Country guide

Boarding Schools in the United Kingdom

In England, GOV.UK sets out the national curriculum as key stages from Reception (ages 4 to 5) to Year 11 (ages 15 to 16). Boarding schools, whether local-authority maintained or independent, must meet the national minimum standards for boarding schools published by the Department for Education. These standards describe the safeguarding and welfare requirements for children in boarding accommodation. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own education systems, which this profile does not describe.

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Coverage: 130 schools and 131 campuses published so far. Research is substantial for this country but not exhaustive.

Terminology: Year groups in England and Wales (for example Year 9, Sixth Form), different year names in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom and is listed here. The Republic of Ireland is listed separately.

Country notes reviewed 17 October 2026.

How boarding works in United Kingdom

Year groups and key stages (England)

As published by GOV.UK on 2026-10-17: Reception is ages 4 to 5, Key Stage 1 covers Years 1-2, Key Stage 2 Years 3-6, Key Stage 3 Years 7-9 and Key Stage 4 Years 10-11 (ages 15 to 16). Pupils' ages therefore map to year groups rather than grades. official source

National minimum standards for boarding

GOV.UK describes the national minimum standards as the standards boarding schools must meet to safeguard and protect the children in their care, applying to maintained and independent schools that provide accommodation for children. The page's update history refers to Ofsted inspections against the standards. Check the official page for the current version. official source

Child Student visa (ages 4 to 17)

As published by GOV.UK on 2026-10-17: applicants must be aged 4 to 17, hold an unconditional offer from a licensed Child Student sponsor, have a suitable place to live in the UK and enough money. Study at an independent school is permitted; a further or higher education institution is not. Applicants need parental or legal guardian consent to study and live in the UK, and a parent who wants to accompany the child must apply for a separate Parent of a Child Student visa. The page does not give further guardianship detail; check it before applying, as it does not guarantee a visa or place. official source

Sources

Nations with schools

Schools

131 campuses from 130 schools, listed A to Z by school name. Paid placements are labelled and never change this order.

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State, province, region or canton

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Boarding

School admits

Boarding is for

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Maximum annual boarding fee

Original currency only; no conversion. Schools without a calculable annual figure are not shown.

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Accepts international applicantsScholarships or financial assistance publishedDay places also availableReligious affiliation published

