As Westonbirt School officially launches Boys Boarding from September, Deputy Head, Simon Balderson, discusses why and how boys benefit from boarding
?Umm, sorry sir, we were just messing about in the corridor and then I fell through the wall…? Having spent a number of years as the housemaster of a boys? boarding house, this is just one memory of many, illustrating the hilarity and challenge of looking after a community of boys, all under one roof. It is a particularly exciting time, as we are introducing boys boarding to Westonbirt; a natural progression, having become co-educational in September 2019, and one which I am particularly looking forward to.
Our sports pitches, classrooms and outdoor areas have all been adapted to our new mixed environment with great success and boarding provision is the final piece of the jigsaw as we complete the transformation from single-sex to co-ed and continue to grow in numbers.
Being a Houseparent is, I believe, the most rewarding and challenging job in teaching and it has been lovely to be reminded of the unique atmosphere boys? boarding brings, after stepping back in to that role briefly, as part of our taster boarding sessions for boys.
The ability to influence the lives of the pupils in one?s house so directly is an immense privilege and the sense of pride in seeing them leave at the end of their school careers as well-rounded young men and women is hard to beat.
Many of the benefits of boarding are not unique to boys, of co...