In this article, we intend to provide you with valuable information on boarding schools in Wales.
A boarding school is a residential school where students reside while they attend classes.
Over 500 boarding schools may be found in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
Why Choose a Boarding School in Wales?
Boarding schools in Wales provide students with a top-notch education that enables them to advance to college and enhance their abilities.
All boarding schools in Wales are required to adhere to stringent government criteria for the caliber of their instruction, infrastructure, and student care.
Many boarding schools in Wales integrate modern classrooms with historic architecture in gorgeous, centuries-old structures.
The superb facilities make living and learning a delightful experience, and students will gain English proficiency while they are enrolled in classes.
Life at Boarding Schools in Wales
Some boarding schools in Wales include a mixture of international and domestic students.
‘Boarders’ are students who reside on campus. Living with their families, “day pupils” go home at the end of each day’s classes. This mix promotes a nice social environment.
During the long summer and holiday breaks, boarding schools often close, and students head home with their parents or guardians.
Some schools remain open during the shorter half-term breaks. In most cases, students won’t attend regular lessons, but they’re going to be watched over by personnel and allowed to participate in activities and events.
Accommodation
In boarding schools, students live in hostels or dormitories. Some mixed schools have the boys and girls living far away like on another campus.
That is, some boarding schools have separate boys’ schools and girls’ schools. Others have boys and girls attending the same classes but living in separate hostels.
The younger the pupils, the more they are likely to share a room with several other students.
Older or senior students may have their own room or share with at least one other fellow student.
Boarding houses usually have adequate facilities like restrooms and for laundry to cater to the population they have.
Subjects and Qualifications
The British (Wales) boarding school system has three phases:
Children in the primary grades attend school until they are 11 or 13. The terms elementary school, junior high school, pre-preparatory school, and preparatory school are also used to describe this.
Secondary school students range in age from 11 to 16 years old. Other names for it include high school, senior school, and secondary school.
Most secondary school pupils in their final two years (between the ages of 14 and 16) concentrate on their GCSE coursework.
The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program and Scotland’s Standard Grades and Intermediates are alternatives.
From ages 16 to 18, students take their A-levels or at least begin to prepare. Again, alternatives are the International Baccalaureate Program and Scotland’s Standard Grades and Highers.
In boarding schools, students will learn many subjects that are highly valued in the labor market.
Like mathematics, physics, chemistry, geography, literature, computer studies and other important subjects.
Benefits of Boarding Schools
- Sense of Responsibility
Since students will be spending time far away from home, they will surely learn how to be independent and responsible.
Parents will not have to worry as there will be trainers to make sure they behave right.
- Networking
As we mentioned earlier, most boarding schools in the UK and Wales receive a lot of international students.
This presents students with a great opportunity to create friends and bonds across different cultures.
They will also learn how to be tolerant of other people’s walks of life and come to respect them.
- Educational Advantage
Since students will be living in boarding houses, they will be held more accountable to study and perform academically.
Also, they will easily access their teachers for help since they live on the same grounds.
There will be needed facilities also to boost students’ motivation to develop themselves and try out other interests and skills.
Single Gender vs Mixed Schools: Which is Better?
Gender types may be important when deciding on the appropriate boarding school. There are two: mixed and single-gender.
Single-gender schools argue that their students learn more than their peers because they instruct them in the way that is most successful for them.
However, mixed schools maintain that both sexes should learn how to get along given that in order for girls and boys to succeed in further education and the workforce, they must both communicate and work well with one another.
It has been established that students’ subject preferences differ depending on the type of school they attend.
For example, at all-girls schools, female students are more likely to choose math and science-intensive courses than male students are, and vice versa.
Although classes are mixed, domestic life is single-sex at all boarding schools since there are distinct male and female boarding homes.
It’s now left for you as a parent to know your child and the type of school he or she will thrive better in.
How To Apply
When applying to private boarding schools, you are required to submit your application directly.
If it’s a state school, then you will need to get in touch with the local government authority.
Tuition fees in state-owned schools are free but boarding must be paid for. While private schools require you to pay for tuition and boarding.
Boarding fees cover food and accommodation and other minors. Scholarships may be available depending on the school.
Most schools will demand an entrance exam, but it’s best you check the website of the school you have in mind.
The List of Boarding Schools in Wales
St. Michael’s School
Founded in 1923, St. Michael’s School is a mixed boarding school in Bryn. It has almost 400 students of which over 50 are international students.
At this school, admission for students starts at 11 years of age, but there are preparatory classes for pupils aged less than that – 3 years to 11 years.
The school’s campus houses two boarding houses: the Parc house and Ty Mawr house.
The Parc house is for students in grades 7-10 with rooms fit for 1-2 people. Ty Mawr is for students in grades 11-13 with single rooms, and private bathrooms in each.
The boarding houses supply students with free internet and they are served three full square meals a day.
