When young people live together, they learn how to work together for collective and individual success. In a House-based environment as warm and supportive as ours they also learn self-confidence. They discover that they can do far more than they ever imagined they could.
Life for boarders at King Edward’s is richly varied; anything and everything is possible. Boarders enjoy a wealth of opportunities to pursue personal interests and to develop a habit of excellence. Our immersive 24/7 routine provides more time for all aspects of personal development: academic, social, physical and spiritual. Boarders have the time and space to be themselves, to discover what makes them tick and to develop empathy for fellow pupils.
Two exeat weekends in every term
Full-time boarders live at School seven days a week throughout the term, apart from exeat weekends. Each term has two exeat weekends when boarders leave for home at 16:00 on Friday and return the following Sunday evening. Exeat weekends are for strengthening family bonds
Weekly boarding and flexi-boarding: options for every family
Our School ethos of working to help every pupil achieve their personal best makes us highly adaptable. If an attendance model that blends boarding with time at home works better for a young person and their family, we can make that happen.
Our weekly boarders are currently few in number, but delighted with the convenience of the format. Most go home on Friday afternoon and return on Sunday evening. Those who make their weekly commute by public transport can return on Monday morning with the day pupils. Weekly boarders enjoy a full week of co-curricular activities followed by a relaxed weekend with their families.
Flexi-boarding: brilliant education to suit your family circumstances
Not all families fit the standard boarder/day-pupil model. For some, a more flexible pattern of schooling is a better fit. We call it flexi-boarding. Families can arrange a regular pattern of week-night boarding to cater for their needs. Flexi-boarding allows for pupils to stay when they need to, which could work well for parents or guardians who travel a lot.
Through weekly boarding and flexi-boarding, we help a wider range of young people achieve their full potential. Educational flexibility is an expression of the pioneering spirit on which we were founded, and which still drives us today.
Houses
On 2 November 1976, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, then President of Royal Bridewell Hospital paid her third visit to King Edward’s to declare the newly built School Houses open. In her speech the Queen Mother alluded to “the necessity on building on firm foundations and true values, courage, loyalty, humour, steadfastness and above all integrity.” Today the Houses reflect the mid-1970s architecture but the priority for each House parent is about the well-being and happiness of every pupil, thus enabling individual success. Your House will be a microcosm of King Edward’s, reflecting the School’s traditions and the values the Queen Mother referred to in 1976, with everyone enjoying a strong feeling of belonging.
Every House has a pastoral team – House Parent, assistant House Parent and Matron – which extends in to the broader school community to include an academic tutor, the medical centre staff and Chaplain. Parents may contact any one of their child’s pastoral care team to discuss any aspect of their child’s school life. Each House will have its student team of House Prefects and Head of House, another body of people to listen, support and represent the student voice in daily school life. The core focus of each student’s pastoral team is student welfare, whatever their need may be. Every House Parent’s aim is to make their House a home during term time and to ensure that opportunities are provided for all our students to thrive.
House Parents and the King Edward’s Parents’ Association organise social events for parents throughout the school year.
There are currently eight School Houses.
Every girl and boy, aged 11, starting at King Edward’s in the 1st and 2nd Forms will be in Queen Mary House, fondly known as QMH.
From 3rd Form to Lower Sixth Form all QMH students, along with the new boarding and day pupils from ages 13 to 17, are assigned to one of the six, single sex, senior Houses.
All Upper Sixth Form students, boarding, day, boy and girl are in Jubilee House.
Edward, Grafton, Ridley, Wakefield – Boys’ Houses
Tudor and Elizabeth – Girls’ Houses
Jubilee – Upper Sixth Form House
All Houses are mix of boarding and day students, except for Ridley House, which was established as a boys’ day House in September 2019. There are four-bed and two-bed rooms for 3rd to 5th Form and some single bedrooms with ensuites for Lower Sixth Form students. Each House has its own dedicated space for study, relaxation and TV and games. There are additional storage lockers and a changing area for day students.
Where possible, girls and boys Houses are linked, with a communal area in the centre of the two Houses where girls and boys can come together to share their free time. For example, cooking, playing pool, singing around the piano, enjoying a film night, or simply chatting. Mixed sex siblings will be assigned to the paired Houses to ensure families can be together.
Each House Parent will organise a House specific pursuit for weekends, for example Go Karting, trips to local amenities, attending local or national sporting events, day trips to London and the more ‘home’ based entertainment with BBQs, pizza or film nights. There are plenty of Inter-House activities and competitions.
Day students and weekly boarders are encouraged to be part of the weekend activities arranged for their boarding peers. Days students are welcome to book occasional boarding.
Our House names identify with a key figure that has been associated with the School over time and is a daily reminder of our rich and Royal history, for which we are most grateful. Each House has aspects that distinguish it from other Houses in addition to its name, such as the House emblem, motto and House colour. While each House has its own distinctive character and is home to its pupils, there is much in school life that unites the pupils across all the Houses.
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