Benefits of Boarding Schools: What Experts Say

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We Asked Some of the Best Boarding Schools in the World About What are the Benefits of Boarding Schools! Let’s See What They Had To Say.

Choosing a boarding school is a life-changing decision for both parents and children, which many do not want to take lightly. Therefore, anybody considering this type of education should be aware of all its benefits for the development and future careers of boarders.
One of the most important elements of a great boarding school is the ability to create a place where children feel relaxed and supported—and when done correctly, there are many benefits to a positive boarding experience.
Boarding is a special partnership between school, parent, and child—and holds the best interests of each student at all times. The right boarding environment for your child can benefit your child and their school experience in so many ways.

Top 7 Benefits of Attending a Boarding School

International Education

The environment in most boarding schools is very diverse and international. Students who attend boarding schools learn side-by-side with students and teachers from a wide range of ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds.
In particular if the school is in a different country or uses a different language than the home environment, the students gain a huge advantage for their later careers as they become fluent in two languages and are not only taught according to a particular country’s curriculum but receive a properly international education.
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Often, the schools also offer internationally accepted exams, like for example the International Baccalaureate, which are a big asset for international university and trainee applications, alongside the more traditional A-levels.
What Top Boarding Schools Answer:

“At boarding school, your child will meet other students that come from all over the world. At École Jeannine Manuel Lille, we have students that come from the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Iran, Tanzania, China, Singapore…and many other places! Being immersed in a multicultural and international environment helps children develop essential 21st-century skills such as critical thinking and intercultural communication. These will open countless doors for your children as they progress through their studies and, eventually, their career.”

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At international schools where children are taught in, say, English (when it’s not their first language), boarding will immerse them in a community that fast-tracks their absorption of the language. It has been remarkable to see students at Rugby School Thailand who arrive speaking almost no English, becoming proficient speakers within weeks!

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At Institut Montana, the boarding students learn to embrace and appreciate cultural differences. They live together harmoniously and discover diversity through daily conversations with fellow boarding students from all around the world.  In today’s globalised society, we believe it is very beneficial to be exposed to various languages and nationalities, as this helps develop critical thinking skills, open-mindedness, and tolerance. On the academic side, we offer a truly international education with a range of options tailored for each student.

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High Academic Standards

The learning experience at boarding school is very different to the one at day school. Boarding schools have the advantage of being able to design and implement a curriculum that challenges and inspires their students.

A boarding school generally offers much smaller class sizes compared to state schools, so that every student benefits from the teachers’ closer attention.
Living on campus provides the added bonus of allowing students to build meaningful connections with their teachers, who also serve as their coaches, dorm parents, and advisors.

Top boarding schools employ the best teachers in their subjects so that students get the best possible teaching experience and tuition and achieve the best possible results in their exams.

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Nord Anglia IB diploma students exceed global averages

Of course, in a boarding setting it is given that students are supported with their homework, which is impossible in many cases at day schools where students have to produce their homework from home without any support.

Self discipline is important when studying in a boarding school. This makes it easier for both teachers and students to focus on achieving the optimum in their academic results and is a good preparation for university life where students need to be self-disciplined in order to succeed. Those who have learned to focus on academic matters already at school have a clear advantage in their tertiary education.
In addition, boarders can fully focus on their education without any distractions. They do not have to spend a great deal of their time on, for example their way to school and back home again, which also saves them the dangers of traffic and accidents, particularly in large cities. This, combined with tight control regarding alcohol, smoking and drugs, makes boarding schools the safest environment for students.
What Top Boarding Schools Answer:

Living at School Means Less Time Commuting, More Time to Study. Many of our boarders come from Bangkok or busy cities in neighbouring countries, where they’ve swapped slow city traffic for a short walk through school grounds. This gives our boarders more time in their day to focus on the things that matter most, such as study, music practice, and exercise.

Our boarding houses have dedicated study rooms that allow students to spend their spare time putting in extra hours where needed. We respect, and indeed instil, an ethos to work hard… but the House Parents also help the children in their care to strike a good balance of work and play.

Our after school boarding activities are run by teachers and tutors, meaning the children who board with us have more exposure to these academic guides. This allows them to ask questions in their free time and build an even stronger rapport with their teachers, which benefits their classroom work.

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Beyond peer-to-peer friendships, one of the other very important aspects of Swiss boarding school is the building of mentoring relationships with staff and teachers at the school. A school with small class sizes and excellent student-to-teacher ratios, fosters these kinds of close relationships. Because each class size is very manageable for the teacher, every student gets personalized attention and tailored learning adjustments, if need be. A small school will never lose track of a student falling behind, but instead will always be offering support and guidance as well as extra challenge for those that require it.

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We offer small classes of averagely 10 students, where teachers pay individual attention to every student, helping them with their personal strengths and weaknesses.

