Boarders at Oswestry School make up about one third of our community. They come from both the UK and overseas, with 14 nationalities represented. This international presence enriches the lives of those at the school, bringing a new dimension to the educational experience of our students and offering them a greater understanding of other cultures and religions.

Boarders are encouraged to play a full part in the life of the school, thereby developing their skills and interests and becoming confident young adults, ready to take their place in the world of university and work.

Daily life
Each boarding house is run by houseparents who lead a team of dedicated staff to care for the pupils in their charge. The staff are supportive and understanding, providing ongoing guidance throughout the students'  time at the school and ensuring that new boarders soon settle in with the existing pupils.

From Monday to Friday the boarding day starts at 7.30am when students prepare for the day ahead and go for breakfast in the school’s award-winning dining facility. From there they go to their form room for registration and to join with the day pupils. This is followed by assembly and lessons from 9.10am to 4.30pm. After school there is a variety of after-school clubs, activities and training sessions available, followed by the evening meal in the dining room. The evening is devoted to supervised homework sessions and an evening break when house staff provide supper for the students; the older students are responsible for this themselves. Finally the students have some free time and prepare for bed at a set time, appropriate to their age.

Weekends and social events
At weekends a member of the teaching staff is on duty to supervise activities with the boarders; these include trips to places of interest, the cinema, hill walking and go-karting. Over the weekend time is also allocated for homework but there is plenty of free time to relax, perhaps go into the town of Oswestry or to spend time with families of other pupils with whom they have made friends. Have a look at some photos of the boarders' weekend activities here.

Each house organises its own social events. These can vary from in-house sporting competitions to barbecues and parties, though there are also occasions throughout the year when all the boarding houses join together for social events.

Each half term there is an 'exeat' weekend from 4.30pm on the Friday after school until Sunday evening when boarders are encouraged to leave the boarding house to experience cultural life in the UK or visit the many places of interest locally or further afield. Boarding houses will, however, remain open during these weekends.

OFSTED inspection
In December 2008 our boarding school provision was inspected by OFSTED as part of the regular three-year inspection cycle for boarding schools. Their overall judgement was that the provision of service is good and that measures to help boarders achieve well and enjoy and make a positive contribution are outstanding:

“The promotion of equality and diversity is outstanding. This is evidenced by inclusive written policies, a living environment where difference is respected and used for social learning and aspects of different cultures, such as food, being introduced into daily living situations. The school makes welcome its community of overseas and British students.”

“The accommodation provided for boarders is comfortable, well-heated and lit. Boarders can choose to decorate their bedrooms, which helps them take pride in their surroundings as well as helping them to develop ownership of the environment.”

“Boarders are actively encouraged to contribute to the running of the school and boarding houses because their views and opinions are valued.”

All new students will be assigned to a current pupil who will look after them whilst they are new to the school. Pastoral care in the boarding houses is excellent, with each member of staff taking a personal interest in all their pupils. During the school day the pupils’ immediate care is provided by their Form Tutor. Class sizes are small, averaging 16, so each pupil is well known to all staff.

Students joining the Sixth Form are offered a structured two week programme of induction when guidance on subject choices, exercises in team building and leadership and general familiarisation will take place. During their time in the Sixth Form all students will be offered excellent support and guidance at many levels, not least with university/course applications, career guidance, interview technique, and understanding personal finance with qualified speakers coming into the school on a regular basis.

The school is non-denominational with a Christian ethos and as such the needs of many different faiths can be met. We are able to cater for students with special dietary needs and halal meat is available.

All overseas students require a guardian with whom they can stay during the half term breaks. Students are also encouraged to leave the school over exeat weekends, but this is not compulsory. The school is able to provide information of agencies who offer a guardianship service, though this is an agreement which should be entered into between the family/agent and the guardianship provider.