Boarding | Northbourne Park School

Boarding at Northbourne Park

Boarding is integral to Northbourne Park School, with a strong home from home environment flowing throughout each of the boarding houses. The dedicated boarding team provides sensitive guidance and pastoral care of the very highest quality to support all of the pupils. There is a rich programme of activities and the children are encouraged to build lifelong friendships and develop many skills, in particular independence and organisation.

The boarding house is the place to come to at the end of the school day. It’s where the children relax and spend most of their time in the evenings.

Northbourne Park boarders are friendly, confident and supportive of each other, making the most of the opportunities given to them while giving the best of themselves. Boarders are usually aged 7 or over, however we will consider applications for younger pupils.

Boarding Options

There are several options available at Northbourne Park, Full Boarding, Weekly and Flexi-boarding. No matter which option the children choose, they are all welcomed into the boarding community.

Full boarding

Full Boarding enables children to maximise on the benefits of both school and boarding life by living in the boarding house throughout term time including weekends. The school closes for half term and end of term holidays, but during the weekends our full boarders enjoy a variety of activities both on and offsite, in addition to the activities and events taking place throughout the week.

Weekly boarding

Weekly Boarding is a good option for families who do not live quite so far afield. The children can reap the benefits of boarding life by staying in the boarding house from Monday to Thursday/Friday and returning to their families for the weekends. Our weekly boarders are assigned a bed of their own and a space in the house to store their belongings. As with our full boarders, they are encouraged to make their space their own and will contribute to the house as an equal to our full boarders during their time in boarding.

Flexi-boarding

Flexi-boarding allows pupils to enjoy boarding for a certain number of nights per week. We also offer ‘Sleepovers’ for children who do not normally board to stay over for occasional nights in the boarding house. These are particularly popular with our day children and local families as it helps to enable the children to enjoy more of the events, musical commitments and activities available at the School. For families with increasingly busy lifestyles, work schedules and long commutes, or simply occasional evening commitments, flexi-boarding provides a safe, secure and familiar option. Often our day children choose to flexi-board from time to time in order to spend more time with their friends and peers in the boarding house. It also provides a stepping stone into boarding life for those younger or more anxious children.

Activities and Trips

Whilst we recognise the importance for children to have free time, the boarding team organises a wide range of activities during the week to promote friendship, team work, communication and leadership. These include wide games, social events such as discos, formal dinners and quiz nights, as well as more active outdoor games. Weekends are busy with school and trips out in the local area.