Girls may board at Godstowe from the age of seven. Around a third of the girls in the prep school board, some joining us from overseas. We have a junior house (Highlands) dedicated to our youngest boarders and two senior houses (Walker and Turner) for girls in their final two years at Godstowe.
Godstowe offers full, weekly and part-time (flexi-)boarding. We also offer ad hoc boarding nights. Our approach to boarding is sympathetic to the needs of today’s families. When it comes to when and if to board and for how many nights, every family is unique regarding what suits them. Girls who board have the opportunity to go home regularly and parents are actively involved in the numerous School events and activities.
“Our daughter joined in Form 2 at age 8 as a full-time boarder and had never been away from home. She has blossomed into a confident, responsible, happy and kind young lady. We will always cherish the lifelong friendships made and the priceless memories of the years spent at Godstowe.”
Some of our boarders live locally, or in London, and we have a number of international and forces families as part of our boarding community.
Boarding gives our girls the time and space to enjoy the wealth of co-curricular opportunities offered on site at School, as well as to simply enjoying extended time with their friends. Living in the boarding houses, Girls learn to be independent and to value and support others. Most importantly, it is huge fun!
Our Ethos
Boarding should be a valuable and enriching experience for all children. Before your daughter joins us for the first time, it is important that she feels nurtured and excited about the prospect of joining the Godstowe community.
“Pupils who board spoke confidently about how the boarding experience has strengthened their self-confidence”
ISI Report
When she arrives, every new boarder has a boarding buddy from her boarding house and a ‘pupil guardian’ of her own age, and usually from her own form, to help her to settle in. All new boarders joining as the beginning of a new academic year will be invited to an Induction Day in the summer term prior to joining Godstowe. This will be a Sunday with a BBQ or lunch, afternoon activities and a chance to meet existing boarders.
New girls are invited to sleepover and the following morning parents will be invited to attend a talk by the Headmistress and an informal chat with staff. This will give each new girl and her parents the opportunity to feel comfortable and confident about the very significant move to becoming a boarder. Many girls arrive in September already feeling secure and familiar with the boarding ethos of the School.
Weekends and Special Occasions
All full boarders stay in at weekends. Weekly boarders are more than welcome to stay in for activities or trips at no extra boarding cost. Part-time boarders are also welcomed to join in space allowing! Weekends are always busy and fun. Some sports fixtures take place on a Saturday morning. Once prep and necessary tasks, such as music practice, are completed Saturday afternoon is usually relaxed with either an on-site activity or a walk to the local shopping centre.
Some activities take place on-site using the school’s fantastic facilities ie. water polo, SCUBA diving sessions, kayaking, sports hall games, rounders, ‘Godstowe's Got Talent’ or Masterchef. Trips happen on a Sunday and have included Brighton Pier, ice skating at Canary Wharf, Thorpe Park, county shows, wildlife parks, theatre trips, Bray Lake for watersports. Each term boarders are asked what they would like the following terms activities to include. We also offer a programme of wellbeing activities, including Yoga, Pilates, Zumba, pampering. Church, when possible, is offered to those who would like to attend. Boarders fundraising events have included a 'swimming the channel' event, danceathons and cross-country walks.
On her birthday, each girl is made to feel very special. At the end of the school day, she has a ‘Birthday Supper’ to which she invites her friends and a cake is shared. In the Senior Houses, the girls are invited to a ‘Birthday Flat’ party which takes place in the Housemistress’s accommodation.
Holidays and Exeats
An Exeat is a weekend holiday when the School and Boarding Houses close, and girls go home to their family or guardian. Girls are often collected from school, however they can be taken by train to London Marylebone, accompanied by members of staff, if needed.
Highlands (7-11)
Highlands House is a dedicated Junior House for girls aged from 7 to 11. It is family run, and staff are specially trained to care for our youngest pupils.
Highlands has seven dormitories each sleeping between two and eight girls. One of the smaller rooms has an en-suite bathroom that is always very popular! The girls enjoy a large, private garden, tennis court, kitchen and spacious surroundings within the Victorian house directly referred to in the children's novel 'Malory Towers'. Indeed, Highlands was 'Malory Towers'!
Regular meals are taken in the dining room with the girls from Turner and Walker. House staff eat with the girls.
The arrangements in Highlands are specifically suited to the needs of younger boarders. Senior girls from Turner and Walker often visit the house to offer paired reading sessions and to join in the fun. Together, they learn about independence and responsibility.
Highlands allows for a wonderful introduction to boarding and girls never forget the experiences they enjoy during their lives in the house.
Walker (11-13)
Walker House is one of our senior houses for the girls in Middles, Uppers and Fourths (age 11-13).
Walker girls live in a wonderful Victorian house with sloping ceilings and creaking floorboards. The rooms are scattered on three floors, around rambling staircases. The atmosphere is delightfully welcoming. There are approximately 30 girls from all over the world who occupy up to eight bedrooms of differing sizes.
The surroundings are welcoming, warm and friendly, encouraging social interaction and relaxation. There is plenty of ‘down time’ to complement the vast array of activities organised.
The kitchen is used frequently, although all regular meals are taken in the dining room with the girls from Turner and Highlands. House staff eat with the girls.
Walker enjoys a perfect position in the school grounds with its own gardens. They are adjacent to the sports pitches and not far from the swimming pool.
Turner (11-13)
Turner is one of our boarding houses for 12 and 13-year-old girls. It is a modern purpose-built house with small, welcoming dormitories.
Three common rooms are all very well equipped, comfortable and versatile. The largest has a music system, large screen TV, DVD player and has an individual personal locker for each of the girls. The other has computers, books, newspapers, games, a piano and an electric keyboard. The smallest room is used as a quiet study area. The house is adjacent to the artificial play area and gardens and the music school is right next door.
The kitchen is recently and impressively refurbished. Girls can make snacks on certain occasions, perhaps after winning the dorm points competition or following an extension and make hot drinks and sometimes breakfast at the weekends. Otherwise, meals are taken in the school dining room together with the girls from Walker and Highlands. Staff eat meals with the girls.
In addition to the House Parents, there are three other staff living in the house who share the day to day responsibilities. Girls themselves take certain duties as part of their programme and they learn about independence, teamwork and organisation whilst caring for each other as well as themselves. Two dogs complete the Turner team.
Although mainly for full-time boarders, Turner welcomes weekly and flexi boarders too. Everyone integrates well and there is a fine spirit in the house, one of belonging and fun. Turner welcomes girls from all over the world.
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