A number of factors contribute to the School’s distinctive, successful and happy boarding system. Several staff are employed full time to look after the welfare of the boarders and they do not teach in class. This helps to create an atmosphere that is homely and intimate – different from the relationship that the children have with their daytime teachers. There are around one hundred boarders in total and they receive highly individualised attention, since the ratio between boarders and boarding staff is very low. This also enables close and personalised supervision from the Houseparents. The relatively small number of children in each year group and the presence of juniors and seniors within the School is a very real strength since it helps to create an environment where the boarders feel that they are part of a very large family. The friendships forged by children of the same age are deep and often lifelong.
The boarders have plenty of space in their rooms and common rooms which makes for privacy and happiness. It is also an advantage that the School is on the edge of a small and safe town. Boarders can visit the shops and there is no sense of isolation or claustrophobia. How often such visits take place and how far they are supervised depends on the child’s age. Finally, but crucially, small numbers allow a flexibility and informality that are impossible for larger boarding schools.