A place in the heart of England, a school in the heart of York, your daughter in the heart of our community.
Boarding life at The Mount is an enriching experience. We provide an environment where each girl is respected and valued. They are well cared for in a calm and caring community, giving them every opportunity to flourish, developing their independence and confidence.
Being a boarder at The Mount adds another dimension to the school experience with friendships from the Boarding House often lasting a lifetime
Boarders at The Mount really do live adventurously, and make the most of every available opportunity presented by living in the vibrant city of York. Every girl fulfils her potential on a great many levels.
A typical day as a boarder
Wake up and Breakfast – Girls are awoken by House Staff. They then get ready for school and attend breakfast in the Dining Hall.
School Day – Once girls have left the House they will attend lessons and lunch at school. They will not return to the Boarding House until the end of the school day
After School Activities – A range of activities take place in School between 4-6pm. All girls (day and boarding) commit to at least three activities each week.
Evening Meal – Boarding girls enjoy a nutritious three course evening meal in the Dining Hall.
Prep Time – Prep is when boarders complete their homework or revision under the supervision of, and specialised assistance from, members of teaching staff. Prep for younger girls takes place in a computer room, while Sixth Form boarders complete their Prep in their individual studies.
Activities and Free Time – House Staff organise a range of activities for boarders in the evening, sometimes for everyone, and at other times for specific year groups. Boarding pupils are also have free time to relax and rest.
Bed Time – Girls go to their room 30 minutes before lights out. This allows time to prepare books and uniform/clothes for the following day. Bedtimes take place between 9.15pm – 10.45pm, dependent on the age of the girls.
Meals at The Mount
There is a wide choice of food at meal times, including hot, cold and vegetarian options. Provision is also made for special dietary, medical or religious needs. Fruit is available at every meal and break time. Snacks are also available in the House in the evenings and at weekends. Our expert catering team use local fresh produce. All food is prepared and cooked on site.
Pupil Voice
Boarders have a say in how things are run at The Mount via various committees. They communicate the views of boarders, between students, families, staff, school leadership and the governing Committee. An example of this is the Boarding Committee that meets to discuss boarding needs. A Food Committee also meets routinely to discuss meals, dietary requirements and celebrations. There is also Eco-Committee, Charity Committee, and School Council. If girls are passionate about a particular subject, they are welcome to start their own support group.
Opportunities for Worship
Meeting for Quaker worship is important for pupils and staff, and this is a uniting facet of our community. It is a short period of silent reflection on Sunday mornings, and gives the boarding community an opportunity to come together as a whole group. Girls from other faiths are also able to attend a religious service outside School, of which there are a number of available services across York.
Comfortable and modern accommodation at the centre of the School provides girls with a relaxed and homely environment in which to live.
Living at The Mount
Younger boarders share their rooms with two or three other girls, whereas Sixth Form boarders are usually in rooms of two. Boarders are encouraged to personalise their spaces with their own pictures, and if they wish, can bring their own bedding. The classic Georgian proportions of rooms in our beautiful Grade 2 listed building provide high ceilings and sash windows that create well lit environments. We aim to retain one spare space per year group to be able to welcome flexi-boarders to the House. All Boarding Staff live within the House and provide ‘around the clock’ care. Younger girls live closest to boarding staff, whilst College girls have their own floor and social spaces to foster a sense of independence, as the next step before university.
The Heart of Boarding
The fully equipped kitchen and open plan lounge is a lively hub of activity and is the centre of the Boarding House. It is where girls cook or enjoy snacks and spend time chatting with each other. The Games Room offers a variety of entertainment such as board games and cards, right through to the noisier options, including a dance mat, X-Box and Nintendo Wii.
The Lounge is a spacious room to relax, and is home to a TV, as well as a well stocked library of DVDs and novels, to which girls regularly add. Sixth Form girls also have their own Sixth Form Lounge, which is their dedicated space to relax and rest. The whole School benefits from a wireless internet connection, and girls can bring their own OS11 compatible laptops or tablets.
The House has a very strong community feel, and we believe that work and relaxation spaces should be separate. For the benefit of girls’ wellbeing, there are no desks or work spaces in bedrooms. Prep takes place in one of our computer suites and in the Sixth Form studies.
Boarding Girls also have access to all School facilities in the evenings and weekends including the two ICT suites, Library and our sixteen acres of beautiful grounds. The Mount School site is secured through gates and doors protected by a key code entry system and CCTV.
Our qualified and experienced team of residential House Staff care for girls, working in partnership with parents and liaising closely with academic staff. The boarding team are all graduates and are specialised in specific areas; they include the Head of Boarding, Housemistress, Assistant Housemistresses and Resident Graduate, who assist with activities in the evenings and on weekends.
The School has its own Health Centre within the grounds, staffed by a qualified Nurse, and all boarders are registered with the School Doctor. Boarding staff are always supported by our Senior Leadership Team, and the Principal also lives on site.
Full boarding may be the right option for some families but, for others a more flexible approach is necessary. Girls can board at The Mount School on a full, weekly, or flexible basis.
Boarding at The Mount is designed with the needs of the modern family life in mind
The small nature of the Boarding House creates a genuine family atmosphere, ensuring that all boarders, full-time or flexible, are fully integrated in to the boarding community.
Full, weekly and flexi-boarding
A full-time boarder stays seven nights per week during term time, where they are looked after by a team of dedicated and enthusiastic residential staff.
A flexi-boarder stays five nights a week. Pupils may choose to weekly board because they have a long commute to School, their parents may have weekly work commitments or they simply prefer the structure of the week and a focus of supervised Prep.
Flexible boarding provides girls with the opportunity to board for one, two or three nights per week, or on a more ad-hoc basis. Pupils may choose to flexi-board for a multiple of reasons:
Trips and Activities – Encouraging our Girls to Think and Live Adventurously
After School Activities
In addition to structured Prep time a range of School activities take place between 4-6pm. All girls sign up to approximately three activities every week, and can choose from a variety of activities, some of which, change each term. All girls get involved in activities and develop a new skill or find their passion.
House Activities
Staff organise a range of activities in the House after Prep time in the evening. This may be for everyone or a particular year group. Activities provide a time for girls to come together, have fun and relax after a day at School. Activities may be led by House Staff or by Sixth Form boarders.
Recent Activities include:
| Cupcake Baking | Board Games Evening | Pasta Making | Movies and Popcorn | Dance Off Competitions |
| Swimming | Jewellery Making | Fashion Design | Quiz Night | Make Your Own Pizza |
Weekends & Trips
Weekends are always an exciting time; there is no Saturday School as we believe it is important for girls to have the time to unwind and socialise. This balance of structured learning and time to enjoy themselves allows Boarders to thrive, both academically and socially. There are plenty of trips and activities offered, including excursions to major cities such as London and Leeds, various adventure challenges, as well as visits to local cultural attractions.
Boarders are involved in the planning and running of the programmes so there is always something for everyone to enjoy; examples of recent trips include:
| Theatres in York | Cinema | Go-Karting | Ice Skating |
| Zorbing | Shopping in Manchester | Light Water Valley Theme Park | Inflatables Swimming Activity |
| Yorkshire Beaches | Harry Potter World | Indoor Snowboarding | Ten Pin Bowling |
| Trampolining Centre | Leeds Trinity Shopping Centre | York Castle | London |
At The Mount we are very fortunate to be located centrally in the safe and small city of York
With permission from the Housemistress, girls may use the weekend to walk in to York to visit shops, cafes and restaurants. Girls from Year 9 upwards may go into town in pairs. Younger boarders can go into town with staff, or in a group of three with a Senior Boarder.
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