Sixth-form boarding
A growing number of young people choose to board in the sixth form as a positive choice for pre-university preparation. Our sixth-form houses are a pre-university environment where house parents can concentrate their energies on helping sixth-formers prepare for university and where young people have to be more reliant on their own abilities.

Boarding in the sixth form develops good study habits, especially self-motivation, time management and management of self in terms of domestic demands. The quality time in our sixth-form houses also means there can be in-depth and ongoing discussions about careers and university applications. There is significant evidence from universities that those who boarded in the sixth form have made better progress through their university career. As a 17-year-old boarder confirmed in a survey, 'Boarding in the sixth form is a great preparation for university.'

Choosing to board
But why board? This question is best answered by the girls and boys themselves. Both from recent surveys and from our own experience of talking with boarders, we would suggest that they have many reasons for valuing their boarding experience. They value the special friendships that are developed at Queen Ethelburga’s, and tend to remain close friends with fellow boarders into adulthood and, in many cases, for life.

They also learn to appreciate the qualities and values of community life and the lessons learnt about relationships in an extended family such as that at Queen Ethelburga’s. They develop self-reliance and confidence.

Many students choose to board because they know that all their interests and activities are available in the Collegiate, and they do not need to travel in congested urban environments to develop their extracurricular interests. Many parents consider boarding when, after doing their sums, they realise what value for money it represents, especially when one or more parents are pursuing professional careers.