Questions to Ask During a School Visit

A visit is the best chance to see how a boarding school works day to day. It is also easy to spend the time on the polished parts of the tour and leave with unanswered questions. This guide offers a checklist you can adapt. It is organised by theme so that you can choose the questions that matter to your family. Take notes, ask the same questions at each school, and compare the answers afterwards rather than relying on memory or impression. Nothing here predicts how a particular child will fare at any school.

Before you go

• Read the school's most recent inspection report. In England, the Department for Education's national minimum standards set out the standards boarding schools must meet to safeguard and protect children in their care, as published by the Department on the date accessed. Ofsted's framework covers boarding in state-funded schools; independent schools' boarding is inspected by a different body, and the Independent Schools Inspectorate describes itself as approved to inspect association independent schools in England. Other countries have their own regulators.
• Note what you cannot tell from the website, such as how many pupils share a room and when meals are served.
• Prepare a short list for your child to ask. Their questions are often the most revealing.
• Ask whether you can meet a housemaster or housemistress (or the equivalent), not only the admissions team.

Welfare and safeguarding

• Who is responsible for my child's welfare in the boarding house, day and night?
• How many adults are present in the house in the evening and overnight?
• How does a pupil raise a concern, and who is independent of the house staff?
• How are parents informed about illness, incidents or concerns?
• What is the school's approach to bullying, and how is it recorded?
• Which regulator or inspector covers boarding, and when was the last report?
• What happens if a pupil is unhappy in the first weeks?
• How does the school support pupils who are away from family for long periods?

A good answer is specific. Be cautious of an answer that sounds well rehearsed but does not name a person or a procedure.

Daily life and the boarding house

• Can I see a typical bedroom and the common spaces, not only a showpiece?
• How are rooms allocated, and can they change during the year?
• What does a normal weekday look like from waking to lights out?
• How is use of phones and devices handled?
• What are the arrangements for meals, dietary needs and snacks?
• How is laundry managed?
• How does the school handle religious observance, if relevant?

Weekends, exeats and holidays

• What happens on Saturdays and Sundays, and how many pupils stay?
• Which boarding patterns are available (full, weekly or flexible) and how does the school define them? One school's published description, for example, defines weekly boarders as staying five or six nights a week with weekend options where space allows, which shows why you should ask each school to explain its terms.
• When do exeats and half-terms happen, and who looks after pupils who cannot travel home?
• Does the school close during holidays, and what arrangements exist for pupils who remain?

Academic life

• Which curricula and qualifications are offered, and how are choices made?
• How is progress reported, and how often?
• What learning support is available, and is it included in the fee?
• What English-language support is available for pupils who need it? Trent College's published page, for example, lists up to four English as an Additional Language lessons a week within its full boarding fee where required; other schools do this differently.
• How does the school support the pupils' interests outside the classroom?
• How much homework or supervised study is there?

Health and wellbeing

• Is there a nurse or medical centre, and when is it staffed?
• How are doctor visits, hospital trips and emergencies handled?
• What counselling or pastoral support exists?
• How does the school manage allergies, medication and mental health concerns?

Fees and contracts

• What does the quoted fee include, and what is billed as an extra? Eton College's page, for instance, states what its fees include and says extras are billed in arrears; other schools differ.
• Are fees inclusive of tax, and in what currency?
• What deposits, registration fees and notice periods apply?
• Is there any help with fees, and what is the deadline?
• What happens to fees if the child leaves part-way through the year?

See the guide on boarding school fees for a fuller list.

International pupils

• How many pupils come from outside the country, and how are they supported?
• What are the school's requirements for visas, guardians and consent? Immigration rules are set by governments; the school can explain its own requirements but cannot grant a visa.
• If a guardian is required, does the school recommend or require a particular arrangement, and who is responsible if the guardian cannot be reached?
• How are arrival and departure managed?

Questions for current pupils

If you can speak to pupils, ask them:

• What do you like and what is hard?
• What is a normal Sunday like?
• What happens if you are ill?
• Who would you go to with a problem?

Treat pupil answers as one view, not a verdict. Pupils chosen by the school to host tours may not represent everyone.

After the visit

Write your notes the same day. Score each school on the same points, add what your child felt, and note what you still need to confirm in writing. If something concerned you, ask about it rather than letting it fade.

Check before you decide

Confirm directly with each school, in writing where possible:

• The inspector or regulator, and the date and location of its latest report.
• The names and roles of those responsible for your child's welfare.
• The precise weekly schedule, including weekends and exeat dates.
• Fees, inclusions, extras, deposits and notice terms.
• Support for language, learning needs and health.
• Any visa, consent or guardianship paperwork it requires and its deadlines.