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Lancing College
Lancing, West Sussex, England
- Research checked
Co-educational boarding and day school for 13 to 18 year olds at Lancing, West Sussex, with full and flexi boarding.
Boarding
Full boarding, Flexible boarding
Boarding entry
Not confirmed
School
Co-educational, day places
Curriculum
Not confirmed
Independent · Ages taught: 13 to 18 year olds.
Boarding fee
£19,180 per term
full boarding. 2026-27. Tuition and boarding, published per term; the school does not state how many terms make a year.
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Lathallan School
Montrose, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
- Research checked
An independent day and boarding school in Brotherton Castle, Johnshaven, near Montrose on the Aberdeenshire coast, with nursery, junior and senior sections. Pupils can…
Boarding
Full boarding, Weekly boarding, Flexible boarding
Boarding entry
Full, flexi and weekly boarding from age 11; boarders live in Brotherton Castle. (ages 11 and over)
School
Not confirmed, day places
Curriculum
Scottish Highers / National qualifications
Independent · Ages taught: J1 to S6
Annual boarding fee
Fees published, but no boarding total can be calculated from them.
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Leighton Park School
Reading, Berkshire, England
- Research checked
Co-educational independent day and boarding school in Reading, Berkshire, offering full and weekly boarding, with flexi boarding in Years 7-9.
Boarding
Full boarding, Weekly boarding, Flexible boarding
Boarding entry
Not confirmed
School
Not confirmed, day places
Curriculum
Not confirmed
Independent
Boarding fee
£15,670 to £19,500 per term
full boarding. 2026-27. Range across the year groups the school lists.
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Llandovery College
Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, Wales
- Research checked
A non-selective independent day and boarding school in Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, Wales, for pupils aged 3 to 18 on a single campus. Boarding is offered as full…
Boarding
Full boarding, Weekly boarding, Flexible boarding
Boarding entry
A boarding supplement is published from Year 6; boarding houses are vertical for Years 9-13.
School
Co-educational, day places
Curriculum
GCSE, A Levels
Independent · Faith-based · Ages taught: Early Years to Sixth Form (ages 3 to 18)
Annual boarding fee
£49,287 to £52,056 per year
boarding (pattern not named). 2026-27. Range across the year groups the school lists.
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Lord Wandsworth College
Long Sutton, Hampshire, England
- Research checked
Independent boarding and day school for girls and boys aged 11 to 18 at Long Sutton in Hampshire, offering full, weekly and flexi boarding.
Boarding
Full boarding, Weekly boarding, Flexible boarding
Boarding entry
About 60 children join Bramley House in Year 7 (1st Form) and over 60 join the Senior School in Year 9 (3rd Form); Year 8, Year 10 and Sixth Form entry also available.
School
Co-educational, day places
Curriculum
A Levels
Independent · Ages taught: Year 7 (1st Form) to Sixth Form (ages 11 to 18)
Boarding fee
£16,185 to £18,330 per term
full boarding. 2026-27. Range across the year groups the school lists.
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Loretto School
Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland
- Research checked
An independent day and boarding school in Musselburgh, East Lothian, near Edinburgh, with pre-school, junior and senior sections. Pupils can board from Year Seven, as…
Boarding
Full boarding, Weekly boarding, Flexible boarding
Boarding entry
Pupils can board from Year Seven onwards and are allocated to one of five Houses.
School
Not confirmed, day places
Curriculum
A Levels
Independent · Non-denominational · Ages taught: Pre-School to Upper Sixth (ages 3 to 18)
Boarding fee
£14,000 to £16,967 per term
full boarding. 2026-27. Range across the year groups the school lists.
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Malvern College
Malvern, Worcestershire, England
- Research checked
A co-educational independent school in Malvern, Worcestershire, with six boys' and five girls' houses where full boarders, day boarders and day pupils live and learn…
Boarding
Full boarding, Flexible boarding
Boarding entry
Not confirmed
School
Co-educational, day places
Curriculum
Not confirmed
Independent · Ages taught: Foundation Year (Year 9), Remove and 100 (Years 10-11), Sixth Form (Years 12-13)
Boarding fee
£19,640 to £20,505 per term
full boarding. 2026-27. Range across the year groups the school lists.
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Millfield School
Street, Somerset, England
- Research checked
Independent co-educational school for ages 2 to 18 in Street, Somerset, with boarding and day places and 19 senior boarding houses.
Boarding
Full boarding
Boarding entry
Boarding is priced for Years 9 to Upper Sixth at the senior school.
School
Co-educational, day places
Curriculum
Not confirmed
Independent · Ages taught: Years 9 - Upper Sixth (ages 13 to 18)
Boarding fee
£20,205 per term
boarding (pattern not named). 2026-27. Tuition and boarding, published per term; the school does not state how many terms make a year.
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Milton Abbey School
Blandford Forum, Dorset, England
- Research checked
A co-educational independent school at Milton Abbas near Blandford Forum, Dorset, that describes itself as a full boarding school and also takes day pupils.
Boarding
Full boarding
Boarding entry
Boarding Age: 13-18 (BSA record).
School
Co-educational, day places
Curriculum
Not confirmed
Independent · Ages taught: Third Form, Fourth and Fifth Form, Sixth Form
Boarding fee
£21,732 per term
boarding (pattern not named). 2026-27. Tuition and boarding, published per term; the school does not state how many terms make a year.
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Monkton Combe School
Bath, England
- Research checked
A Christian independent day and boarding school near Bath with a Prep School and a Senior School; this record covers the Senior School campus at Monkton Combe.
Boarding
Offered (type not named)
Boarding entry
Not confirmed
School
Not confirmed, day places
Curriculum
Not confirmed
Independent · Ages taught: Senior School: Years 9 to 13
