write letters and they love receiving them.
There are many opportunities for you to visit and support your child at school whether it be watching weekly matches, attending concerts and plays or simply taking them out to tea.
How can parents meet the boarding staff and other boarding parents?
At the beginning of each term, all the boarding staff are at the boarding house when the children arrive. Parents are invited to stay for tea and cake on arrival to meet the staff and other parents.
Throughout the school year there are numerous school events which parents are invited to attend including, quiz nights, drinks parties, Christmas concerts, fairs, sports day, plays and a myriad of other events, which are all great opportunities to meet other boarding parents.
The boarding team are very happy to meet with parents at anytime.
What is an ‘Exeat’ weekend?
The school closes for two weekends a term and all the children have to go home (or to a guardian) for ‘Exeat’ weekend. These dates are published in advance and can be found on the term dates page.
What happens at the weekends at SCS?
SCS does not have Saturday school which allows the boarders to have a good balance of fun and relaxation at the weekends. On a Saturday morning the choristers have a morning practice while the other boarders have the opportunity to complete any prep or have free time. Most Saturdays, by 10.30am the children venture away from the school grounds to places of interest and excitement including, local theme parks, ten-pin bowling, cinema, beaches, National Trust and English Heritage properties to name a few examples.
On a Saturday evening the staff put on a variety of activities to entertain the children such as, ‘Boarders Bake Off’, movie nights, games evenings, etc.
There is a more leisurely approach to our Sundays, with a later breakfast usually in-house before church. Sunday roasts are always popular and after lunch activities are usually based around school or the local area with den building in the woods being a firm favourite.
Why choose to board at SCS?
At SCS we are able to offer a bespoke family boarding experience. We say this because we feel that the size of our boarding house and our dedicated caring staff enables us to value each child as an individual. We have the time to get to know the children really well and understand what makes them feel confident, secure and happy. Our strong family ethos within the boarding house ensures that the older boarders support the younger ones and all enjoy being in each others company. Life long friendships are developed and the boarding experience at SCS is one which we feel sure that all children will look back on fondly.
