Boarding FAQs

What is Sandroyd's Boarding Offering

Children at Sandroyd can be day pupils, flexi, weekly 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 do have up to two all-in weekends per term where all boarders stay in, these are normally the first and last weekend of each term.

Can my child “flexi-board”

We are flexible in our approach to boarding from Years 3 – 6 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 do you have in the school at the weekend?

We had an average of 75 boarders staying over the weekend on a Saturday night, which is normal for Sandroyd.

On some Saturday nights, we will have over 100 boarders, and on our quietest weekends, we will have between 30 and 50 boarders.

How many boarders are there at Sandroyd?

There are currently around 130 full boarders at Sandroyd, This is approximately 70% of the prep school. In addition, we also have a number of boarders who will board on one or two nights each week.  

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.

Are all the boarders in the main house?

Yes. Our boarding is split into four different 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. As the boarders move into year 8, they move into smaller dormitories to help get them fully prepared for boarding at Senior School. 

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 occasional Sunday trips to go coasteering, to the Winchester Christmas markets, or to a sporting spectacular.

A typical Sunday will start with a slightly later breakfast of a selection of cereals, croissants, and bacon. 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.  However, we tend to have more boarders as we go up through the school.

All of our year 7 and 8 boarders are expected to board five nights a week at Sandroyd.

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, London Heathrow, and Devon 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 two incoming phone lines for parents to call in the evenings. (A total of ten incoming lines solely for the use of parents and children)
• Each boarding House has a 'Zoom' tablet or computer for children to use in the evenings; these tend to be used by the boarders whose parents live abroad.