Boarding at BCS

Boarding at Bournemouth Collegiate School

There is a long tradition of boarding at BCS, but the facilities were completely refurbished in 2010 so that everything has a fresh new feel about it. The boarding house welcome boys and girls from the UK and overseas, and offers an attractive set of weekly and flexi-boarding options for those who want accommodation for just a few nights (whether regularly or on an on-demand basis).  We have excellent road and rail links with the rest of the country (under 2 hours by train to London), with good connections to Heathrow (2 hours) and Southampton (45 minutes) International Airports (Southampton has more than 40 European destinations) and regular local flights and ferries to the Channel Islands. Bournemouth Airport is 10 minutes from the school.

Overseas students who join us for the Sixth Form may be interested in the new 3-year option, which includes a Foundation Year to prepare them for sixth-form study and improve their English language skills. Excellent EAL (English as an Additional Language) and SEN (Special Educational Needs) support are available to boarders.

As well as enjoying a comfortable and caring home environment at BCS, boarders have access to a host of activities at evenings and weekends, many of which make good use of the local coastline, beaches and towns (the beach is a 2 minute walk from the boarding house, and the town centre a 10 minute walk). Water sports are very important at BCS, and there are opportunities to take weekend courses in surfing, windsurfing, sailing and kayaking. Theatre and shopping trips, bowling and beach volleyball, and walking in the New Forest are just a few examples of other activities in a typical boarding year.

 

Boarding facilities

The completely renovated and upgraded boarding house is an integral part of the school buildings with secure undercover access to teaching, catering and sports facilities. All bedrooms are single or double rooms and some have en-suite bathrooms. Separate areas are provided for boys and girls, each with its own common room, but there is also a shared “Den” where everyone can relax. Internet access (with all the necessary security) with Skype and wireless connection is available to boarders, so keeping in touch with family, friends and the outside world is easy. The boarding area computers are networked to the school’s Virtual Learning Environment, allowing work to continue in the evenings and at weekends.The boarders also benefit from a games room and fitness suite.

Due to the huge increase in demand an additional boarding house will open during this year.

 

Boarding Staff

The Boarding house is overseen by a friendly, caring and understanding residential staff team led by the Principal and his wife, who also live on site and play a very active role with the boarders. Six staff are resident in the boarding house, providing an excellent staff-student ratio. Medical care is available within the school from our own school nurse.

 

Weekly and Flexi-boarding

Weekly boarding is available to pupils who live reasonably close to the school and prefer to return home at the weekend – this can be a great help if home is too far away for the daily journey to be reasonable. Flexi-boarding allows any day pupil to enjoy the facilities and companionship of the boarding facilities periodically (a regular booking each week) or completely on demand (to cover a particular need). This facility allows day pupils to experience boarders’ activities, to have a sleep-over with friends, to solve the problem of needing to stay at school late on a particular day, or simply to assist parents who might have a short-term commitment that takes them away from home.

CLICK HERE to download the Flexi-boarding Leaflet

  

The Sixth-Form Foundation Year

A three-year A-level programme is available for overseas students, starting with a Foundation Year which focuses on improving language skills through A-level preparatory studies. This allows new students to continue to study academic subjects at a level appropriate to their needs: this will vary from subject to subject and may be at A-level or GCSE depending on ability. The Foundation Year will also include familiarisation with British and European culture, and the programme and timetable will be tailored to individual needs so as to ensure enhanced academic progress and rapid social integration.  The school also offers the recognised IELTS qualification and has specialist EAL teachers.

Stephen and Hilde Duckitt

 

CLICK HERE to download the Boarding Prospectus

CLICK HERE to download Boarding Newsletter No 1