A home away from home. There is no doubt that students and staff alike love boarding at Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School. Students feel at home among our magnificent bush campus; a place where they develop lifelong friendships and become part of our special Boarding family. As one of only two co-educational boarding schools in the state, families cherish the opportunity to educate their sons and daughters at the same school.
Our central aim is to provide students with a home away from home experience that enables each boarding student to develop strong friendships, lifelong learning strategies and a degree of independence and co-operation that will serve them well in life beyond school.
The School recognises that for many of our youngest Boarders, this will be their first time in experiencing a prolonged period away from their family and friends. Since 2007, we have been providing a dedicated Year 7 Transition Program, to assist our youngest students adjust to a new School and a new home.
A dedicated Junior Boarding Co-ordinator works closely with this year group, providing a key point of contact for students and parents. They are regularly in contact with teaching staff, to provide support and guidance to students as they adapt to their new routines.
Year 7 students are housed in dedicated units, situated closest to the School and main Boarding amenities. A Senior Boarding student is allocated as the leader for their unit, helping younger students to familiarise themselves with their new routines and responsibilities that living in Boarding require. Evening study, or Prep, is conducted at an earlier time for Year 7 students and they also have an earlier bedtime, with restricted access to the internet and electronic devices.
Friendships are one of the most important factors in enjoying the Boarding experience. We provide opportunities for students to establish year level friendships as well as enjoying multi-age activities with all Boarders to help establish long-lasting friendships.
Our Boarding facilities encourage our students to develop independence, while at the same time, providing them with the wonderful opportunity to forge strong friendships with fellow Boarding students.
Our cottage-style units provide a unique home environment for our students, with shared kitchen, laundry and bathroom facilities available. Units accommodate up to eight Boarders of the same gender and comprise of a mix of students from different year groups to reflect the vertical integration of the wider School community. Students in younger year groups share a bedroom, while older students are provided their own room. Each student is able to personalise their room with photographs, pictures, lights and colourful bedcovers giving each bedroom a unique look.
All students’ meals provided by the Boarding Café are freshly prepared onsite and cater to dietary requirements. During the summer months, the outdoor barbeque area is often used for alfresco dining. Each week, students can select a variety of staples to be available in their unit, with older students able to enjoy breakfast in the unit prior to the start of the School day.
Boarding students have access to the library, tennis and sport courts after school and on weekends. Senior Boarding students (Years 10 to 12) have access to a gym and weights room before and after School. A dedicated Boarding bus is provided to transport students to and from sporting, or other co-curricular commitments.
We understand that students respond well to regular routine and structure and that many of our families lead busy lives, with some having the need to travel for work. We are pleased to offer Short Term boarding options for Day students from Years 7 to 12. Short Term Boarding requires a minimum stay of two weeks.
Benefits of Boarding
We understand the special challenges our busy families face trying to ensure that their children can participate in the many activities that take place at the School, in particular before and after school.
The School is pleased to offer two services for students from Years 7 to 12 within our Boarding community. Grammar Stopover is available from Monday to Friday and Grammar Sleepover is available from Monday to Thursday to enable students to participate in School based activities.
This provides the opportunity of an extended school day from 3.30pm until 9.30pm. Students essentially become a short-stay visitor to the Boarding community with access to:
Parents must pick their children up by 9.30pm from Boarding or direct from game or School activity venue.
Cost: $35 per stay per child
This provides the opportunity of a single overnight stay in Boarding during the week, Monday to Thursday. It provides the following benefits:
The Grammar Sleepover includes meals, bus transport, supervised study, supervision by boarding staff and access to a designated boarding unit overnight. Linen is provided or students can choose to bring a sleeping bag and their own pillow. Students must bring their own towel and toiletries. If the overnight stay is a regular booking extending for a term or more, some locker storage may be available.
Cost: $60 per stay per child
Bookings should be made a minimum of 48 hours’ in advance, unless an unexpected event requires a booking at short notice. Bookings for a Stopover or Sleepover are to be made by downloading the booking form and returning the completed form to the Enrolment Office, who liaise directly with Boarding staff.
Priority will be given to students who reside outside the immediate Bunbury area as they face the greatest challenge of distance. Requests from local Bunbury families will be assessed based on availability of places within Boarding.
Boarding at Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School provides your child with the opportunity to develop independence, resilience and lifelong friendships.
Part of the Community
One of the advantages for students boarding at Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School is the easy access to the many activities on offer from the School and in the wider Bunbury community. Many Boarders join a local club, whether that be a sporting team, performing art group, dance class or community group. Travelling to and from these commitments is easy, with our Boarding staff providing a dedicated transport service that runs through the week and weekends so that Boarders can get to their off-campus commitments.
Academic Support
Supervised ‘Prep’ is provided from Monday to Thursday and Sunday nights. Younger students commence and conclude prep earlier, and older students are able to manage their study time around their Academic requirements. Students appreciate the time to focus on their study, develop strong study habits, with access to staff and online tutors to assist when needed.
Co-educational Community
Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School is one of the two independent Schools that provide a co-educational Boarding environment. Families benefit from siblings being able to attend the same School, with a family boarding package available. The number of siblings who make up the Boarding community increase the family atmosphere and help to create a close-knit supportive community, reflective of a home environment.
Adventure and Activity
Boarders are provided with the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of recreational activities and enjoy weekend outings to Perth, events in Bunbury and country field days. During the summer months a morning ‘Beach Bus’ allows students to make the most of our proximity to the coast, and improve their surfing and swimming abilities. The Student Boarding Executive provides leadership opportunities for students and helps create a strong sense of community by organising quiz nights, movie nights, special dinners and games nights throughout each term.
Set on 33 hectares of natural bushland, the campus of Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School provides country students with a familiar environment. The Boarding houses are surrounded by natural bushland, with magpies and kookaburras often visiting in the early morning. This tranquil environment provides an excellent backdrop for students to learn and develop.
Routine Advantage
Boarding students benefit greatly from the daily routine that is Boarding life. Students are provided with clear expectations and consistency of daily events that offer a measure of comfort during the trials and tribulations of the teenage years sometimes experienced by adolescents. The establishment of these routines, along with growing independence mean Boarding students are well prepared for life after School.
Lifelong Friendships
The most reported benefit of living in Boarding- living with your friends! Boarding students who have graduated are most grateful for the strong friendships they have developed over the years. These friendships endure as they progress to tertiary studies, with those students who move to Perth often living and supporting each other in this next phase of learning.
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