Peter Dass, Principal at Queen Ethelburga’s College, discusses the benefits of boarding for sixth form

Life in a busy modern boarding school gives young people an excellent preparation ground for moving onto university. Students have a half-way house in the sixth form, which allows them the opportunity to sample some independence and freedom within the safety of a school environment.

As boarders, young people experience what it is like to live away from home and adapt to living in a community; this is often one of the biggest hurdles young people face when going to university. The idea of the freedom is fantastic, but the reality of not having Mum or Dad around to act as chauffeur/cook/laundry is quite daunting for some. At boarding school they have conquered that fear and have learnt skills and strategies to cope on their own, albeit in a sheltered environment. This gives students who have been through boarding school an added advantage. It gives them the opportunity to meet other young people from all walks of life and to learn about different customs and cultures. The chance to mix at play, in the boarding house, as well as in the classroom allows students to develop socially and build friendships that can last for life. Hannah Sayer, an upper sixth form pupil says one of the important things she has learnt is to get on with people even if you do not like them: “at university you will not be able to choose the people you initially live with” and this skill is “invaluable”.

The general studies curriculum in many sixth forms in a boarding school will have a comprehensive programme of life skills to help prepare students for life at university. These can include topics such as managing your own money, a skill which boarders have to learn from a young age, as parents are not on hand to top up funds at the drop of a hat. This is an advantage they will value once entering university, as all students struggle to avoid leaving with large student loans to repay.
We have all heard the stories of ‘freshers’ who go ‘mad’ in their first year at university, having been given far more freedom and responsibility than they have ever previously had. Life in the sixth form at a boarding school gives young people the opportunity to have more freedom and responsibility than anywhere else in the school. Students learn how to balance their studies and social life in order to achieve a balance, giving them good grades but also an experience to look back on with fond memories. They can go out on trips unaccompanied by staff and learn to take responsibility for their safety and well being, always knowing there will be other students to go out with. Living in a boarding school, there is the opportunity to enjoy freedoms but with the safety net of the school behind you to catch you if necessary. The opportunity to go out in the evening at the weekend is often a privilege given to sixth form boarders, which allows them to sample going out in a group but safe in the knowledge that the school will be there for them and will have put some restraining guidelines on them. This is obviously good practice for the freedoms they will experience at university.

In most schools but particularly boarding schools the relationship between student and teacher changes as they head towards the end of their time at the school. The teacher will become more of a tutor and will see the student as an emerging adult, and their relationship will become more like that of the relationship with the tutors and lecturers at university. The students learn how to manage their own time, giving priority to work as the pressure mounts.

With the introduction of new boarding houses designed specifically for sixth formers, they have the opportunity to learn to cook, do their own washing and generally ‘look after themselves.’ The new sixth form block at Queen Ethelburga’s College has seen the introduction of apartments, each kitted out with their own kitchen area with all mod cons. The sixth form students are now quite adept at cooking the odd meal for themselves and even including a group of friends. This is obviously a great advantage once they move onto university. Lucy Chambers, our current Deputy Head girl said, “I have learnt how to fend for myself, I can use a washing machine and cook a good meal!”

Life in a busy boarding school provides the bridge between school and university. The summer ball at Queen Ethelburga’s College reminds one of the Graduation parties, both an ending of one era and the start of a whole new way of life.

Having been educated at a boarding school himself, Peter Dass has taught for 32 years and has been at Queen Ethelburga’s for five years.

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