Boarding Life

“My child doesn’t want to be anywhere else – her friends are there and there is always something to do.”

 

—Parent

Arriving at Concord College

Boarding life at Concord can be a lot of fun.

 

As one parent commented: ‘my child doesn’t want to be anywhere else – her friends are there and there is always something to do.’ Boarders make up the majority of Concord’s students and with most of them coming from across the world to study. With over 40 nationalities, there is always someone to talk to and share ideas and activities with at Concord.

We value each and every member of our community as individuals and our boarding parents get to know the students in their care and support them on their individual journeys. Boarding life provides a home away from home, and the College becomes much more than just a school; it provides an opportunity to grow in confidence and independence, and to make life-long friendships. Students share so many experiences together, and it is this sharing of the experience of boarding life and of growing through the teenage years together that makes friendship and bonds that can last a lifetime.

At Concord, students study hard, but also enjoy life and make use of the many facilities that Concord has to offer. There is a vast array of activities, clubs and societies available as well as opportunities for rest and relaxation around the school and in the boarding residences. All of this is within a walk or a short-cycle ride for students meaning that they can make best use of their time within a safe and healthy environment.

A real benefit of boarding life at Concord is the sense of joining a special community based on the campus. Students live alongside Boarding and Senior staff and their families in an atmosphere of mutual respect and warmth. We aim to create a caring and supportive environment for the development of all our students. In this environment, achievement is celebrated, and harassment of any kind is not tolerated. We seek to encourage independence, maturity and responsibility in every student in our care. Students are expected to behave in a way that promotes understanding and harmony. Above all, we are a community committed to high standards, hard work, mutual respect and kindness.

Each boarding house has at least one resident Lead Boarding Parent (LBP) and an assistant (ABP), some residences have two of each with the Lower School residences having support staff who provide extra care for Students. The boarding staff check on students in the morning for wake up and importantly, at bedtime. These provide a valuable further opportunity for students to share their achievements, concerns and plans. These same staff are there during extracurricular hours and weekends, so the students always have familiar faces around them.

The college understands that with parents in different time-zones, students may need to call home later in the evening. Wifi is however, shut off at midnight (until 6am) to prioritise sleep and rest.

 

Food

Students eat in the Dining Room for all three main meals, and a snack at break time. There is always fruit available throughout the day for a healthy snack.

 

Students and staff enjoy the wide range of international hot and cold food provided in the Dining Room which usually includes meat, fish, pasta, vegetarian and vegan dishes, soups, sandwiches and a salad bar, as well as a dessert bar with fresh fruit, yoghurt and some delicious treats.

 

The catering team provide a range of meal options to suit most dietary needs and there is a clear system of labelling of meat, dairy products and items containing things to which some students may have allergies such as shellfish and nuts in the dining room.

The café in the West End is there for snacks at the end of the day or at weekends.

Some of our students also enjoy cooking, and all boarding residences are equipped with kitchenettes (equipped with microwave ovens, hotplates, toasters, kettles and a fridge) for making snacks. For more serious cooking, a large student kitchen, with hotplates and ovens, is located on the campus close to the main West End Common Room. Many students enjoy shopping for ingredients and cooking meals at weekends sometimes to celebrate an event such as a birthday with their friends.

Home – in the boarding residence

Students are able to add their own personal touches to their rooms, with a notice board that can be filled with their timetables, revision notes, activities, pictures, posters or perhaps some bunting.

 

Many students like to decorate their rooms with lights, plants and decorations from home. Boarding parents also decorate the communal areas of the residences giving them their own individual feel.

Each residence has a dedicated team of domestic staff who clean the rooms, communal areas and facilities. There is an allocated laundry day for each residence. Students place their laundry in bags for collection, and then these are returned. If students prefer to do their own laundry or require additional laundry, there is a self-service student laundry available – a useful preparation for university life.

At night, students still have access to their devices to continue to work or communicate with family and friends around the world, however, the wifi is shut off at midnight to prioritise sleep and rest.

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