Boarding

Boarding at Durham School helps pupils to develop confidence, independence and strong social connections, while becoming part of a diverse and supportive community. Boarders are well placed to take full advantage of the wide range of opportunities available across the school, especially co-curricular activities that take place before, during and after the school day, such as swimming, tennis, rowing and music practice.

There are three boarding Houses situated on or within easy reach of the main campus, with separate Houses allocated for boys and girls. The Houses are at the heart of pupils’ lives, and all boarders will experience a warm and supportive atmosphere within their House, each run by an experienced and dedicated team of Housemasters/mistresses, Tutors and Matrons. Our medical centre is staffed by fully qualified nurses in case of any illness or injury.

Learn more about our House System

Most boarders share a room with one other pupil, helping to create a warm, sociable and supportive atmosphere in House. Single rooms are generally allocated to Sixth Form pupils in Years 12 and 13. A small number of rooms may accommodate up to three younger pupils. Boarders eat their main meals in the school dining hall ‘Big School’ and have access in houses to a kitchen where snacks are available at set times, or they can prepare their own.

Boarders support each other’s achievements on the sports field, in concerts, on stage and academically. With a strong sense of community throughout the school, pupils compete in inter-house events such as singing, debating, and competitions across a range of sports. House and boarders’ social events run throughout the year and are informal, popular occasions which bring pupils together, within and between the houses. In addition, boarders are offered a trip or special activity each weekend.

Boarders at Durham School fall into three categories: Full Boarders, Weekly Boarders and Occasional Boarders.

Full Boarding, Weekly Boarding and Occasional Boarding, which one could be for you?

Full Boarding (Age 11-18)

Most, though not all, of our full boarders live overseas and have a guardian in the UK who can act as a first point of contact with the School when necessary, as well as provide somewhere for boarders to stay during half-term holidays when the School is closed. Most full boarders remain at School for seven nights a week, although they may go home at weekends if they wish. They are also allowed to visit friends who live locally and stay with them, an experience that is greatly valued by our overseas boarders. Excursions to places of interest, both locally and further afield, are regularly organised at weekends.

What does a day of boarder look like?

Bed Times:

9.30pm: Bedtime for Y7-9.

All Year 7-10 need to hand all their devices into Matron.

10.00pm: Bedtime Y10-11.

All Sixth Form should be in their own rooms.

Weekly Boarding – ‘the best of both worlds!’ (Age 11-18)

Weekly Boarding is popular with boys and girls who live within a 50-mile radius of the School. It is often regarded as the ‘best of both worlds’, as pupils can enjoy all the advantages of boarding during the week while still spending weekends at home with their families. It also avoids the time spent travelling to and from School each day.

Weekly Boarders may stay for up to six nights per week but do not stay at School on Saturday nights.

Flexi-Boarding

Many of our boarders commit to regular boarding nights each week. Pupils often value the routine this provides, as it ensures that they are boarding with their friends on the same nights each week.

Occasional Boarding (Age 11-18)

If the need arises, it is sometimes possible for pupils to be accommodated as occasional boarders for short periods, subject to availability and sufficient notice being given. This option is particularly popular with those who need extra flexibility. The cost depends on the number of nights a pupil stays each week.

Evenings and Weekend Programme

Alongside time to relax in House, weekends bring a wide range of opportunities for boarders to enjoy time together and make the most of life beyond the classroom. Each term includes a varied programme of activities and trips, from visits to local attractions and city outings to excursions further afield, including Edinburgh. Boarders also benefit from the School’s excellent on-site facilities, including the swimming pool, Sports Halls and gym spaces, Badminton Courts, and Basketball as well as opportunities to enjoy trips to the Theatre, Cinema and other popular destinations.

Saturday evenings have a relaxed and homely feel, with time for boarders to unwind together, often enjoying a film and snacks before a later bedtime.

Durham School ensures that there is always a diverse range of exciting and engaging events at weekends. While there is no formal teaching, School fixtures take place both at home and away on Saturdays, and the evenings offer a more relaxed atmosphere, with film nights, joint House barbecues and socials.

Sample of the Boarders’ Activities:

Prep (homework)

There is a specific time set aside each evening for boarders to complete their prep (homework). Pupils are registered at 6.30pm, and prep begins after a short House meeting, continuing until 8.30pm. Prep is supervised by tutors, who really know the pupils and can guide them through the sessions, and all pupils may work in their Houses for Prep time with the permission of their Housemaster or Housemistress.

The Art and DT Department is open to pupils studying Art, Photography and Design Technology at GCSE and A level.

Evenings

The Boarding Programme offers a range of activities after prep throughout the week, covering both physical and intellectual challenges. Pupils enjoy activities such as swimming, basketball, dodgeball, football, lectures and visits to places of interest.

Boarding Induction

An induction timetable is arranged for all new pupils at the start of the Autumn term in September. The timetable, daily and weekend programmes, School layout, medical, spiritual and uniform matters will be covered, as well as a trip into Durham.

As part of this programme, all new pupils will be paired with an appropriate ‘mentor’ who will act as a guide to School life through these first days, weeks and months, as pupils settle into their new lives as boarders.

Life as a boarder

The House lies at the heart of every pupil’s life and provides a true ‘home from home’.

There are three boarding Houses at Durham School:

Pimlico: Girls’ Day and Boarding, 11–18
Poole: Boys’ Day and Boarding, 11–18
School House: Boys’ Day and Boarding, 11–18

Learn more about our boarding Staff and Houses.

Take a tour of Poole House

Take a tour of Pimlico House

Take a tour of School House

Each of the Houses provides a strong sense of identity and spirit, developed through communal living, inter-House competitions and a wide range of activities.

The Houses have excellent facilities, including kitchens, common rooms and quiet spaces for work. They are equipped with state-of-the-art Wi-Fi networks, with access to Skype and selected social networks. While the architecture varies, the facilities in each House are similar; long dormitories are a thing of the past, and all pupils are accommodated in either shared rooms or individual rooms.

Rooms are welcoming and personalised throughout, and boarders are justifiably proud of their Houses. Housemasters and Housemistresses live in the boarding Houses with their families and are supported by a House tutor, a resident Matron and a team of visiting tutors.

Outside the Houses, pupils have access to the School’s extensive grounds, the swimming pool, the all-weather pitch, the Budworth Sports Centre and music practice rooms. Sixth Form pupils may study in the Sixth Form Centre or even in the Bill Bryson Library at Durham University. The School also has a Medical Centre staffed by two qualified nurses.