SENIOR SCHOOL BOARDING
Our boarding school in Somerset provides family and community life in a beautiful setting. We realise that Wells is a home away from home for our boarders and recognise how important it is to make them feel comfortable and secure. Birthday parties and chats with the matron over a cup of tea – among many other things – help our boarders feel right at home.
Boarders learn to live with others, which helps them to develop personal characteristics such as kindness and honesty. We encourage our boarders to take advantage of our many opportunities because through getting involved in our activities and events, our pupils develop a ‘can do’ attitude that helps them grow as people and as part of a team.
Principles of our Boarding School
The fundamental aim of the School is to ensure that the welfare of all the pupils is properly safeguarded and that the boarding environment is both happy and healthy. We aim to provide a “home from home” in every House across the School. We provide a safe and caring environment where pupils can flourish in their surroundings, develop a commitment of responsibility to the School community and prepare for life beyond School.
Modern boarding education fosters independence and cultivates lifelong friendships in a transformational, safe environment where students develop academically, socially and emotionally, preparing them to navigate an interconnected world.
– The Boarding Schools’ Association Boarding Declaration
Introduction to Boarding
A Week in the Life of a Boarder
Senior School Boarding Life
Each House consists of around 20 to 30 boarding pupils, which is large enough to ensure everyone has a good balance of friends but small enough that everyone knows everyone well. We find this balance helps strengthen our family feeling.
Each Boarding House has a resident Houseparent and Assistant (both are often joined by their families and pets!), along with a non-resident Matron and a number of staff. The House teams are vital to running the Houses smoothly, but more importantly, they give a continuity to the boarders’ lives. We find boarders form strong relationships with our House teams, which enables them to have an adult they trust on hand to help with anything and everything!
The boarding family is complemented and strengthened by day pupil members who are all assigned to Houses, making them vibrant and exciting communities.
Find out more about our Senior School and Sixth Form.
Please click here for details about our Prep School Boarding.
Boarding for Specialist Musicians and Choristers
Our Specialists and Choristers have a very busy schedule that often starts early morning, goes into the evenings and is part of their weekends as well! As such, boarding tends to be a particularly good option as boarding reduces travel time, provides a natural support network of fellow boarders and friends and makes it easier for them to access the many musical and non-musical activities we have on offer! Click here to find out more…
Facilities at our Boarding School
Our eight boarding Houses are a mix of medieval and 18th century buildings. Whilst each of the Houses is gifted with quirky and unique qualities befitting historic houses, they all have the expected modern conveniences.
Each House has comfortable dorms, providing boarders with their own space (including a locking cupboard) that they can personalise to feel like home. We provide Wi-Fi throughout each house as well IT equipment in designated quiet areas. Our common room areas come equipped with a TV and games console as well as activities such as table tennis and pool. Our boarders also enjoy our spacious gardens for barbecues, games and socialising with their friends throughout the day.
The boarding school Houses are set within our extensive school grounds with access to tennis courts, an indoor heated swimming pool, gym, library and sixth form centre.
Activities at our Boarding School
Each of our Somerset Boarding Houses is the focal point for group identity, friendship and relaxation, with healthy rivalries between houses in sport, drama, public speaking and other academic achievement.
We organise weekend trips ranging from cinema, theatre and concert visits to adventure activities, ten-pin bowling and shopping in Bath and Bristol. From Year 7, small groups of pupils may go into Wells, Somerset unaccompanied. The city centre is just a few minutes’ walk from the boarding school houses, with numerous shops, banks, cafes and a twice-weekly market.
Exeat Weekends
During Exeat Weekends, boarders have the option of attending our Schools’ Activity Weekend excursions (rather than spending the weekend at home or with a Guardian/host family). Recent locations have included Mill on the Brue, Manor and Ashbury Hotels and Okehampton where boarders enjoyed a wide range of activities including arts and crafts, bowling, golf, abseiling, climbing, canoeing, high ropes, swimming, archery, shooting, football, badminton and more!
Benefits of Boarding
Many pupils and parents find boarding useful as it allows pupils the opportunity to participate in after-school clubs, keep up with homework, strengthen friendships and avoid a late journey home. Boarding also helps them gain a sense of personal responsibility, as they are given freedom within sensible constraints.
Wells Cathedral School is a member of the Boarding Schools Association and a subscriber to their Care Charter.