A large percent of the school’s graduates gain admission into prestigious universities like Oxbridge and the rest.
The school has an individual approach to the training of its students. This is seen in the smaller-sized classrooms.
It has modern facilities like standard classrooms, computer classes, a well-equipped library, sports fields and studios. The school is usually included in the UK’s top 100.
Fees begin from £23,800 per year. For a comprehensive report on the school’s tuition fees, visit this page.
- Location: Penybryn, Bryn, Llanelli SA14 9TU, United Kingdom
- Phone: +44 1554 820325
Christ College Brecon
Christ College Brecon is a mixed boarding school that admits students from ages 7 to 18 years old.
It was founded in 1541 by the decree of King Henry VIII making it one of the oldest schools in the UK.
It is equally respected by college schools and wanted by a lot of students. The school has a preparatory section named St. Petersburg for students aged 7 – 11.
While older students stay in the Nicholas house. The school has a population of 350 students. The main program is made up of 300.
Classes are deliberately made small to cater to the individual needs of students. The school’s main strengths are mathematics, photography, science and art.
For a school of its caliber, students enjoy a relatively low tuition fee with high academic excellence.
On the main campus, there are 7 cozy boarding houses. Boys and girls are separated into different houses.
With educators and staff living in the residence to monitor students’ living and activities.
Christ College Brecon is blessed with modern facilities to aid in students living and studying.
Students are granted free access to functional science labs, a private theater studio, a well-packed library, a sports center, disco halls and others.
Tuition Fees begin from £6,053 per term. For a comprehensive report on the school’s tuition fees, visit this page.
Location: Christ College, Llanfaes, Brecon LD3 8AF, United Kingdom.
Phone: +44 1874 615440
Haberdashers’ Monmouth School For Girls
Haberdashers’ Monmouth For Girls is a top private boarding school in Wales for girls only.
It was founded in 1892 and is ranked consistently among the best in the UK.
It is located in Monmouth, a small town of 10,000 people with the third best standard of living in the UK.
The high quality of its curriculum, as well as the welcoming, friendly, and cozy environment, are what set Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls apart.
Graduates exhibit a high degree of academic proficiency, independence, and self-assurance.
They are prepared to enroll in the selected university and to pursue successful careers in the global society.
There are three comfortable dormitories on site, and the students are resettled taking into consideration their ages.
Each room is made for two to three people, is roomy, light, and warm, and is furnished entirely.
The room can be customized to your preferences upon request; for instance, a painting or poster, family photos, or a flower can be placed in the room.
Additionally, residences have roomy common recreation areas with TVs, DVD players, and computer games, quiet study areas, and student kitchens with all the necessary appliances. Internet access is available.
The school has excellent facilities, a well-equipped library with over 17,000 books, sports infrastructure, a large swimming pool, studios for gymnastics, and a sports complex among others.
Tuition fees start at £9,924 per term. For a comprehensive report on the school’s tuition fees, visit this page.
Location: 24 Hereford Rd, Monmouth NP25 5XT, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 1600 711100
Haberdashers’ Monmouth School For Boys
Haberdashers’ Monmouth School For Boys just like its sister arm is a private boarding school with over 600 students.
It was founded in 1614 to meet the modern growing demands of education.
The Monmouth School for Boys and the same school for Girls are both members of the Haberdashers educational association.
As a result, the two institutions frequently organize joint concerts, performances, events, and excursions.
Additionally, because the two institutions are located next to one another, it is possible to hold a significant number of mixed classes in the senior classes.
Comfortable homes have been prepared for young men; the most recent is Buchanan House, which was inaugurated in 2011.
High-school students who live here are given private bedrooms with amenities and Internet access.
In general, the school must consider the age of the pupils while relocating them because there may be students from different classes occupying the same space.
Meals are provided on a full board basis at Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Boys in the large common eating area.
Additionally, each apartment has a student kitchen where snacks or quick snacks can be made.
The school offers its students a lot of curricular activities especially sports which are given maximum attention.
Music lessons are also a major. About half of the boys take music lessons on an instrument. They hold over 420 of these lessons a week.
Equipment is standard with a vast library, studios, concert halls, free internet, and sports infrastructure worth millions of pounds plus many others.
Tuition fees start at £10,284 per term. For a comprehensive report on the school’s tuition fees, visit this page.
Location: ITE Almshouse St, Monmouth NP25 3XP, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 1600 713143
Ruthin School
Ruthin School is one of the oldest boarding schools in the UK. Founded in 1284, it has 200 students.
There are two male and one female residence established on the Ruthin school site.
The rooms are intended for 1-2 people, and when arranging them, the international principle is taken into consideration.
Children can email or use Skype to communicate with their parents while free Wi-Fi is accessible until 23:00.
There is a tutor assigned to each home who oversees discipline, order, and cleanliness while providing complete child safety at all times.
Organized a full-board meal plan with great, varied meals (three times a day – breakfast, lunch and dinner).
