Thank you for your interest in boarding at Leweston. We offer modern and family-friendly boarding for boys and girls from age 8 to 18 across our four boarding houses: Martha, Cecilia, Eleanor and Antony.
Leweston has welcomed boarders since the school’s foundation in 1891 and boarding is an integral part of life in the school. Unlike many other schools Leweston’s boarding houses are found in the main building occupying different wings of the Manor House as well as subsequent developments. This creates a home from home atmosphere where academic, daily life happens ‘downstairs’ and boarding, family life ‘upstairs’.
Whilst Years 11 to 13 have study bedrooms, younger boarders complete their evening homework in the beautiful Pensabene Libarary in a supervised ‘prep’ session. This ensures that the Houses remain a relaxed, fun environment away from some of the pressures of academic life.
This model also ensures that day and boarding pupils are fully integrated as they spend whole school day together. These strong friendships are reflected in the number of day pupils who join the busy after-school clubs and are welcomed to events in the weekend activity programme.
Our Housemasters and Housemistresses are supported by a team of Assistant Houseparents and GAP Assistants as well as our Florins, academic members of staff who spend one night per week in the boarding houses. The Headmaster, Mr Paget-Tomlinson, also lives onsite and regularly joins the boarders in the evenings and supervises boarders’ prep. Our tight knit boarding family means that pupils and staff know each other well and there is a strong, supportive atmosphere.
Our boarders repeatedly tell us how much they enjoy their time here and they forge life long friendships in the Houses which we see time and again when they return to visit.
We would be delighted to welcome you for a visit and to talk more about which of our flexible boarding options could be right for your family.
There are many reasons that families choose boarding but here are just a few of the advantages boarding can bring:
Excellent results: Boarders can study in the evenings without the distractions of home and have access to the academic boarding tutors, or Florins, in the evenings. Analysis by the Boarding Schools Association shows that 90% of boarders proceed to their university of choice.
Confidence and independence: boarders gain in self-confidence and learn to cope for themselves in a community of peers. For Sixth Formers boarding can offer the opportunity to experience independent living before plunging into the world of university.
Responsibility: boarding supports pupils take their first steps towards maturity, boarders learn to be responsible for their actions and understand how they may impact on those around them. They learn to be considerate and to respect the differences in those living around them.
Convenience: for busy families flexi and weekly boarding can assist family life. With the children looked after at school in the week and no Saturday school, they can come home on Friday with their work done for quality family time through to Sunday night or Monday morning. Though counter intuitive many boarders say they grow closer to their parents as a result.
Community: Students living in rural communities with limited public transport can be isolated from their school friends when they go home. Boarders have a ready-made group of same-age friends with which to share interests and activities. Boarding brings with it social interactions and the friendships formed in the boarding houses are often life-long.
Extra-curricular activities: boarders can access the full range of after-school and weekend activities and, as a result, develop more of their potential. With almost constant access to the school’s facilities and staff and no daily commute their days are longer and experience often broader.
Leweston has welcomed boarders since the school’s foundation in 1891 and boarding is an integral part of life here.
We have a range of different options that allow pupils and their families to find a style of boarding that works well for them, be it full, weekly or flexi. Boarding can be a simple, and invaluable option, for busy parents enabling the entire family to escape the pressure of trying to ‘fit it all in’. The flexible model at Leweston and lack of Saturday school also allows boarders to continue to spend time with their families.
Boarding allows pupils to develop independence in a secure environment; to take responsibility for themselves, their learning and others, and to take full advantage of the wide range of activities and facilities Leweston has to offer. Children enjoy the academic week, after-school clubs, sport and weekend activities and trips.
Leweston has four boarding houses: Martha (Girls Years 4 to 8), Cecilia (Girls Years 9 and 10), Eleanor (Girls Years 11 to 13) and Antony (Boys Years 4 to 13). Each House has its own Houseparent who plays a crucial role in the pastoral care of their students. Our aim is to create a relaxed, family atmosphere where boarders feel happy, secure and comfortable.