There is designated study time after school for students to do their homework. This study time is supervised by teachers who are available to help with questions. Later the house-parents are available to support students in reaching their goals. When a community of friends lives and learns together, they absorb the advantages of peer learning. Boarding students can do homework together and challenge each other academically. This can be hugely motivating and enrich their learning.

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Extra-curricular Activities

Traditionally, extra-curricular activities are an important feature of boarding and create an even stronger sense of community among students. In addition, they help students build up their CVs with regards to a later university application and career choices.
Boarding schools provide the highest standard facilities, for example for music tuition or for sports, which makes sure the students have a wide choice in activities and can pursue their extra-curricular activities to the highest standard.
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Skiing is part of the programs of swiss boarding schools such as Prefleuri
If students have a specific talent in a particular field, they can easily receive extra tuition after lessons when they live at the school.
What Top Boarding Schools Answer:

“Boarding schools often have excellent sports and arts facilities that allow children to thrive outside the classroom. We are very proud at École Jeannine Manuel Lille of our 1500m2 gym and climbing wall, our 300-meter racing track, as well as our many other facilities that our students use to relax and enjoy themselves after class. Taking part in a wide variety of afterschool activities allows our students to develop into happy and well-rounded individuals.”

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Like all great boarding schools, the facilities at Rugby School Thailand become part of students’ home environment. This means playing fields are a back garden for boarders, and swimming in the school pools, exploring the nature trails around the grounds, and camping in the Outdoor Education Centre are regular activities. Life on campus is dynamic and inspiring—but we also take boarders to a whole host of exciting local places on weekend excursions.

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The word “boring” does not belong to the lexicon of boarding students at Institut Montana. Their free time is filled with options that promote physical and mental health as well as providing lots of fun. We have facilities for sports, partners to play chess, workshops for becoming an expert in robotics and the chance to explore cooking from around the world. This helps to keep our students busy and constantly learning new skills. We also offer extra tuition for students with a particular skill or passion, weekend activities and holiday trips. The opportunities are endless in the heart of Switzerland, whether cultural: visiting historic cities or art galleries; or adventurous: karting, water sliding in canyons or rock climbing. And of course, there is always skiing in winter!

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Character Development

Of course, the separation from the parents due to enrollment at a boarding school, maybe far away from home or even in a different country, is not always easy for children from the start. However, generally they adapt to staying away from home very quickly and make new friends at the school because they spent more time with their classmates than they ever would at day school. Besides, they develop more self-reliance and independence from their parents than they could at home.
From the first boarding years through to the last ones, boarding can offer a sense of independence in children that helps them through life. This can all contribute to boarders leaving school with a mature attitude and feeling prepared for the demands of university life.

This is a big advantage when starting university because the move into university accommodation does not feel like such a big step from boarding. In addition, during the adaptation phase at the school, children receive close attention and pastoral care from specialist staff which is mostly unavailable at university, so that the transition to boarding and then university is usually much smoother than the one from day school straight to university.

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Boarding life at Rugby School Thailand
The absence of parents also helps the children in learning to resolve conflicts for themselves. Staff are trained to interfere only if it becomes really necessary so that students gain valuable skills in mediation and also learn to tolerate other opinions and views without asking third parties for support. They learn to share both their good and bad experiences with their peers.
Due to the schools’ set times for meals, the students also learn a certain self-discipline and good time management skills. Without their parents to care for their uniforms before school, they also learn to make sure they are properly dressed and always have a clean school uniform prepared for the next day.
What Top Boarding Schools Answer:

At Rugby School Thailand our boarding houses encourage (age-appropriate) independence. For example, children make their own bed and are encouraged to help with laundry, or with loading the dishwasher after snacks. This all contributes to our boarders leaving school with a mature attitude and prepared for life beyond.

Peer Support and Influence From a Close-knit Community: There’s an exemplary collective ethos towards work amongst our boarders. They all seem to understand what makes a good balance of study and time off, and this can fluctuate according to the time of year, for example when exams are happening. The boarders can just as easily encourage each other to learn, as they can celebrate free time and enjoy playing games with each other, talking, or reading novels.

From the first boarding years in Primary to the last ones in Secondary, great boarding schools build a sense of independence in children that helps them through life. For example, at Rugby School Thailand, children make their own bed and are encouraged to help with laundry, or with loading the dishwasher after snacks. This all contributes to our boarders leaving school with a mature attitude and prepared for the demands of university.

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Attending a boarding school offers many advantages, teaching important skills to young adults so they grow with confidence, resilience and independence towards adulthood. House-parents play a huge role in this experience as counsellors, mediators, comforters and guides. They supervise the students in their daily lives, overseeing general well-being and supporting them as they learn how to structure and balance their days. As they get older, children need more freedom to learn self-responsibility. Boarding schools allow exploration and independence while keeping young people safe. At Institut Montana, the older students have the privilege to venture into the nearby city of Zug, with permission from parents.

