The idea of a school in which children both learn and live is commonly considered peculiarly British. In fact, some form of boarding school is found in most countries and neither in the total number of boarders nor in the percentage of children who board is Britain the leading nation. However, in many ways, Britain has set the trends in boarding education. Today, it is possible to say that, while for various reasons the numbers of boarders is falling, the quality of boarding life is constantly improving.
For those who have never visited a boarding school, this raises a second misperception, namely that boarding still follows the pattern set in Tom Brown's Schooldays and other novels of that period. At that time until possibly as recently as the 1950s boarding was viewed, externally at least, as a way in which children could be groomed in a rigorous and spartan environment so that they were well prepared for the vicissitudes of later life. While the academic side of life was the responsibility of the staff, social development resulted largely from peer group influence. Survival depended predominantly upon the individual but, having survived life in a British boarding school more or less anything that followed could be faced with equanimity.
The Tom Brown model of boarding has long since passed. The changing life-style within the country, Government requirements, the wishes of parents, the competition between schools and possibly the desires of children have all resulted in a totally changed philosophy and environment. Boarding is now envisaged as an integral part of the total education of children which equips them to live in and make a contribution to the modern world. Staff are active in assisting and monitoring the social development of each child. Indeed, all schools will have stated aims for boarding which are intended to ensure that all children, as far as possible, realise their potential. Furthermore, many staff would now regard their work in the boarding house as opposed to their classroom teaching as their main profession.
The peer group is still considered vital but there is more control over the way in which children learn from each other. In all but a few highly traditional boys' schools, the staff rather than senior pupils are the central figures in the boarding house. Thus, while bullying has not been eliminated, it is in most boarding schools no more severe than it is in the average day school. Rather than being excluded, parents are encouraged as partners in boarding education so that they play an uninterrupted role in the development of their children. Also, most boarding schools see themselves as an integral part of the local community and boarders are therefore not in any sense excluded from normal life. Parents who live locally are, in many instances, involved directly in boarding activities including community service and leisure pursuits.
In general, the fabric of boarding houses has been modernised, the environment is more homely and the children are invited to personalise their own rooms or living areas. The boarding house is a place of carpets, curtains and soft furnishings rather than bare boards, exposed windows and hard chairs. Thus, the return to school is not the visceral shock it once was, the distinction between home and school has been greatly reduced, and the children can obtain the benefits from both environments.
What are the benefits of the boarding environment? Since some children are thought to need boarding, there must be some perceived benefits. Indeed, for some children is thought to be essential, implying there is no real alternative. However, the majority of children in boarding have no obvious need. Children from stable home backgrounds with no apparent family or personal problems board because it is assumed they will gain from the experience.
Although every boarding school is unique, it is possible to distinguish two broadly differing approaches to boarding. In the traditional approach boarding is considered to be unquestionably good in itself whereas in the "family" approach boarding is viewed as at best an imperfect substitute for family life. If these are seen as two extremes, the approach of most schools probably includes some elements of both. Furthermore, the same differences in approach can be discerned between individual boarding houses. Therefore, in selecting a boarding school or a house for a particular child it is important to appreciate the prevailing boarding philosophy. As a result, it may be most beneficial for siblings to be placed in different houses or even different schools.
All boarding should complement family life since it should offer opportunities not found in the home. Boarding should provide stability and continuity. The staff, unlike parents, will be well versed in dealing with children of the particular age-group. Extra-curricular academic and leisure activities will add an extra dimension to the life of the boarder. Living away from home should develop a measure of independence with the resultant increase in self-confidence.
The philosophy which underpins the formal approach is that children gain knowledge of themselves and others as a result of community living. The regulations and other necessary constraints together with the hardships foster comradeship. Most importantly, the children share a major part of the responsibility in controlling their own society. Ultimately, the challenge comes not from the system itself but from those with whom the child shares the events of everyday life. As a result of this boarding style the child is thought to learn many of life's great lessons at an early stage and to emerge better able to withstand the strains and stresses of adult life.
In the family approach, the role model is more the house parent than the other children. Boarding is based as far as possible upon the idea of the extended family. Therefore, the boarding environment should, as closely as practicable, resemble the family home. Clearly, the greater the number of boarders the more difficult it is to replicate anything resembling family life. Furthermore, it is most important that house parents do not attempt to usurp the true role of parents.
While variants of these two approaches can be found throughout British boarding, most boarding schools for "normal" children, as a result of size and tradition, tend to towards the formal. Special schools for children with learning, physical or social disabilities are usually much smaller and adopt a family approach. The vast majority of schools for "normal" boarders are independent but there are almost 50 schools with boarding which are maintained by Local Authorities.
Schools for "normal" children may range from all-boarding establishments to those with one small boarding house but the basic characteristics will be the same. The house will have a housemaster or housemistress who is in charge and who is supported by a number of assistants or house tutors usually at least one of whom will be in residence. Therefore, the ratio of staff to children is low and senior children assist in running the house. The house should not be a school within a school but it will develop its own characteristics and ambience. The schools for "normal" children may offer full boarding, weekly boarding or a combination of the two. They may provide a specialist curriculum, emphasising for instance music, or cater for a specific clientele, for example children of a particular religious denomination or nationality.
Special schools may be independent, run by charities or other such bodies [non-maintained] or maintained by Local Authorities. They may specialise in the type of children they take or they may deal with a range of disabilities. Some will operate as schools with the usual three terms, while others can provide year-long residential care. The number of boarders is likely to be fifty or less within any one school and, depending upon the type of need, the staff:children ratio will be relatively high. There is some overlap between the two categories of boarding in that many "normal" schools will include some special needs children. In fact, their presence is thought to add a welcome and realistic enrichment to school life.
Knowing the requirements and characteristics of their children, parents should select the approach to boarding which they consider most suitable. This will provide an indication of not only the type of school to be visited but also the questions to be asked. A check list might range from questions on basic boarding philosophy and aims to questions concerning the house staff, staff supervision, facilities, furnishings, provision for health and safety, catering, daily routines, leisure activities, and in particular the children who are already resident.
About the author:
Ewan Anderson is Professor for Geopolitics in the Centre for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies in the University of Durham. As a school master, Ewan ran a boarding house and he later directed courses on residential education at the Universities of Durham and Newcastle. Ewan has been the Research Officer for the Boarding Schools Association for the past twenty four years and has edited two books on boarding. He was responsible for developing the inspection procedure for boarding for the implementation for the Children Act (1989). Ewan is on a number of national committees concerned with residential and education and care for children. He is a governor of a London comprehensive school and is a member of the Privy Council Educational Panel.
