The State Boarding Forum

Edge Grove School CricketThe State Boarding Forum is part of the Boarding Schools’ Association

State boarding schools provide high-quality boarding at the lowest possible cost. Parents of boarders at state boarding schools pay only the cost of boarding, as the education is free. As a result, parents of pupils who board at an state boarding school pay only a fraction of the cost of boarding at an independent school.

Eligibility for admission

Admission to state boarding schools in the UK is limited to children who are nationals of the UK and are eligible to hold a full UK passport or those who hold a BN(O).  From January 2021 nationals of other European Economic Area (EEA) countries will no longer be able to join a state boarding school in the UK.

About the schools

Most state boarding schools are for pupils aged 11-18, one offers primary boarding as well as secondary boarding, and one is for pupils aged 11-16, and there is a state boarding sixth-form college nearby. Most schools are mixed, but some are single-sex schools.

There are now 34 state boarding schools in the UK, and they have enjoyed considerable Government support in recent times. Some of the schools are grammar schools, with the same academic entry requirements and test dates for boarders as for day pupils. Most are comprehensive. Some offer the IB in addition to, or instead of, A-levels. So state boarding schools or academies have a wide range of educational provision on offer despite their small numbers. Some are regularly among the highest-ranking schools in league tables for GCSEs and A-levels/IB.

Many state boarding schools have converted to academy status. Parents applying to these schools are unlikely to notice the difference between academy status and the schools’ previous incarnation: grammar schools will still set academic entrance examinations; comprehensive academies will still be bound by the admissions code for state-maintained schools in the UK. Following its conversion to an academy, the Duke of York’s Royal Military School in Dover, formerly open only to the children of serving UK Forces personnel, is now open to all.

Boarding standards and inspections

In all the state boarding schools, pupils will find the same levels of care both in and out of the classroom as they would expect in any boarding school. Schools have access to the BSA professional training for boarding staff.

The UK is unique in that its boarding schools are inspected independently against a regulatory framework of National Minimum Standards with published reports. In state boarding schools, Ofsted regularly inspects both education and the quality of boarding provision. Parents have the security of being able to review inspection reports on the Ofsted website as well as at the school.

Competition for boarding places at these schools is particularly fierce for the sixth form. If you are interested in applying to any of them, get in touch early, ideally in the autumn before proposed entry.

Our partner state boarding schools in the UK

Royal Alexandra and Albert School
Gatton Park, Reigate, Surrey RH2 0TD
Tel: +44 (0)1737 649000
E-mail: admissions@gatton-park.org.uk
Website: www.raa-school.co.uk
Type: Co-educational full and weekly boarding and day 7-18

St George’s School
Sun Lane, Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 4TD
Tel: +44 (0)1582 765477
E-mail: admin@stgeorges.herts.sch.uk
Website: www.stgeorges.herts.sch.uk
Type: Co-educational full and weekly boarding and day 11-18

The Royal School, Wolverhampton
Penn Road, Wolverhampton WV3 0EG
Type: Co-educational boarding and day 4-19

Other state boarding schools in the UK

Haberdasher’s Adams
High Street, Newport, Shropshire TF10 7BD
Tel: +44 (0)1952 386300
E-mail: reception@adamsgs.uk
Website: www.adamsgs.uk
Type: Boys full and weekly boarding 11-18 and day 11-16, and co-educational day 16-18

Ashby School
Nottingham Road, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire LE65 1DH
Tel: +44 (0)1530 413748
E-mail: admin@ashbyschool.org.uk
Website: www.ashbyschool.org.uk
Type: Boys full and weekly boarding and co-educational day 14-19

Beechen Cliff School
Alexandra Park, Bath BA2 4RE Tel: +44 (0)1225 480466
E-mail: headmaster@beechencliff.org.uk
Website: www.beechencliff.org.uk
Type: Boys boarding 11-18 and day 11-16, and co-educational day 16-18

Brymore Academy
Cannington, Bridgewater, Somerset TA5 2NB
Tel: +44 (0)1278 652369
E-mail: office@brymore.somerset.sch.uk
Website: www.brymoreacademy.co.uk
Type: Boys boarding and day 11-17

Polam Hall School LibraryBurford School
Cheltenham Road, Burford, Oxfordshire OX18 4PL
Burford Boarding School – Lenthall House, Church Lane, Burford, Oxfordshire OX18 4SA
Tel: +44 (0)1993 823303 E-mail: office@burford.oxon.sch.uk
Website: www.burford.oxon.sch.uk
Type: Co-educational boarding and day 11-19

Colchester Royal Grammar School
6 Lexden Road, Colchester, Essex CO3 3ND
Tel: +44 (0)1206 509100
E-mail: office@crgs.co.uk
Website: www.crgs.co.uk
Type: Boys full and weekly boarding 16-18 and day
11-16, and co-educational day 16-18

Cranbrook School
Waterloo Road, Kent TN17 3JD
Tel: +44 (0)1580 711800
E-mail: enquiries@cranbrook.kent.sch.uk
Website: www.cranbrookschool.co.uk
Type: Co-educational boarding and day 11-18

Dallam School
Haverflatts Lane, Milnthorpe, Cumbria LA7 7DD
Tel: +44 (0)15395 65165
E-mail: enquiries@dallam.eu
Website: www.dallam.eu
Type: Co-educational full boarding and day 11-19

De Aston School
Willingham Road, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire LN8 3RF
Tel: +44 (0)1673 843415
E-mail: enquiries@de-aston.lincs.sch.uk
Website: www.de-aston.lincs.sch.uk
Type: Co-educational boarding and day 11-18

