In the UK,
families are returning to the workplace following the Covid-19 lockdown.
Similarly, international travel is picking up. As work schedules become busier,
parents are once again looking for education solutions that benefit their
children while supporting their careers. State
boarding at schools in the UK is one affordable solution for middle-income
parents.
Co-educational state boarding schools provide an opportunity for students (most typically secondary
school age) to learn independence, gain an excellent education, and experience
a full range of extracurricular activities. Meanwhile, parents are able to
spend the working week without having to factor in school runs, extended day
pick ups, finding spare change for bus fares, or making packed lunches for
their children. Weekly boarding allows for those students who wish to do so, to
return home at weekends for family time.
How much do Boarding
Schools Cost?
State boarding schools
differ from independent boarding schools as the UK government covers the cost
of education. Parents therefore only need to cover the cost of boarding –
typically around two-thirds less than that of the independent sector. This
equates to around £12,000 (rather than figures in excess of £35,000 or
£40,000).
Boarding school
costs typically incorporate bed, board (all school meals), supervised prep,
activities in the boarding houses and extracurricular clubs held in school
(some exceptions apply). They also benefit from the strong pastoral system
found within school, as well as the close friendships made with other boarders.
What are the Other
Benefits of Co-Educational State Boarding?
There are many
other benefits, for example an appreciation for diversity, as many boarders
attend school from international locations. In state boarding schools, this is
less so the case than in the independent sector, as state boarding students in
the UK must have a UK passport or a right to residency in the UK.
Other benefits
to state boarding include the fact that they are very often located in the
countryside, so students are able to enjoy the fresh air and an active
lifestyle.
Facilities are
typically better than those of a traditional day state school – for example,
Sexey’s School in Somerset benefits from its own in-school swimming pool,
self-defence lessons and training from Bath Rugby players.
Why else
would Parents look for a State Boarding School in the UK?
Often, parents
are looking for somewhere where their children will thrive and be happy. State
boarding can ease the pain of the logistics associated with childcare at
secondary school level. It allows for students to be flexible in the afternoon
clubs and sports matches that they participate in, while parents are equally
free to stay late at work or to maintain their own active social life. State
schools will often arrange travel to and from train stations so that students
can travel in groups to London, for example. It is a real support for working
parents looking for an affordable, yet positive education experience for their
children.