Choosing and applying to a UK boarding school

Choosing a school

When choosing a school, you may want to ask yourself questions such as:

• Is the school in a safe, pleasant area?
• Are there any charges for tuition or boarding? What do the fees cover and what additional costs will I have to meet?
• Has the school performed well in exam results and government inspections?
• Does the school have a welcoming, friendly atmosphere?
• Are the facilities good?
• Does the school have strong pastoral care procedures?
• Does the school offer what I need in terms of subjects and activities?

Inspection and performance

In order to teach and accommodate pupils, UK boarding schools must meet strict quality standards set by the UK government and other education bodies. These standards cover the quality of teaching, accommodation, pupil welfare, facilities and more.

To check that schools are meeting these standards, they are inspected at least every three years for boarding, and every six for education. In both cases, between scheduled visits, inspection bodies will respond to complaints if necessary.

After the inspection, the school receives a report which shows how they performed. You can see the reports on their websites, or by contacting the relevant inspection body below:

• England: Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted)
• Scotland: Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education in Scotland
• Wales: Estyn, Her Majesty's Inspectorate for Education and Training in Wales
• Northern Ireland: Northern Ireland’s Education and Training Inspectorate
• All regions: Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI)
• All regions: Bridge Schools Inspectorate
• All regions: School Inspection Service.

Each school should publish their students’ exam results on their websites. Most of the websites listed above also publish information on exam results and academic performance.

Finding a school

On this Education UK website, you can search through hundreds of UK boarding schools. Simply clickUni/college/school at the top of the page, select Browsing boarding schools and start looking! Use the filters to narrow your search by residential type, age range, dietary requirements or religious tradition.

The Education UK website lists most UK boarding schools, but not all (we are working on it!). Other places to look for reputable schools are on the following websites:

• Boarding Schools’ Association
• State Boarding Schools’ Association

Applying to a school

Demand for UK boarding school places varies from school to school. For the most popular schools it may be necessary to apply up to three years beforehand - see the websites of the individual schools. For many you should apply a year in advance if possible, but if you have left it later than that it is still worth enquiring - just email or ring the admissions offices at the schools you are interested in.

It is best to start in September (the start of the academic year in the UK), so that you begin at the same time as the local students. This way, you will all be ‘new’ together and it will be easier to settle in.

However, don’t worry if you can’t apply that far in advance or start in September – some schools are very flexible.

• For independent boarding schools, you need to apply directly to the school. Visit their website or read their prospectus, then get in touch with them to find out about applying.

• For state boarding schools, applications are usually handled by the school’s local government authority (or, in Northern Ireland, by the school’s local education and library board). You can find out more about state boarding schools here.

Can I visit schools before I enrol?

Every UK boarding school has its own unique atmosphere and facilities. If you can, it’s a good idea to visit the schools you are interested in before you apply.

Nearly all schools hold ‘open days’ - these are often held in autumn (September, October and November) but you might also find them at other times of the year. On an open day, you can meet the teachers and other staff, look around the school premises, visit the local villages and towns, and meet other pupils.

In some schools, you can even stay overnight in a boarding house and take part in a ‘taster day’ of classes before you enrol. Talk to the head teacher about this.

Hope you better understand about study abroad and UK Boarding school