Boarding

Boarding provides greater opportunities for companionship and friendship and so adds a further dimension to school life

At Bruton School for Girls we welcome boarders from Prep Year 4 (from the age of 8 years) through to the Sixth Form.  We offer a safe, caring and disciplined environment in a school where privacy and independence are respected, and where the girls can enjoy companionship, fun and a lively programme of boarding activities.

Bruton boarders come from a diverse range of backgrounds and nationalities. They travel not only from around the UK, but also from around the world, to be part of a community that supports and embraces them during their school years and for the rest of their lives.

Three boarding houses provide accommodation appropriate to the different age ranges of our pupils. Girls in the Prep School and in Forms 1 to Form 3 (Senior School) board in Old Vicarage, where the individual needs of our younger boarders can be catered for.  Form 4 students are accommodated in Cumberlege and Form 5 students and Sixth Form in Highcroft.  In both these boarding houses the girls’ increasing need for independence can be met under careful supervision.

Our boarding houses offer comfortable and well-appointed accommodation which reflects the qualities of good home life.  Boarders enjoy facilities that include common rooms, games rooms, kitchens and dining areas as well as access to computers and telephones and spacious grounds.  Younger girls share dormitories while Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Form students have their own study bedrooms or, in Form 4, may share with one other girl.  The girls dine in our bright, modern school dining room and are joined by day girls for lunch.  Our catering staff are valued members of the Bruton community and provide the girls with a wide-variety of nutritious meals catering for all tastes and requirements.

All the boarding houses are situated on the school campus but are separate enough to provide a homelike retreat at the end of the school day.  There is no Saturday schooling and boarders can enjoy the varied range of activities provided or spend weekends at home with family.  The boarding house becomes a ‘home away from home’, a relaxing environment where the girls have an extended family of friends.

The Deputy Head of Boarding and Welfare leads a team of experienced Senior Housemistresses and resident house staff.  They provide the care, comfort and support which is so important for the girls’ well-being and success, nurturing and guiding the youngest boarder through to the maturity of the sixth form student.  By encouraging self-discipline and a sense of responsibility, we seek to promote self-confidence and assurance without arrogance.

We believe that communication between home and school is fundamental to a happy boarding experience.  Boarders' parents are always welcome to visit and we are pleased to discuss your daughter’s progress and happiness at any time.

Boarding options:

Girls have full, weekly and casual boarding options.

Full Boarding
Modern facilities and an unregimented atmosphere ensure homely and friendly surroundings where girls enjoy the full benefits of life on our beautiful site at Sunny Hill.   A comprehensive programme of activities is arranged every weekend for boarders, including visits to local cinemas and theatres, shopping and cultural centres such as Bath and Bristol and local National Trust sites.  During the weekend, there are opportunities for sports such as ice-skating, horse riding, dry skiing and canoeing and girls can participate in competitive sporting fixtures representing the school or simply relax.  Time is always set aside for the completion of prep.

Weekly Boarding
This enables girls to go home for weekends whilst participating fully in school life during the week.  Parents can collect their daughters from school at the end of Friday afternoon and return on Monday morning (or Sunday evening).  Alternatively, transport can be arranged for girls between school and the railway stations at Castle Cary, Templecombe and Bruton which give direct links to London Paddington, London Waterloo, and Bath or Bristol respectively.

Casual Boarding
Girls are welcome to stay in the boarding house for occasional nights and a number of beds within each boarding house are reserved for casual boarders.  Casual boarding responds to the occasional need such as involvement in a school drama production, a birthday celebration, or for when parents need to be away from home for a particular reason.  Boarding for part of the term can also be arranged, to enable parents to take a holiday, attend a conference or respond to family emergencies.

Three boarding vouchers are issued free of charge to each day girl for use during the course of an academic year.  Each of these is for one overnight stay, one to be on any day, one on a weekday and one at a weekend.  These are all subject to availability of spaces and must be pre-booked.

Bruton School for Girls is a member of the Boarding Schools Association (BSA) and the Girls’ Schools Association (GSA)

We are accredited for the Forces Continuity of Education Allowance and have a number of pupils from forces families