Boarding school

A boarding school is a self-contained educational establishment where students not only study but where some or all students may live.

Boarding school description

Main characteristics

The term boarding school fundamentally refers to classic British boarding schools, and most boarding schools around the world are modeled on the classic British boarding school. Boarding schools have specified rooms or allotted areas for different activities that occur throughout the day as defined by the boarding school administrators. These activities have a predefined structure and time set by the institution. These predefined schedules and norms are to be strictly followed, the failure of which could earn punishment. These rooms include the dormitory, where pupils share sleeping quarters, particularly on bunk beds, the refectory, where pupils take meals at fixed schedules, and the study hall, where pupils do their academic work. It also has facilities for bath and washing, and a storehouse for the storage of residents' belongings. Boarding schools also provide a playground for games and activities for the students.

Related Topics:
Punishment - Dormitory - Bunk beds - Refectory - Study hall - Playground - Game - Student

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The term boarding school is derived from the usage to board in school, which means to stay or reside in the school. Many public schools ("private school" in American English) are boarding schools. They involve long-term separation from one's parents and culture, and thus give rise to a phenomenon known as the TCK or third culture kid. Pupils may be sent to boarding schools between the ages of two and eighteen; they can be sent to any number of specific types of boarding schools, from nursery boarding schools (or Kindergarten boarding schools) to senior preparatory boarding schools. The amount of time one spends in boarding school also varies considerably, from a brief period of 1 year to more than 12 years in boarding school.

Related Topics:
Public schools - Third culture kid - Nursery - Kindergarten - Preparatory

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Types of boarding schools

Boarding schools are a form of residential school system; however, not all residential schools are "classic" boarding schools. Other forms of residential schools include resident schools for disabled pupils (e.g. for students who are blind), special needs residential schools (e.g. for mentally challenged students), and the Israeli kibbutzim, where children stay and get educated in a commune, but also have everyday contact with their parents at specified hours.

Related Topics:
Residential school - Disabled pupils - Blind - Special needs - Israel - Kibbutzim

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Some schools are semi-boarding schools (part day school and part boarding school). These schools take in some students as boarders and other students as semi-boarders, who would only attend school hours in the day alongside boarders and then return to their homes. These schools might also admit some students as day-boarders. These pupils would have meals at school along with attending classes, but they live off-campus. There are also quasi-boarders, who stay in boarding school but return to their families at mid-week and at weekends. Semi-boarders and day-boarders (collectively called as boarding-day scholars) have a distinct view of day school system, as compared to most other children who attend complete day schools without any boarding facilities. These students relate to a boarding school life, even though they do not totally reside in school; however, they do not completely become part of the boarding school experience. On the other hand, quasi-boarders have a different view of boarding schools as compared to most usual boarders (full term boarders), who would only go back to their homes either at the end of a term or by the end of an academic year.

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Basic guidelines and essential regulations

The Department for Education and Skills of the United Kingdom has prescribed guidelines for boarding schools, some of which include regulations for the minimum perimeter (living space) required for each student and other aspects of basic necessities.

Related Topics:
Department for Education and Skills - United Kingdom

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A minimum floor area for each pupil with regarding to his/her dormitories, cubicles and bedrooms, is prescribed. This is attained by multiplying the number of students sleeping in the dormitory by 4.2 m², and then adding 1.6 m² to the resultant. A minimum distance of 0.9 m should also be maintained between any two beds in a dormitory, bedrooms and cubicles. In case students are provided with a cubicle, then each student must be provided with a window and a floor area of 5.0 m² at the least. A bedroom for a single student should be at least of floor area of 6.0 m². Boarding schools must provide a total floor area of 2.3 m² living accommodation for every boarder, at the minimum. This should also be incorporated with at least one bathtub or shower for every 10 students. These are some of the few guidelines set by the department amongst many others. It could probably be observed that not all boarding schools around the world meet these minimum basic standards, despite their apparent appeal.

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Boarding Schools

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