Annual boarding fee
Fees not confirmed
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Moreton Hall School
Oswestry, Shropshire, England
- Research checked
An independent day and boarding school for girls at Weston Rhyn near Oswestry, Shropshire, with a prep section and full-time, weekly and flexi boarding.
Boarding
Full boarding, Weekly boarding, Flexible boarding
Boarding entry
Not confirmed
School
Girls, day places
Curriculum
Not confirmed
Independent · Ages taught: Years 3 - 13
Boarding fee
£10,479 to £15,834 per term
full boarding. 2026-27. Range across the year groups the school lists.
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Mount Kelly
Tavistock, Devon, England
- Research checked
An independent day and boarding school in Tavistock, Devon, teaching pupils from Reception to Year 13 with boarding offered from Year 3.
Boarding
Full boarding, Weekly boarding
Boarding entry
Daily, weekly and full boarding from Year 3.
School
Not confirmed, day places
Curriculum
Not confirmed
Independent · Ages taught: Reception to Year 13
Boarding fee
£11,220 to £16,248 per term
full boarding. 2026-27. Range across the year groups the school lists.
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Myddelton College
Denbigh, Denbighshire, Wales
- Research checked
A co-educational independent day and boarding school in Denbigh, North Wales, for pupils from nursery age to 18. Boarders live in two on-site houses.
Boarding
Full boarding
Boarding entry
Not confirmed
School
Co-educational, day places
Curriculum
Not confirmed
Independent · Ages taught: Nursery and Pre-Prep (3-7), Prep (7-11), Senior (11-16), Sixth Form (16-18).
Annual boarding fee
Fees published, but no boarding total can be calculated from them.
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Oakham School
Oakham, Rutland, England
- Research checked
A co-educational day and boarding school in the market town of Oakham, Rutland, teaching Years 7 to 13 on a 70-acre campus.
Boarding
Weekly boarding, Flexible boarding
Boarding entry
Ages 11 and over
School
Co-educational, day places
Curriculum
International Baccalaureate introduced into the Sixth Form curriculum…
Independent · Ages taught: Lower School (Years 7-8), Middle School (Years 9-11), Upper School (Sixth Form) (ages 11 and over)
Boarding fee
£14,796 to £19,482 per term
full boarding. 2026-27. Range across the year groups the school lists.
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Old Swinford Hospital School
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England
- Research checked
A state-funded voluntary aided boarding and day school for boys and girls aged 11 to 18 in Stourbridge, West Midlands, where parents pay boarding fees but not tuition.
Boarding
Full boarding, Weekly boarding, Flexible boarding
Boarding entry
Flexi-Boarding places are only allocated at Year 7 and Year 12 entry; Tailored Boarding places are allocated on the basis of a boarding interview and school references. (ages 11 to 18)
School
Co-educational, day places
Curriculum
Not confirmed
Public / state · Ages taught: Years 7 – 13 (ages 11 to 18)
Annual boarding fee
Fees published, but no boarding total can be calculated from them.
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Oundle School
Oundle, Northamptonshire, England
- Research checked
A co-educational day and boarding school for ages 11 to 18 in the town of Oundle, Northamptonshire, with most pupils boarding in single-sex senior houses.
Boarding
Full boarding, Flexible boarding
Boarding entry
Pupils normally join Oundle at either 11+, 13+ or 16+, as a day or boarding pupil. Occasionally, entry is possible into other year groups, including boarding places at 12+ and 14+. (ages 11 and over)
School
Co-educational, day places
Curriculum
GCSE, A Levels
Independent · Ages taught: First Form (Year 7) to Sixth Form (Year 13) (ages 11 and over)
Boarding fee
£15,480 to £20,385 per term
full boarding. 2026-27. Range across the year groups the school lists.
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Pangbourne College
Pangbourne, Berkshire, England
- Research checked
Independent co-educational day and boarding school for pupils aged 11 to 18 at Pangbourne in West Berkshire, with full, weekly and part boarding.
Boarding
Full boarding, Weekly boarding
Boarding entry
Not confirmed
School
Co-educational, day places
Curriculum
Not confirmed
Independent · Ages taught: Year 7 to Upper Sixth (ages 11 to 18)
Boarding fee
£14,115 to £18,645 per term
full boarding. 2026-27. Range across the year groups the school lists.
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Pocklington School
Pocklington, East Yorkshire, England
- Research checked
A co-educational independent day and boarding school in Pocklington, East Yorkshire, offering full-time, weekly and part-time boarding in its senior school.
Boarding
Full boarding, Weekly boarding, Flexible boarding
Boarding entry
Not confirmed
School
Co-educational, day places
Curriculum
Not confirmed
Independent · Ages taught: Senior 7 - 13
Annual boarding fee
Fees not confirmed
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Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate
Ouseburn, North Yorkshire, England
- Research checked
A co-educational independent day and boarding collegiate near York, North Yorkshire, bringing together Chapter House, King’s Magna and the College, with boarding from…
Boarding
Full boarding, Flexible boarding
Boarding entry
Boarding Age: 7-19 (BSA record); boarding pages exist for Key Stage Two (ages 7 - 11) and Key Stage Three (ages 11 - 14).
School
Co-educational, day places
Curriculum
Not confirmed
Independent · Ages taught: Chapter House (Reception - Year 5), King’s Magna (Year 6 - Year 9), College (Year 10 - Year 13)
Annual boarding fee
£40,950 to £44,400 per year
full boarding. 2026-27. Range across the year groups the school lists.
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Queen’s College, Taunton
Taunton, England
- Research checked
A co-educational independent day and boarding school in Taunton, with a Nursery, Prep School, Senior School and Sixth Form.
Boarding
Offered (type not named)
Boarding entry
Not confirmed
School
Co-educational, day places
Curriculum
Not confirmed
Independent · Ages taught: Nursery, Prep School, Senior School and Sixth Form
Annual boarding fee
Fees not confirmed
View profile

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