Boarding for UK or Overseas pupils
Those who board at Slindon College share an environment which we work hard to make as homely and enjoyable as possible. With a family orientated atmosphere, our school offers all boys a safe, respectful and structured lifestyle. Boarders enjoy a supportive and nurturing environment in which they can flourish both personally and academically.
Boarding at Slindon College is based on the following values:
Secondary pupils and Sixth Formers from the UK and overseas can board at Slindon College. The College offers three boarding options:
Termly Boarding
Termly Boarding is full time for the term. Boarders arrive from 5pm the day before the first day of term and remain at the College until the next holiday, be it half term or the end of term. The College does not have any exeat weekends.
Weekly Boarding
Weekly Boarding is for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights and weekly boarders have their own reserved bed space. Weekly boarding is only available to overseas pupils if they have a local Guardian or family member who is providing accommodation at the weekends.
Flexi Boarding
We are happy to accommodate Flexi Boarding for day pupils on an occasional basis giving them the opportunity to socialise, participate in exciting activities, to offer respite and to assist with busy family schedules. Pupils may stay overnight in the boarding house for a boarding activity, dinner, bed and breakfast. Flexi boarders will not necessarily be allocated their own bed space and boarding spaces are not guaranteed. At least 24 hours notice is required for housekeeping purposes.
Boarding Day
Boarders are woken just after 7am by Matron. They go to the dining hall for registration and breakfast, which is many of our boarders' favourite meal with a choice of cereals and granola, croissants, fruit salad and cooked breakfast options on rotation.
After breakfast, the day and boarding pupils go on to enjoy the school day together. The last session of the day is enrichment, after which the day pupils go home and the boarders head to evening activities.
Boarding Evening
Monday-Wednesday the school day finishes at 4:30pm and on Thursday and Friday at 3:30pm. On Friday the College hosts Parents’ Tea at 3:30pm in the dining hall providing an opportunity for all parents and carers to have an informal chat and a cup of tea with teaching staff, houseparents and the Senior Leadership Team.
Boarders are supervised by two Houseparents on duty. Initially boarders are encouraged to change out of their school uniform into casual clothes and take part in the evening activity. Casual clothes are permitted at the end of the school day and at weekends. These should be suitable for the active, outdoor life the boys lead at the College. At 5:45pm boarders head to the dining room for dinner and evening registration with the Houseparents. When finished boarders return to the boarding house to relax.
The boarders enjoy an evening snack at 8:00pm, which varies each night between waffles, toasties, pain au chocolat, croissants and fruit.
Bedtime
Bedtime is a calming experience, with time for reading, catching up on the day and an audiobook after lights out. Bedtimes are staggered between year groups. The Houseparents remain actively on duty until late, after which the Houseparents, who have flats in the main building, are available throughout the night.
Weekends
The weekends, run by Houseparents with assistance from the academic staff, consist of a variety of different activities and trips, but we are mindful the boys also need downtime and rest and therefore weekends at Slindon have a much more relaxed approach. A typical weekend consists of a late rise, leisurely breakfast from 9:45am, followed by the days activity. On Saturdays, trips are made during the day and evening. On Sunday mornings the boarders are also regularly taken out.
Accommodation for UK and Overseas boarders
Secondary pupils and Sixth Formers, Year 7 and above, from the UK and overseas can board at Slindon College. The Boarding House is split by floors into Juniors and Seniors, who co-exist together and with the help of the Boarding team, form a tight-knit family atmosphere.
Bedrooms
Dormitories and study bedrooms are light, airy, comfortable and well-furnished in a modern and practical style. Years 7-9 live in dormitories that sleep 2-4 boys in a mixture of single and bunk beds. We aim to accommodate all boarders in congenial, compatible company.
Year 10's and above have dedicated study bedrooms, offering a greater degree of privacy for independent study, free from distraction.
Every room has suitable desk space with task lighting, drawers and a wardrobe with lockable store box for valuables. Personalising the room is encouraged and many pupils like to put up pictures of family, pets or their favourite band on their pinboard and bring their own duvet covers.
Our Boarding House activities are in addition to our enrichment, and take place every evening and at weekends. Day pupils are welcome to join in with activities with their friends if they Flexi Board overnight.
Evening Activities
The College has a broad range of on site facilities used on the evening and weekends for on site activities including two sports halls, Multi Use Games Area, outdoor heated swimming pool and mountain bike track to name a few. The spacious National Trust grounds includes playing fields, woodland and a peaceful Sensory Garden.
Activities take a broad range of forms making full use of the grounds, facilities and Houseparent skills including but not limited to:
Sports Based Activities - badminton, table tennis, football, rounders, personal training in the gym, swimming, basketball, tennis, mountain biking.
In House Activities - Fifa tournaments, Wii based activities, bingo nights, baking, board games and movie nights.
Local Interest Activities - weekly visit to supermarket/McDonalds, walks in the South Downs National Park, local woodland or beach walks, trips to community owned Slindon Village shop and cafe 'The Forge'. The Sixth Form boarders additionally have a weekly independent trip to Chichester.
Weekend Activities
The weekend additionally consists of off site trips to local places of interest and activity such as shopping centres, the cinema, the theatre, the bowling alley, go-karting, Lodge Hill (archery, abseiling, climbing, low ropes), Ground Control Paintballing (paintball, airsoft, axe throwing), Flip Out (trampoline, wipe out, ninja assault course), Out Of Bounds (laser tag, ten pin bowing, clip 'n climb, foot/disc golf, adventure golf).
