Boarding at West Buckland is fun and rewarding, a home from home for students from all over the world.
As Head of Boarding at West Buckland School, I’d like to offer a warm welcome to all our boarders.
The aim of myself and my team of Houseparents is to create a warm and happy ‘home life’ in a relaxed and safe environment.
As well as full boarding, we have many students who flexi or weekly board, working around busy schedules and family lives.
My team of houseparents look after students outside of the normal school day. Because they are not teachers, they can establish close and trusting relationships outside the classroom setting.
We look forward to welcoming you!
Richard Boyle, Head of Boarding
Boys from age 11 to 16 are housed in Boyer house, with the girls in Bamfylde. Both houses are on the main campus and just a short walk to the main buildings and are home to up to 45 boarders each, under the supervision of caring Houseparents who live adjacent to the houses and are on duty from early evening until the following morning.
We welcome pupils from all over the world, as well as our own UK boarders, creating a thriving and lively, multi-cultural boarding community.
All boarding students have access to e-mail and internet facilities to allow easy communication with friends and family at home and this is encouraged.
Boarding in the Sixth Form is in Parker’s, our stunning newly-built Sixth Form centre, with 70 single, en suite rooms and light, spacious facilities, which is extremely popular with our students!
Sixth Form boarding is very sociable and allows students added independence and privacy that is an important part of growing up.
Parker’s was designed to be a stepping stone towards independent living, either in a university setting or out in the bigger world.
There are numerous opportunities to take part in activities outside of the normal school day and at weekends.
Some boarders will be involved in sports fixtures on a Saturday but every weekend has a number of activities on offer, including trips to nearby cities, a full weekend schedule in London, surfing and coasteering on our stunning coastline, paintballing, cooking, bowling and regular shopping trips to Barnstaple, just 10 miles away. In addition, boarders can get involved in our busy evening activities which include dance, volleyball, art, singing, movie nights, football, scuba diving, keep fit and swimming.
Flexi Boarding.
(Must be booked one term in advance) £40 per night:
Flexi-boarding is an ideal option for students with busy schedules or those looking to transition gradually into full boarding. With flexi-boarding, your child can stay overnight on regular night(s) every week throughout the term, providing the certainty of planning around their known commitments. Please email [email protected] to book your place.
Occasional Boarding (Must be booked by 7pm the day before on the Portal. Subject to availability) £45 per night:
This option is specifically designed for day students who occasionally wish to spend a weeknight at school. We understand that modern life can be demanding, and to support our families, we now offer occasional boarding.
Recognising the challenges of balancing various commitments, we have created this solution to provide flexibility for day students who may occasionally require an overnight stay at the school. Whether it is to participate in late-night study sessions, parents work commitments, attend early morning activities or simply to have additional time to engage in school-related opportunities, our occasional boarding option aims to cater to these needs.
Full Boarding:
Students will stay at the school seven nights a week during term time. Students are welcome to stay one extra evening before and after each end of each term and half term. These students also have an additional extra- curricular programme option for weekends.
Weekly Boarding (5 nights per week):
Designed for relatively local students that wish to partake in everything school has to offer. This option is for busy students that wish to save time travelling to and from school during weekdays.
Students have the option to return to school on Sunday evening and take the bus home Friday after school or take the bus to school Monday morning and leave for home following sports fixtures on Saturday. Bus transport is free for weekly boarders.
Additional nights may be booked with the houseparent, subject to availability.