Boarding Blog: A Weekend in Boyer House
Take a glimpse into boarding life at West Buckland School
There’s always lots on offer for boarders at West Buckland School – and this lively March weekend was no exception. Our boarders enjoyed a full programme of activities, shared experiences and memorable moments, giving a wonderful glimpse into life in our boarding community.
Friday: International Dinner
The weekend began with one of the most anticipated events of the term: the International Dinner. Organised by our Year 12 and 13 students, the evening brought together boarders from across the world to cook and share dishes from their home countries. The result was a colourful, flavour‑packed celebration of culture, community and creativity. The feast was followed by an entertaining quiz and a brilliant performance by the Sixth Form band.
Arabella shared her highlight: “The international borders and some year 13’s made lots of yummy food from all over the world. After we had eaten, we had an extremally funny quiz where you had to guess languages and guess places around the world from pictures. The hosts of the quiz made all of us laugh. After the quiz the Six Form band played some Spanish original songs which got everyone tapping their feet. My favourite dish was one of the German dishes which was a dumpling in mushroom sauce..”
Saturday: A Sunny Trip to Exeter
Saturday brought sunshine and a chance to explore. After brunch, the boarders headed to Exeter for their regular half‑termly visit. With warm weather and plenty of time to wander, it was the perfect opportunity to browse the shops, enjoy lunch together and soak up the atmosphere.
Zita reflected on the day: “The sun shone all day and we spent most of our time wandering around the shops enjoying the unusual warmth. After our delicious sushi lunch and a bit more shopping, we headed back to the bus tired but happy.”
Sunday: Adventure at Go Ape
On Sunday, the group travelled to Go Ape for a day of adventure among the treetops. With zip lines, high ropes and sweeping views of the forest, it was a brilliant way to round off the weekend.
Julio summed up the experience: “It was such a great experience we had with the borders of West Buckland School. I really enjoyed it because I thought it was a good way to have a break from school and also have a great time together. It was very exciting because the zip lines were amazing and all the structures were very beautiful. You can see the forest was very big and it was exciting.”
A Special Trip to London
Not all boarders stayed local – some enjoyed their own family adventures.
Franziskus shared his weekend: “This weekend I went to London to see my family. It was my birthday and we did a lot of shopping. It was very fun and I had a great time with them. The food in London was also very good. We went to a very nice restaurant, and I had a huge steak.”
From cultural celebrations to city outings and forest adventures, this weekend captured everything that makes Boarding at West Buckland School so special: friendship, variety, independence and a real sense of community.