Unlike many boarding schools the Houses are part of the main school buildings, this creates a home from home atmosphere where academic, daily life happens ‘downstairs’ and boarding, family life ‘upstairs’. It also ensures that day and boarding pupils are fully integrated as they spend whole school day together.
Monday to Friday boarders are woken up at 7.00am and breakfast is served in the Dining Hall at 7.30am. Boarders return to their rooms to gather all they need for the school day, then leave the Houses for registration at 8.20am. They do not return to boarding until the end of the school day. The exception to this are Sixth Form who can use their study bedrooms for private study from Period 2 onwards.
Evenings and Bedtimes
At the end of the school day boarders can return to House. There are activities and prep for all pupils and the school buses depart at 6.00pm Monday to Thursday. After supper, each House comes together in a Common Room for a House Roundup to find out how everyone is, how the day was and to pass on messages. Older years have a second activity or supervised prep session after the House meeting. There is then time to relax and talk to family and friends before bed.
All boarders have a set bedtime, and must be in their rooms fifteen minutes before, settling down for the night. After lights out everyone must be quiet in the dorm or in their rooms and settle down to sleep. Bedtimes depend on year group
Weekends
Weekends are more relaxed with pupils enjoying breakfast later in the morning. For Years 7 and 8 there is a prep session on Saturday morning followed by a teacher-led activity. Prep boarders spend this time in House. In the afternoons many pupils take part in sports matches but there is always a planned activity, usually a trip. There will also be the opportunity to relax, tidy up and get ready for the next week, as well as make the most of the beautiful grounds (the bikes and go-karts are very popular on a sunny afternoon.)
In the evening, there might be a cinema trip, or bowling, or a relaxing night in watching DVDs and eating popcorn. For the older years there are organised socials which many of the day pupils join.
For many boarding can be a good solution for the challenges of modern family life but with so many different types of boarding on offer which is the best one to suit you?
Full Boarding
Full boarders stay at school seven nights a week returning home for the holidays. This option provides boarders with the opportunity to focus on their studies in the evenings and at weekends with all the school’s resources on hand. They can also enjoy all of the social opportunities Leweston has to offer. A full activities programme means there is always something to do.
Weekly Boarding
Weekly boarding can offer the best of both worlds freeing pupils from a daily school journey allowing them to concentrate on academic study and extra-curricular activities. As Leweston has no Saturday school, weekly boarders can return home on Friday evenings and come back to school on Sunday night or Monday morning.
Flexi Boarding
Flexis can stay in school one, two or three nights a week on an occasional or regular basis. Flexi boarding is popular with pupils who have regular after school commitments and families juggling hectic modern lives. Flexis can finish their homework in supervised prep, enjoy a healthy supper and spend time with their friends ahead of the following school day.
Many pupils start their boarding journey as a flexi and then move to weekly or full boarding as they move to the examination years … or they find out how much they enjoy it. Existing pupils can join boarding at any time as long as their is room in the House.
We like our boarders to be busy and get as much as they can from the boarding lifestyle. House staff strongly encourage participation in activities to build confidence and self-esteem.
There are a variety of evening and weekend activities, trips and socials available each term, these are listed in the Calendar on the Parent Portal, Activities page and advertised in the House.
Evening activities take place in two slots (16.45 – 17.45 and 19.30 – 20.30). Years 7 and 8 must sign up for at least three activities per week, Year 9 and 10 pupils must sign up for at least one. Older pupils can sign up for any they choose. A sign-up form is emailed to parents at the start of every term.
There is no formal Saturday school at Leweston so boarders spend Saturday mornings relaxing in House and completing their prep. In the afternoons there are often sports fixtures, either onsite or away at other schools. There will also be some activities planned for the afternoon and early evening. On Sunday there is usually a trip or the opportunity for boarders to go into Sherborne as well as the programme in school. On Friday evenings, Sixth Formers can go out at the discretion of the houseparent and senior boarders can arrange their own trips and visits at the weekends.
All activities, including those at weekends, are also open to day pupils who often come into school to spend time with their boarding friends.
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