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Boarding school

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A boarding school is an educational institution where students live on the school premises while receiving formal instruction. The term "boarding" refers to the provision of both lodging and meals, often called "room and board." These schools have existed for many centuries and are now found in many different countries. While they share the goal of education, their specific codes of conduct and cultural ethos vary greatly. Some schools serve only students who live on-site, while others also host day pupils. Day pupils attend classes during the day but return to their homes each evening.

Main (west) facade of Dollar Academy
Main (west) facade of Dollar Academy

The living arrangements in a boarding school are organized through a house system. A typical school features several separate residential houses located either on the grounds or nearby. Each house is managed by senior staff members like housemasters, housemistresses, or dorm parents. These individuals act in a capacity known as *in loco parentis*, meaning they take on quasi-parental responsibilities for their students. A single staff member may oversee anywhere from 5 to 50 students. In some systems, a matron assists with domestic management, while a house tutor helps with academic matters.

Croydon Shubra Hall PLC
Croydon Shubra Hall PLC

Inside these houses, students find various specialized facilities to support their daily lives. Most houses include study-bedrooms or dormitories for sleeping and a refectory, or dining room, for meals. Many also contain libraries, common rooms for relaxation, and even kitchens for snacks. To maintain order, schools often implement specific rules, such as "lights out" times. These rules require students to stop talking and prepare for bed at a set hour. Older students may sometimes hold positions of authority, such as prefects or monitors, to help supervise younger peers.

TASdorm1898
TASdorm1898

Students can choose from several different boarding schedules based on how often they visit home. Full-term boarders stay at the school for the entire academic year. Semester boarders return home at the end of each academic term. Weekly boarders, sometimes called five-day boarders, live at the school during the week and go home on weekends. There are also semi-boarders who attend the school for instruction and activities but return home daily. In some cultures, boarders may spend the majority of their childhood and adolescence living away from their families.

The history of boarding schools reveals a wide range of social roles and impacts. In the United Kingdom, there is a long tradition of boarding schools, including elite "public schools" like Eton and Winchester. These institutions have educated several prime ministers. However, history also includes periods of great injustice. In the United States and Canada, the Canadian Indian residential school system and American Indian boarding schools were used for forced assimilation. In other contexts, such as in Russia, some boarding schools functioned essentially as orphanages.

Carlisle pupils
Carlisle pupils

Today, boarding schools serve many specialized functions across the globe. In China, tens of millions of rural children are educated in boarding schools. Some institutions are therapeutic boarding schools, which provide treatment for psychological or learning difficulties. Military academies focus on providing strict discipline, while others specialize in education for students with special needs, such as the blind. There are even traveling boarding schools, like Think Global School, where students move to a new city each term.

THINK Global Students at BISS
THINK Global Students at BISS

Modern boarding schools often provide extensive facilities that extend beyond the classroom. Students may have access to gymnasiums, swimming pools, theaters, and even school chapels. Many North American boarding schools are located in large rural environments with diverse architectural styles. These schools often encourage extracurricular engagement through clubs, such as a French Club, or various sports teams. By combining academic learning with residential life, these institutions create a unique environment for social and personal development.

Charterhouse School, Godalming, Surrey, June 2013 (3)
Charterhouse School, Godalming, Surrey, June 2013 (3)
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🖼️ Images & Media (13)
File:Main (west) facade of Dollar Academy.jpg
Main (west) facade of Dollar Academy.jpg
File:Croydon Shubra Hall PLC.JPG
Croydon Shubra Hall PLC.JPG
File:TASdorm1898.jpg
TASdorm1898.jpg
File:Schloss in Torgelow, direkt am See.JPG
Schloss in Torgelow, direkt am See.JPG
File:THINK Global Students at BISS.jpg
THINK Global Students at BISS.jpg
File:Charterhouse School, Godalming, Surrey, June 2013 (3).jpg
Charterhouse School, Godalming, Surrey,...
File:Phillips Academy, Andover, MA - Samuel Phillips Hall.JPG
Phillips Academy, Andover, MA - Samuel...
File:Carlisle pupils.jpg
Carlisle pupils.jpg
File:Northcliff Campus, Columbia International College.jpg
Northcliff Campus, Columbia International...
File:The Doon School India.jpg
The Doon School India.jpg
File:Boarding school of humanities,facade.jpg
Boarding school of humanities,facade.jpg
File:Rosenberg Main Building.jpg
Rosenberg Main Building.jpg

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