What are the benefits of boarding at a relatively young age?

Dorset House allows children to experience boarding from Year 4 to Year 8. Boarding at this age allows the children to gain valuable experience of being independent, learning to live in a community, develop self confidence and to encourage self discipline. It is also great fun!

Why should I consider a boarding education at Dorset House?

It is a safe, caring and friendly environment which means our children feel happy and enjoy being with their friends - pupils feel lucky to be part of such a close knit boarding house run by our committed and enthusiastic boarding staff. Boarding at Dorset House is also an attractive proposition because of our extensive range of activities e.g. ‘manhunt’, Airfix modelling, indoor football, IT, board games, to name a few.

In the summer, the children can bring their bicycles, go swimming, play cricket in the nets, build dens or kick a football around. The boarding also allows children of different ages to talk and play together in perfect harmony illustrating our unique ability in fostering relationships across different year groups.

What effect does boarding have on a child?

Ultimately, boarding successfully prepares children for their Senior Schools by encouraging pupils to be considerate of others and by being sensitive to different opinions. They learn to face challenges and to deal with the everyday ups and downs of prep school life ; they learn to face up to any problems they may have with the support of their friends and a caring boarding staff. They learn to be self reliant and also to develop a sense of loyalty to the boarding community.

The Year 8 pupils are given responsibility and this allows them to show their leaderships skills and to take responsibility for others. Boarding is intended to foster confidence and independence and as a result, children learn to be more responsible and more organised individuals.

What sort of boarding does Dorset House offer?

Boarding at Dorset House falls into two categories: full weekly boarders who will board from Monday until Saturday morning and flexi-boarders who may board from one to four nights, although a minimum of two nights is encouraged.

Every three weeks before and after half term there is an exeat week-end whereby children will leave school on the Friday at 4pm and arrive back at school the following Monday morning.

Who can my child go to with a problem?

Dorset House prides itself on its pastoral care and tries to ensure that any problems are dealt with swiftly and effectively. Children can talk to a number of different people – housemaster, matron, a teacher, gap year students or our independent listener.

How do I know if boarding is the right thing for my child?

Boarding is not appropriate for all children but at Dorset House we believe that with careful consideration and an open conversation with parents and children the right decision regarding boarding will be made. We offer a tour of the boarding house, a chance to meet the boarding staff as well as the experience of a taster night. At Dorset House, we find that it is the pupils who want to board because it is such fun; the problem tends to be persuading the parents!