Many students practice sports and also music. There’s a theater, music school, functional science labs, a large sports complex and fields.
Tuition fees start at £38,700 per year. For a comprehensive report on the school’s tuition fees, visit this page.
Location: E Mold Rd, Ruthin LL15 1EE, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 1824 702543
St. David’s College
St. David’s College is a mixed boarding school established in 1965. They accept 11-18-year-olds. Their student base is just less than 300.
St. David’s College was established to provide a welcoming environment for teaching kids with developmental issues, slower maturation, and learning challenges.
Each student is given special attention and given a personal curriculum to help them meet their student’s goals.
This is done by creating small classes with the people each and by the student-to-teacher ratio being 5:1.
Homes for students have been constructed right on the David’s College campus. When placing a child, consideration is given to their age and gender.
Teachers and school personnel are constantly present at the house; they keep an eye on compliance with order, discipline, and cleanliness as well as fully ensure the safety of the children at all times.
Students have a variety of sports to participate in. They also go on expeditions with some of the recent ones being surfing in Morocco, climbing in France, and canoeing in Switzerland.
Theatrical studios, a spacious sports complex and other facilities give the school a respectable infrastructure.
Tuition fees start at £2,965 per term. For a more comprehensive report on the school’s tuition fees, visit this page.
- Location: Gloddaeth Hall, Wormhout Way, Llandudno LL30 1RD, United Kingdom
- Phone: +44 1492 875974
Llandovery College
Llandovery College is a private boarding school in the small town of Llandovery. They offer a mixed-age education curriculum to students from the ages of 9 to 18.
Llandovery College, founded in 1847, is one of Wales’s oldest, most esteemed, and renowned institutions.
With just about 350 students, students are given the ample space and attention needed to excel in their studies.
Children 7 years of age and older are welcome to stay at the guest house.
High school students can rely on 1-2-bedroom bedrooms for the students’ prepared cozy separate dwellings for 24-43 people (boys live separately from girls: two men’s houses and one female) with rooms for 3-5 people.
Each house at Llandovery College has a relaxing common area, a computer lab, and a kitchen where students may cook simple snacks and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee.
Additionally, two cottages are constructed for full-time students who leave home after school and do not spend the night on campus.
Sports and other curricular activities are given big attention. There are vast acres of land for games and sports.
A working gym, large pool, golf course, a large library and other impressive facilities.
Tuition fees start at £9,063 per term. For a more comprehensive report on the school’s tuition fees, visit this page.
Location: TE Queensway, Llandovery SA20 0EE, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 1550 723000
Westbourne School
Westbourne School for the past five years is arguably the UK’s leading private school enjoying an excellent reputation and commanding respect even from colleagues.
The school has four levels: nursery, prep, senior school and sixth form. The nursery is for ages 2-4, prep is ages 4-11, senior age 11-16, and the sixth form is 16-18 years.
It’s a mixed school with an option for boarding or coming from a home.
The boarding house is fully co-educational and is within two minutes walk from the Senior School and Sixth Form.
It has separate levels for boys and girls, mixed activities, meals, and leisure areas.
Tuition fees start at £13,540 per term. For a comprehensive report on the school’s tuition fees, visit this page.
Location: 4 Hickman Rd, Penarth CF64 2AJ, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 29 2070 5705
Oakleigh House Private School
Oakleigh House Private School is Swansea’s leading private school. It’s a mixed school founded in 1911, it accepts students from ages 3-11.
The school is strong in music, drama and languages. They teach Spanish and coach students on musical instruments.
The school has modern facilities for the full development of students. It has large playgrounds, a swimming pool, and access to the Swansea university sports complex.
Tuition fees start at £2,603 per term. For a comprehensive report on the school’s tuition fees, visit this page.
Location: 38 Penlan Crescent, Uplands, Swansea SA2 0RL, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 1792 298537
Cardiff Sixth Form College
Cardiff Sixth Form College is arguably the best of its kind in the UK. Founded in 2004, it accepts children aged 15-19.
The school has international students from over 40 countries in the world and offers A-levels and GCSE courses.
Cardiff Sixth Form College has state-of-the-art boarding facilities – suite bedrooms and studio apartments.
They offer a vast range of extracurricular activities to meet the social needs of their students.
Students are given the proper foundation and advantage of gaining admission into top universities and colleges to further their education.
Students here are also opportuned to travel abroad to gain more experience in their fields of study.
For a comprehensive report on the school’s tuition fees, visit this page.
Location: ETrinity Court, 21-27 Newport Rd, Cardiff CF24 0AA, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 29 2049 3121
In Closing
Boarding schools in Wales are reportedly among the best in the UK.
Most of them retain a small population preferring quality over quantity, providing students with valuable education.
These are the top boarding schools we could find – quality education, bright students, successful alumni, and impressive facilities.
If you enjoyed this article, please leave a comment below and also check out other wonderful study options in the UK.