Welcome to Boarding
We are delighted you are considering Royal Russell School for Boarding
Our boarding houses are situated at the heart of our beautiful 110-acre parkland campus, just 30 minutes from Central London and convenient for London's airports, Heathrow and Gatwick. We have a delightful mix of historic buildings and state-of-the-art facilities and provide a happy, safe and stimulating environment for all our pupils.
A team of experienced boarding staff live on campus to ensure that the boarding houses are staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is also a Medical Centre on site that is staffed by medical professionals.
Each boarding house has its own unique character and history, yet all houses offer common features to help pupils feel at home, including excellent study facilities, areas to relax in and a friendly, supportive community of staff and peers. Boarding helps pupils to become more independent. They develop long-lasting friendships with pupils of all ages from different backgrounds and cultures. Pupils can study in an organised environment and outside of study time make the most of the extensive co-curricular activities on offer, including a full programme of activities and trips operating every weekend for our students' participation and enjoyment.
Our boarders achieve excellent results in their GCSE, BTEC and A level examinations and accept places at the best universities across the world. Pupils leave Royal Russell as confident and responsible young adults.
Boarding Principles
Royal Russell is a family school and the following principles will help our boarding pupils to thrive at the school.
- Being an open and trusting school, boarding is based upon mutual respect for all its members.
- Each boarder and each member of staff is to be treated as an individual, and with respect, by other pupils and by staff.
- Each boarder has the right to extend their intellectual growth in an atmosphere of positive encouragement and in conditions that are conducive to learning.
- All boarders should be able to develop physically, spiritually, intellectually, morally, and socially with provisions being made for them to celebrate their own religions and cultural festivals.
- We respect all boarders, regardless of ethnicity, culture, gender, sexuality or disability.
- Although living together, staff and boarders acknowledge the right of each other to privacy.
- Boarders will be provided with a range of activities and opportunities appropriate to age and maturity that will assist in their personal, social, and cultural development.
- Boarders will be provided with accommodation that is comfortable and suited to their needs, according to age and maturity, and which provides adequate levels of privacy.
- Within our community we will develop boarders' sense of responsibility and respect for self, for others and for the environment along with qualities of leadership and teamwork.
- Boarders will be encouraged to contribute to the needs and welfare of others in the House and School, as well as those in the wider community.
- We create a boarding community where pupils feel able to turn to members of staff to share the good things in their lives, as well as seeking advice and support during times of difficulty.
- Each boarder has the right to be able to work, play and relax free from abuse, intimidation, harassment, teasing and bullying.
- We will safeguard and promote the welfare of each boarder, by providing an environment that is as far as possible, free from physical hazards and dangers of any sort.
- Despite the distance separating boarders from their families, links with parents are seen as an indispensable part of the support and development of boarders. Guardians will play a key role in this respect for our overseas pupils.
What our Inspection Report says:
The quality of boarding is excellent. The outcomes for boarders are excellent and reflect successful implementation of boarding aims and principles. Boarders are fully integrated into the pupil body and almost all stated in questionnaires and interviews that they enjoy boarding. Relationships across the community are outstanding, characterised by confidence and tolerance. Boarders identify a wide range of appropriate adults to turn to over personal issues: these include boarding house staff, senior leaders, academic teachers and the independent listener. All boarders encountered during the inspection were courteous, self-assured and very supportive of one another. Boarders feel a strong sense of loyalty to their house and to the school. Many celebrate boarding enthusiastically, enjoy belonging to the community, and make a positive contribution to it.
New boarders benefit from an extensive induction process.
ISI Inspection Report 2016
All parents of boarders feel that the boarding experience helps their children’s progress and supports their personal development.
ISI Inspection Report 2022
Boarding Gallery
Pupils' Voice - Boarding Testimonials
Click here to see more boarding testimonials from pupils all over the world.