What Happens at Weekends and School Holidays

Lessons occupy only part of boarding life. Weekends and holidays are when arrangements differ most between schools, and they are often what families ask about last. A child who has everything settled on weekdays can still feel isolated on a quiet Sunday, or a family can discover in November that nobody has planned where the child will go at half term. This guide sets out the usual patterns and the questions that decide how comfortable these periods are. It describes common practice, not any particular school.

Weekends in a full-boarding school

Many full-boarding schools run timetabled Saturday activity, such as lessons, sport, fixtures, clubs or house events, with Sunday given to a quieter pattern: a later start, chapel or other observance where the school has one, prep, free time and perhaps trips. The balance varies widely. Some schools keep most pupils on site every weekend; others schedule regular leave weekends. Ask for a typical weekend plan, rather than a headline phrase such as "vibrant weekend programme", and ask how many pupils are usually present, since a half-empty house feels different to a full one.

Exeats and leave weekends

An exeat is a period when pupils are permitted to leave school, commonly a weekend, and sometimes a mid-week day. Schools publish the dates and set rules on who can collect a child, how far the child can travel and by when they must return. For pupils whose parents live far away, the questions are practical. Where will the child stay? Who will collect them? Does the school accept a friend's family, and does it need written parental permission? Does the school require a guardian to be named? Schools with international pupils often have procedures for these cases, and may offer to keep the boarding house open.

Half terms and holidays

Longer breaks are usually the point at which pupils return home, though not always. Some schools close entirely and expect every child to leave. Others offer limited holiday provision, such as activity weeks or supervised stays for an additional fee. Dates differ between countries because the school year is not aligned: terms in the southern hemisphere do not match those in the northern. Check each term's dates before booking flights, as airfares are higher around the ends of terms and airlines are not flexible once tickets are issued.

Official rules that touch holidays

For students travelling from overseas, some governments publish rules about where a minor may stay outside term. GOV.UK's Child Student visa page says that a Child Student can board full-time or part-time and, when not boarding, needs a suitable place to live. The options include living with a parent or legal guardian holding a Parent of a Child Student visa, with a British citizen or settled person in the UK, or leaving the country during school holidays. It states that anyone else the student lives with must be a foster carer, close relative or nominated guardian, and that a stay with a nominated guardian can last up to 27 days in a row. As published on the date accessed, the page also says a student who arrives unaccompanied will have their travel arrangements checked by a border official. Read the current page and ask the school before arranging any holiday stay.

Immigration New Zealand says accommodation and living costs are the sponsor's responsibility and that evidence can include a school homestay. IRCC states that minors under 17 studying in Canada without a parent must have a custodian, who will care for and support the child. The US Study in the States site says designated school officials should know all off-campus housing arrangements for minor F-1 students and that rules vary by state and locality. These are not holiday rules as such, but they show that holiday arrangements are not purely a family matter: in several countries, authorities and schools expect them to be known and approved.

Helping a child who stays at school

When a pupil remains at school on a quiet weekend, familiar routines help. Ask whether staff are on duty, who the child can talk to, whether meals are served as normal, and what activities are planned. Ask whether pupils may leave the grounds unaccompanied and at what ages. Keep in regular contact at agreed times, bearing in mind the time difference. A phone or video call on a fixed day can make the week easier than occasional long calls.

Cost, travel and insurance

Some schools include holiday provision in their fees; others charge separately for exeat boarding, activity weeks and guardianship services. Ask for the full list in writing. Clarify who pays for travel to and from the airport, whether staff or an agency escort unaccompanied minors, and what insurance covers during travel. If a child will fly alone, the airline's own rules for unaccompanied minors also apply, so check them directly.

Planning with a guardian or host family

If a guardian or host family looks after your child in breaks, agree the details in advance: where the child sleeps, who they are with, what supervision they have, and whether the guardian can sign medical consent. The sister guide on guardianship explains the terms used by different governments. Share the school's term dates and exeat calendar with the guardian at the start of the year so that nothing is arranged at short notice.

Check before you decide

• What does a typical weekend look like, and how many boarders are usually in school?
• When are exeats and half terms, and what are the rules on leaving the school?
• Who may collect my child, and what written permission is needed?
• Is any holiday care offered, what does it cost, and who supervises it?
• Does the school require a named guardian or accept a host family?
• Who arranges and pays for airport transfers and escorts?
• Where can I find the full term and exeat dates for the whole year?