Buckswood School: Boarding

Click here for the boarding manual (PDF) .

Click here for gallery.

Click here for important contacts.

Life as a full-time boarder at Buckswood is about being part of a real community, or a family, where each member has responsibilities and duties but support and help are all around you. If you speak to parents of current or former pupils (ask us to put you in touch with some!) they will all talk about the family atmosphere as one of the reasons why their child stayed for so long and why they were so successful. In fact, our boarders tend to outperform the day pupils because they have everything to hand and don’t have to travel to school each day. And how many parents can devote two hours each evening to supervising and helping with homework?

With few exceptions, all of our boarders stay on campus seven days a week and so, in our view, what happens at the weekend is every bit as important as the regular Monday to Friday week.

As an international boarding school, Buckswood prides itself on its broad spread of nationalities and is committed to promoting global understanding and cooperation amongst its community.

When you come to Buckswood as an international boarder you will not share a room with someone from your own country, thereby encouraging everyone to speak English at all times, be it in the class room, on the sports field or even on school excursions. The first week or two can be difficult but we will allocate another student who speaks your language to be your ‘buddy’ and guide you through the first days as a boarder away from home.

You will share a purpose-built lodge with other students from all parts of the world and for most this will mean a twin room. We do provide single rooms for many 6th Form students, whilst the juniors will share with three or four others. Each lodge has a live-in Housemaster (for the boys) or Housemistress (for girls) and they are on hand to manage the lodge and be a first point of contact for the students. Our staff can all list patience, energy, good humour, common sense and discipline amongst their strengths and so can offer a great deal to students of all ages and backgrounds.

No two weeks are the same at Buckswood but the one constant is that boredom is not on our list of options! Weekday evenings include academic prep sessions and one-to-one access time with form tutors but we also offer non-academic activities for those who have the time. Weekends are busy too, with a range of additional academic sessions, sports fixtures, activities and excursions that mean there really is something for everyone. So Saturday could be a combination of a session of extra maths in the morning, followed by a football match against another school in the afternoon and then rounding the day off with a group trip ten-pin bowling! Luckily, we do allow our students a lie-in on Sunday morning, before a relaxed brunch.

And yes, we do allow you to leave the school on Saturday afternoon and visit nearby Hastings and enjoy its many facilities. Younger students will be accompanied but older ones are free to go unaccompanied, providing they adhere to the rules and return to school at the agreed time!

So give yourself an unfair advantage in this competitive world and come and try the Buckswood experience.

Important contacts:

Childline 0800 11 11

Independent Person – Jenny Boere 07866 273691

Welfare provision at School – Mr W Callaghan 01424 813813

Ofsted (www.ofsted.gov.uk)

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