Boarding School

Boarding schools are a usually fee-charging school where students study, live during the entire term time, with their fellow students and sometimes along with teachers. Boarding in this particular case means to provide food and lodging for students.

Many public schools in England and other former British territories (called private schools in the US) are boarding schools.  Boarding school students may spend the majority of their childhood and adolescent years away from their parents.  Students generally return home for the holidays and for the summer break.

Boarding schools in America are much like British boarding schools.  They are also a type of Private School. Conversely, British Boarding schools are more like to receive students into their schools at a much younger age compared to American schools.

Private British boarding schools offer education generally starting for primary grades through high school while most American schools start at Grade 10.  Private Boarding schools present a comprehensive approach to education. Students learn, live, exercise and play together in a common setting and are mainly under adult supervision.

A boarding school either requires or provides the option for students to live on campus. Students essentially live in dormitories or resident halls on the school's property. The dormitories are supervised by the school's faculty staff.  Student’s typically live, eat and breathe on the school’s grounds.  The students are given a well structured scheduled day. Their schedule includes class time, meals, athletics, study as well as activities. They are also allowed free time in their daily schedule.  Residence life is a unique part of the boarding school experience. Some feel that the child’s begin away from home and learning to cope alone provides a child with confidence and independence.

American boarding schools start with grades 10-12 with several schools starting with grade 9.

In addition, America’s private boarding schools can also fall in the category of religious private schools.  Many of these schools, however, do not require the child to board at the school, but does provide the child with a well structured academic scheduled day.  Because of this, many people feel that private schools and private boarding schools offer a better education than the public school system.

A private boarding school may be an excellent choice for a student depending on the needs of the student and his or her parent.  A parent who is very involved in his or her career may consider registering his or her child in a boarding school.  A child who needs and requires great structure in his or her life may be a good candidate for a boarding school environment.