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West Hertfordshire’s good travel links make boarding schools a popular option. At Beechwood Park School, the weekly boarders nearly all live close by, but it’s become so popular that when we visited it was only open to year 6s upwards, instead of year 5. And while Aldwickbury has no full boarders, local families see the flexi-boarding as good preparation for boys heading off to senior day schools. At Royal Masonic School for Girls Cadogan House, weekly, flexi and ad-hoc boarding are all on the up while full boarding is dwindling. But at Lockers Park School, full (and other) boarding takes place in cosy dorms for two to 12 boys.
At senior level, Queenswood has far fewer full boarders since the school introduced flexi-boarding. Most full boarders are international, all continents represented. At Berkhamsted School (boys) and Berkhamsted School (girls) there’s flexi or weekly boarding available, although three-quarters of the boarders are full-time international students in sixth form. Each gender gets their own large residential house (next door to each other) a stone’s throw from both campuses. Royal Masonic School for Girls has three boarding houses with most boarders in years 10 to 12. Around 40 per cent are from overseas. Around 30 per cent board at Aldenham School (two-thirds boys) but it’s enough to lend it a ‘proper’ boarding ethos without any trace of ‘them and us’ between boarders and day pupils.
Two specialist schools offer boarding in west Herts - at The Purcell School, all but 40-ish board - it’s strongly encouraged, not least due to the early starts and late finishes.
At Tring Park School for the Performing Arts, full boarding (although in reality many sixth formers go home for weekends) is available and popular.
The only state boarding option is St George’s School (Harpenden). ‘It means our kids get to mix with a really international cohort and that’s a great experience,’ said a parent.
Boarding schools near West Hertfordshire
In east Herts, prep schools with boarding include Felsted Prep, Bishop’s Stortford College Prep and Heath Mount School. At senior level, Haileybury is the best-known boarding school. There’s also boarding at St Edmund’s College and St Christopher School – and there’s even boarding at the state school, Hockerill Anglo-European College. The most popular option outside the county is Bedford School, along with the likes of Wycombe Abbey, Bradfield College, Rugby School, St Edward’s School, Harrow School and Eton College. But with west Herts so well positioned for the motorways, there’s really no limit.