As a termly treat boarders are taken to a restaurant of their choice. Towards the end of the academic year a special trip is planned to destinations such as Harry Potter World or Thorpe Park.
Weekend trips and activities are supervised by Houseparents supported by members of the academic staff. Some weekend activities are charged as an additional cost of up to £35.
Boarding House Meeting
The Boarding House Meeting is held on a Monday in the Snug and attendance for boarders is mandatory. Topics for discussion are many and varied including the weekly menu, evening and weekend activities as well as expectations with regard to behaviour, cleanliness and tidiness.
Boarders are actively encouraged to contribute their views on the operation of the boarding house. Matters discussed may include decor of the boarding house, use of communal rooms, living together, games to play or places to visit. The meeting minutes are shared with the Senior Leadership Team and Heads of House who take any necessary action. Alternatively, for those of a shyer disposition, matters can be written down confidentially and placed in the suggestion box by The Surgery.
Technical Youth Theatre
Boarders are able to be members of Chichester Festival Youth Theatre's 'Technical Youth Theatre', a venture organised through the Drama department and taking place on Wednesday evenings for boarders in Year 10+. There are also opportunities for pupils to take part backstage in professional theatre shows at one of the country's most prestigious theatres. Past professional shows our pupils have worked on are: The Midnight Gang (Autumn 2018), Sleeping Beauty (Christmas 2018) & The Wizard of Oz (Christmas 2019). In 2020, a boarder previously offered this opportunity, gained enough expertise to move forward to study Stage Management at the famous Brit School in London.
Technical Youth Theatre is a chance to explore what life behind the scenes is like. Members spend their time exploring all the practical, technical and creative elements that go into putting on theatrical shows. Topics covered include:
Not to mention, this is a great social experience for the pupils, who can interact with other boys and girls of their own age in a safe environment, outside the school setting.
Members will also work towards achieving an Arts Award. They embed the Arts Award qualification into the Technical Youth Theatre programme depending on the level of commitment and enthusiasm; members will achieve either a Bronze, Silver or Gold Arts Award by then end of 2 years.
Proud to be a unique British Boarding School in England, UK
Slindon College is an independent day and boarding school located amongst the beautiful West Sussex countryside in the South Downs National Park with sweeping views of the South Coast. The College is a unique school offering extra support to boys aged 8-18 with additional learning needs.
Secondary pupils and Sixth Formers from the UK and overseas can board at Slindon College. The College offers three boarding options Termly, Weekly, Flexi. Our boarding school provides excellent teaching standards and facilities for international pupils and those requiring English as an Additional Language teaching support.
The parents of our boarding pupils benefit from the knowledge that their child is being cared for in a safe and supportive traditional educational setting that helps them learn a new language and develop their educational goals, as part of one of the world’s best academic programmes, the National Curriculum, for children.
Slindon College is situated in the heart of West Sussex in the small village of Slindon near major UK airports.
Our nearest train station is Barnham with direct rail links to London Victoria.
The UK Education System for International Students
Boarding Schools in England, including Slindon College, follow a National Curriculum that outlines your child’s educational plan in what is referred to as ‘Key Stages’. Children aged between 11 and 16 study Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 of the education curriculum. Secondary school education includes studying towards GCSEs that are an important part of every childs education.
Our pupils are taught in class sizes no larger than 10 to allow each pupil the chance to achieve to the best of their ability. Each pupil is treated as an individual with access to a range of classroom learning support, enrichment activities and guidance to help them achieve their potential throughout their Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 education.
Short Term Boarding Experience
It is possible for boys to board on a short term basis at Slindon College. We offer an immersion experience for pupils to encounter life at a British boarding school that provides excellent pastoral care.
This is excellent preparation for pupils to return home with a better under of English language and culture. Pupil's will be taught the national curriculum in English, EAL (English as an Additional Language) sessions are available for those who require extra support.
How much does a Boarding School cost in the UK?
When choosing a UK boarding school for your child, you will need to take into account the fees and supplementary charges. Boarding school costs vary across the broad range of boarding schools in the UK. At Slindon College, our school fees are competitively priced and include the cost of tuition, housing and board costs. When considering the fees you need to take into account the quality of the teaching, the small class size, the high level of care and supervision, the good standard of accommodation and food, the on site facilities, and the numerous extracurricular activities included. It is important to ensure the boarding school chosen is the correct environment for your child.
Parents Living Outside the UK
The College requires parents living or working abroad to appoint a guardian, resident in the UK who we can contact in an emergency, who will act on behalf of the parent, and who will look after the pupil during half-terms and other times when the College is closed. This must be arranged prior to arrival at the College and contact details of the guardian must be given to the Admissions Officer.
All boys resident outside the UK must be in possession of a valid passport and, where appropriate an entry/student visa. Passports and any other important documentation must be handed in to the Houseparents for safe keeping.
Finding a Guardian for your Son
It is important to us that this works well. We can provide a list of guardianship agencies for overseas pupils, with 'bright world' as our preferred choice. Bright World holds full AEGIS (Association for the Education and Guardianship of International Students) accreditation to GOLD standard.
Contact Slindon College
Sitting in the beautiful county of West Sussex, Slindon is a peaceful village, located just four miles west of Arundel and six miles north-east of Chichester. To find out more about Slindon College and what we can do for you and your son please enquire.
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