The Duke of York’s Royal Military School
Guston, Dover, Kent CT15 5EQ
Tel: +44 (0)1304 245023
E-mail: admin.office@doyrms.com
Website: www.doyrms.com
Type: Co-educational full boarding 11-18

Exeter Mathematics School
Rougemont House, Castle Street, Exeter, Devon EX4 3PU
Type: Co-educational weekly boarding and day 16-19

Gordon’s School
West End, Woking, Surrey GU24 9PT
Tel: +44 (0)1276 858084
E-mail: info@gordons.surrey.sch.uk
Website: www.gordons.surrey.sch.uk
Type: Co-educational boarding and day 11-18

The Hockerill Anglo-European College
Dunmow Road, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire
CM23 5HX
Tel: +44 (0)1279 658451
E-mail: admin@hockerill.com
Website: www.hockerill.com
Type: Co-educational full and weekly boarding and day 11-18

Holyport College
Ascot Road, Holyport, Berkshire SL6 3LE
Tel: +44 (0)1628 770442
E-mail: info@holyportcollege.org.uk
Website: www.holyportcollege.org.uk
Type: Co-educational boarding and day 11-19

Keswick School
Vicarage Hill, Keswick, Cumbria CA12 5QB
Tel: +44 (0)17687 72605
E-mail: admin@keswick.cumbria.sch.uk
Website: www.keswick.cumbria.sch.uk
Type: Co-educational full and weekly boarding and day 11-18

Lancaster Royal Grammar School
East Road, Lancaster, Lancashire LA1 3EF
Tel: +44 (0)1524 580600
E-mail: Via website
Website: www.lrgs.org.uk
Type: Boys full and weekly boarding and day 11-18

Liverpool College
Queen’s Drive, Mossley Hill, Liverpool L18 8BG
Tel: +44 (0)151 724 4000
E-mail: admin@liverpoolcollege.org.uk
Website: www.liverpoolcollege.org.uk
Type: Co-educational boarding 16-19 and day 4-19

Polam Hall School Students Studying

Old Swinford Hospital
Heath Lane, Stourbridge, West Midlands DY8 1QX
Tel: +44 (0)1384 817300
E-mail: reception@oshsch.com
Website: www.oshsch.com
Type: Boys full and weekly boarding 11-18 and day
11-16, and co-educational day 16-18

Peter Symonds College
Owens Road, Winchester, Hampshire SO22 6RX
Tel: +44 (0)1962 857500
E-mail: psc@psc.ac.uk
Website: www.psc.ac.uk
Type: Co-educational full boarding and day 16-19

The Priory Academy LSST
Cross O’Cliff Hill, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN5 8PW
Tel: +44 (0)1522 889977
E-mail: generalenquiries@priorylsst.co.uk
Website: www.prioryacademies.co.uk
Type: Co-educational boarding and day 11-18

Reading School
Erleigh Road, Reading, Berkshire RG1 5LW
Tel: +44 (0)118 901 5600
E-mail: secretary@reading-school.co.uk
Website: www.reading-school.co.uk
Type: Boys boarding and day 11-18

Richard Huish College
South Road, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 3DZ
Type: Co-educational boarding and day 16-19

Ripon Grammar School
Clotherholme Road, Ripon, North Yorkshire HG4 2DG
Tel: +44 (0)1765 602647
E-mail: admin@ripongrammar.co.uk
Website: www.ripongrammar.co.uk
Type: Co-educational weekly boarding and day 11-18

The Royal Grammar School
Amersham Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
HP13 6QT
Tel: +44 (0)1494 524955
Website: www.rgshw.com
Type: Boys full and weekly boarding and day 11-18

Sexey’s School
Cole Road, Bruton, Somerset BA10 0DF
Tel: +44 (0)1749 813393
E-mail: enquiries@sexeys.somerset.sch.uk
Website: www.sexeys.somerset.sch.uk
Type: Co-educational full and weekly boarding and day 11–18

Shaftesbury School
Salisbury Road, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 8ER
Tel: +44 (0)1747 854498
E-mail: office@shaftesburyschool.co.uk
Website: www.shaftesburyschool.com
Type: Co-educational full boarding and day 11-18

Skegness Grammar School
Vernon Road, Skegness, Lincolnshire PE25 2QS
Tel: +44 (0)1754 610000
E-mail: enquiries@sgs.lincs.sch.uk
Website: www.sgs.lincs.sch.uk
Type: Co-educational boarding and day 11-18

Steyning Grammar School
Shooting Field, Steyning, West Sussex BN44 3RX
Tel: +44 (0)1903 814555
E-mail: sgs@sgs.uk.net
Website: www.sgs.uk.net
Type: Co-educational full and weekly boarding and day 11-18

Thomas Adams School
Lowe Hill, Wem, Shropshire SY4 5UB
Tel: +44 (0)1939 237000
E-mail: enquiries@thomasadams.org.uk
Website: www.thomasadams.org.uk
Type: Co-educational full boarding and day 11-18

The Wellington Academy
Tidworth, Wiltshire SP11 9RR
Tel: +44 (0)1264 405060
E-mail: admin@thewellingtonacademy.org.uk
Website: www.thewellingtonacademy.org.uk
Type: Co-educational full and weekly boarding and day 11-18

Wymondham College
Golf Links Road, Wymondham, Norfolk NR18 9SZ
Tel: +44 (0)1953 609000
E-mail: enquiries@wymondhamcollege.org
Website: www.wymondhamcollege.org
Type: Co-educational boarding and day 11-18

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