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University Preparation

Many boarding schools have good connections with the best universities, such as Oxford and Cambridge, and offer alumni mentoring programmes to support their students in choosing the right career path even after they graduate from the school.
What Top Boarding Schools Answer:

In boarding, young people prepare for life beyond school with greater tolerance, respect, and independence. At Rugby School Thailand, from the first years of boarding in Year 3, right up to the last in Sixth Form, we nurture the idea of independence in children. This is anything from cleaning away after yourself in the kitchen, to helping with laundry, to being more responsible for planning your own time in the evenings and at weekends. All this happens within the unique and supportive family of friends that boarders live in, which is a great introduction to the community living that they will encounter at university.

Senior School boarding is particularly helpful for this, as students live in a social environment and are expected to manage much of their own study time within that. University exposes children to an exciting new social life, day and night, so by allowing them to enjoy an active social life that off-sets their hard work will give them an innate understanding of the balance they need to strike: work hard to play hard!

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At Institut Montana we offer college counselling, where we help each student to identify their talents, interests and aspirations, thus guiding them to choose the most suitable university worldwide. Experienced counsellors guide students through the application process while helping them make important decisions and create a strong portfolio.

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Lifelong Friendships

The friendships made in boarding houses are incredibly strong. There is a sense of family community that comes from living together, caring for and supporting each other, and enjoying free-time together. Some of the deepest-rooted friendships develop during a student’s time at boarding school.

The friendships established in boarding last a lifetime. Due to the ‘24/7’ nature of the bond, boarders know each other inside out and have been together through good and bad times. The network of friends and associates established in boarding school provides the ideal professional and business network in adult life.

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Friendships at Fulford Academy in Canada
What Top Boarding Schools Answer:

“Boarding school is a home away from home. Our boarding school students develop friendships that will last them a lifetime, and they often have very strong ties to their teachers and dorm heads. Our alumni live and work all over the world, but wherever they are, their paths continue to cross throughout their lives”.

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As Julien, an alumnus of Brillantmont International School from the 90s explained, “because the school was small, it was very easy for everyone to get to know each other and to get along. It was particularly easy to make friends with both day and boarding students alike.” Not only is making friends easier in a smaller boarding school, but often friendships span class levels and ages as well as nationalities.

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The friendships made in boarding houses are incredibly strong. There is a sense of family community that comes from living together, caring for and supporting each other, and enjoying free-time together. Some of the deepest-rooted friendships develop during a student’s time at boarding school.

The friendships we see in the boarding houses are deeper than any others made within school. The boarding community are like a family of friends; evenings are about eating together, supporting academic study and enjoying leisurely activities, while weekends offer a whole host of exciting excursions.

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The friendships made at boarding school are incredibly strong. There can be a wonderful sense of family community that comes from living together, caring for and supporting each other, and enjoying free-time together.
Friends playing in the pool of Regents International School Pattaya

A school boarding community can be like family; evenings are about eating together, supporting academic study and enjoying leisurely activities.

Above all look for a boarding school that has a family-friendly approach and flexible boarding options that feel right for your child.

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Ask anyone what they like most about being a boarding student and the answer is likely to be friends! Boarding students eat together, live together and celebrate successes together. They create fond memories of evenings and weekends in each other’s company and can even turn the trying times into positive memories when they have their friends close by. Strong support systems are developed from sharing the formative experiences of these young adult lives. The bonds of friendship formed in boarding school last a lifetime, long after school years are over as shown by our alumni. 

At Institut Montana we cherish the strong sense of community shared by our former students and staff. We are a global family of passionate individuals. Our alumni look back on their school years with fond memories and laughter and many of them take time to mentor current students.

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Language Immersion

As you can find excellent boarding schools all over the world, attending a boarding school in the language you wish to become fluent is a great choice.

Research shows that language immersion helps students develop cognitive and communication skills at an early age. In addition to daily classwork, boarding schools motivate their students to learn languages by providing fun activities that promote immersive language learning, such as extracurricular clubs and activities.

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Language classes at AMADEUS International School Vienna
Most boarding schools also offer targeted language instruction to non-native speakers who wish to further develop their English, Spanish, German, French, etc reading, writing, and speaking skills.
What Top Boarding Schools Answer:

Immersion is key

We recommend that parents place their children in an establishment where staff teach in their native language, or where many of the children have different mother tongues, including the language you would like your child to learn. This is the case at École Jeannine Manuel where a deliberate effort is made to enroll children with either French or English mother tongue (and sometimes neither!). Our students learn from one another by imitating and interacting with their classmates.

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Boarding Schools offer amazing life experiences and educational opportunities, such as small class sizes, excellent academic standards and extracurricular activities. These tangible benefits will be even surpassed by the intangible facts of becoming mature, self-confident and well prepared for University life and beyond.
Finding the best boarding school for your child is the core of our counseling work. Following an initial assessment meeting, your personal consultant will perform a profound Boarding School Search while taking into account all the relevant details – your preferred location, your educational preferences, your favorite extracurricular activities, your budget, and anything else that is important to you.