What’s new at British boarding schools?

Now this academic year has ended and we look ahead to the next, here’s a round-up of what’s new at British boarding schools – or at least a handful of recent and imminent developments.

Ardingly College recently completed a beautiful new Wellbeing Garden, which runs along the back of its existing Health and Wellbeing Centre. A peaceful haven, it’s the perfect space for students to spend some quiet time away from the hustle and bustle of a busy school day. Since the garden opened in late spring, it has been well used by students for reading, recuperating, relaxing and revising. It will be a super resource for returning and new students from September too.

Culford School is well known for its sports academies, with well-established programmes for football, golf, swimming and tennis. Accommodating girls’ football, however, is a new development. Now all eligible pupils can combine academic aspiration with their footballing ambitions through the school’s holistic approach to their academic, athletic, and personal development, while the Culford-Bury Town Football Club Partnership will allow girls to experience English club football alongside an outstanding British education.

Fyling Hall School is adding the BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Equine Management to its Sixth Form curriculum from September. Alongside existing A Levels, RSL Diplomas in the Performing arts and the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), this further diversifies learning opportunities at the school. Designed for students who are passionate about horses and interested in pursuing a career in the equine industry, this BTEC can also be an additional qualification alongside A Levels for students looking at related fields such as veterinary sciences or animal management.

From September, Stonyhurst College will consist of pupils aged 11-18, while its Prep School, St Mary’s Hall, will be for ages 3-11. Previously, Prep was 3-13 and College was 13+ but, as Headmaster John Browne explained: “11+ has become the most natural and common starting point for a secondary education, providing pupils with wider access to specialist teaching across our academic and co-curricular provisions. This change means that our Year 7 and 8 pupils will benefit from specialist teaching in all subject areas, as well as access to the College’s wider facilities.”

We finish with more sports news. Strathallan School is doubling its sports academy provision by adding tennis and swimming to its existing rugby and shooting academies, which enjoy prodigious success. This follows recent triumphs in both sports, perhaps most notably two championship titles at the 2024 Scottish Schools Tennis Championships. All four academies offer programmes with the resources to maximise the potential in each student, giving them the drive to succeed from the youngest years upwards, while the school’s extensive indoor and outdoor facilities allow year-round training for talented young people.

If you would like to know more about any of these British boarding schools, please get in touch.