Boarding has been at the very heart of Abingdon since our inception and today, full and weekly boarding is available to students from the third year at the age of 13.
Our boarders belong to a warm and caring community where they are valued as individuals and play an important role in both House and School life. Our enhanced activities programme ensures that the talents, skills and character of each of our boarders is nurtured and appreciated so that they are able to develop into confident and independent young people.
Now is a particularly exciting time to join Abingdon’s vibrant boarding community as work is underway on the renovation and extension of our boarding facilities. Opening in autumn, the new boarding accommodation will provide cheerful and practical communal House areas including house rooms, extended study room facilities and kitchenettes. A significant change will see single bedrooms for all Sixth Formers, allowing students to really personalise their space and provide a true home from home experience. The development has been brought to life in the specially commissioned film below, which I invite you to watch.
Abingdon has both day houses and three boarding houses with day students as an integral part of them. Pupils join at 13 and remain attached to the house, throughout their time at the School. The boarding houses comprise a Head of House and their family, an Assistant Head of House, who is usually resident, a House Manager and a team of tutors. All boarding tutors live close by and get to know the pupils socially through evening and weekend duties. Students are members of a tutor group, overseen by one of the tutors attached to the house. These tutors are the first point of contact for parents, although, of course, the Head of House are available too.
Life in House
Boarding houses offer a unique way of life to almost 140 students here at Abingdon. They have the opportunity to learn to be more independent than they might be at home; for instance deciding how to look after their clothes and possessions, when to send things to the laundry, to ensure they eat regularly and in matters of personal hygiene. While there are set ‘prep’ times to ensure that there are periods of quiet, many students will work beyond these hours and, again, the self-discipline and organisational skills learned, prepare the students well for university and life.
The community life amongst boarders is particularly strong and important. All students are encouraged to take an active part in the numerous trips, events and activities arranged specifically for them in the evenings and at weekends. In the houses, there are communal rooms with table-tennis, table football, pool, computers and a TV and the integration of both boarders and day students is at its most effective here. They interact well and enjoy the friendships that develop in such surroundings and in the house kitchen, where they can prepare food, have snacks or simply sit and talk.
Enhanced Opportunities
The boarding programme is regarded very much as an extension of this and students are encouraged to take full advantage of the diverse range of events, trips and activities available to them. Students in Year 3 are expected to take part in all trips and activities provided for them. Students in Years 4 and 5 participate in a specific number of such activities each term and sign up accordingly. Sixth form students are encouraged to remain involved too. The following information applies to a typical year for boarders at Abingdon. During the Covid-19 pandemic the boarding activities are restricted to those that can take place within the safety guidance.
The programme typically includes paintballing, clay pigeon shooting, trips to London, Oxford and West Midlands Safari Park, as well as theme park visits, socials with girls’ schools, bowling, cinema trips and much more. Within the boarding community we also have joint and individual ‘in-house’ activities and socials, ranging from inter-house sports to summer barbecues, cooking and movie nights.
Abingdon prides itself on its remarkable and diverse boarding activities and events programme. We constantly strive to come up with new and unusual opportunities for the boarders.
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