The boarding community at St John’s is warm, caring and inclusive, providing a special experience for the pupils who belong to it.

Our approach to boarding is innovative, modern and dynamic.  It is designed both to cultivate a deep sense of belonging, while also offering real flexibility to suit modern family life.  Our intention is to support families who want to create a ‘best of both worlds’ solution to fit their particular needs, offering the ideal balance between school and home.

My Housemistress is fun, fair and caring. She’s always there for a friendly chat, some encouragement if I’m in need of a boost and she gives great advice.

Darcey, Fourth Form

Benefits of boarding

Boarders can do things that simply are not possible at home. With the availability of excellent facilities and almost constant access to staff, but without a daily commute, boarders can get more done; their days are longer and their weeks are broader.

Flexi-boarding saves me getting the bus, gives me time to use the gym with my friends and I actually get more work done!

Omar, Upper Fifth

Boarding allows pupils to develop their strengths and sense of independence within a supportive community. Our boarders give many reasons for loving boarding but one of the most frequently cited is the deep sense of belonging.  This belonging – to a smaller, supportive and encouraging community where every pupil is well known – instils an inner confidence and acts as a safety net for the development of the pupils’ character and skills. We see our boarders flourish as they develop greater independence and responsibility, understanding and consideration for others, while shared experiences with peers create strong relationships and real bonds.

The best part of boarding is the team spirit and friendships.

Holly, Lower Third

The atmosphere around the School in the evenings is relaxed, positive and fun. Prep is completed early so that the evenings can be focused on activities, socialising and downtime. Lower School pupils have their own boarding house with light, modern rooms, where they board within their year group. When pupils move up to Fourth Form, they are allocated to a house. We have two boys’ boarding houses and two girls’ boarding houses. Weekly boarders have their own dedicated space, storage for the week and often share with friends. Regular and ad hoc boarders have their own locker for their belongings.

What are the boarding options?

Our approach to boarding enables families to find the right balance for their particular needs. We offer weekly boarding, regular pre-paid boarding (one, two or three nights per week) and ad hoc boarding. This variety allows pupils and parents to experience the additional opportunities and benefits provided by boarding, while still being able to follow interests outside of the School sphere and, most importantly, spend quality time at home with family and friends.

The amount a pupil boards can change on a termly basis. The approach is extremely flexible as it allows pupils to adapt their boarding choices as their needs change throughout their time at St John’s. For some that means arranging boarding to complement parental work commitments or to fit around external activities, while for others it means weekly boarding when studying for public examinations to remove the daily commute and create space in the day for work, support and relaxation.

Who can board at St John’s?

All age groups at St John’s can board on a regular or ad hoc basics whether they are in a day or boarding house.  Lower School pupils can board on Tuesday to Thursday nights, while Senior School pupils can board on Sunday to Thursday nights.