Boarding FAQs

What is Sandroyd's Boarding Offering

Children at Sandroyd can be day pupils, flexi or full boarders.

Can my child weekly board?

All of our boarders can go home at the weekends, from 4 p.m. or after their games commitment. We have a 'big' boarding weekend per term where boarders are encouraged to stay in, these are normally the first weekend of each term.

Can my child “flexi-board”

We are flexible in our approach to boarding to meet the needs of the children and their families. This can be from one night up to five nights.  Some children will board on the same night(s) each week and, if there is space, others may stay for a week here and there, if their parents have work or other commitments elsewhere.

How many boarders are there at Sandroyd?

We are proud to have the highest proportion of boarders in any co-ed stand alone Prep School in the UK. We currently have 137 boarders (88% of the prep school) of which approximately 95 are full boarders.

All of our Year 7 and 8 children are encouraged to board, and this is one of the many reasons why parents select Sandroyd. However, there is no expectation that children will have to board during their time at Sandroyd.

How many boarders stay in for the weekends?

We had an average of 75 boarders staying in over the weekend, which is normal for Sandroyd.

On some Saturday nights, we will have over 100 boarders, and on our quietest weekends, we will have between 40 and 60 boarders.

Are all the boarders in the main house?

Yes, all our boarders live under the same roof. Our boarding is split into three houses in the main house. Each house has a dedicated set of boarding Houseparents who look after the day-to-day pastoral care of the children. 

What happens at the weekend at Sandroyd?

Weekends are full and exciting at Sandroyd. We make the very most of our stunning grounds and facilities. Each weekend our staff put on a busy programme of events and activities both in the evenings and throughout the day. These range from bike and pony rides through the woods, to treasure hunts, boat building, cookery, creative clubs, and numerous swims and sports. On top of this, we offer Sunday trips off site such as ice skating, bowling, theme parks and Salisbury Christmas market.

A typical Sunday will start with a slightly later breakfast of a selection of cereals, croissants, and full English breakfast. The day is then split into four sessions, with a variety of different activities on offer for all age groups and interests during each session. This is intersected with one of our chef’s roast lunches in the Dining Room. All parents are invited to join us for lunch on any day, Sundays included.

Our boarders don’t have tablets or mobile phones at the weekends, so they are not glued to technology. They are being children – playing, being creative, and exploring with their friends.

How old are the youngest boarders?

Children are welcome to board at Sandroyd from the age of 7 when they join Year 3. 

What is an “Exeat” weekend?

Exeat weekends are when the school closes for the weekend. All pupils need to leave the school during half terms and exeat weekends. We tend to have two exeat weekends a term. Exeat dates are published a year in advance in the termly calendar and on the website.  We have escorted travel services to London Waterloo and London Heathrow every half term, beginning and end of term as well exeat weekends.  The School Office is happy to arrange this for you.

When does my child have to return to school after a weekend?

Those boarders who have been out for a weekend either return on Sunday evening or Monday morning, as arranged with the Houseparents and School Office.

How can my child communicate with home?

There are many ways that children communicate with home, and this is actively encouraged. 

• All of the children in the Prep School have access to email on a daily basis
• Each boarding house has at least three incoming phone lines for parents to call in the evenings. These lines are solely used for parents and children. 
• Each boarding house has an iPad for Zoom calls for children to use in the evenings; these tend to be used by the boarders whose parents live abroad.