Boarding

Location, Location, Location

What more can we say? The Cotswolds is just a lovely place to learn and study in. With chocolate box villages, bustling market towns, cultural hubs of Bath, Cheltenham, Cirencester & Swindon stunning countryside and great transportation links, it’s no wonder so many, including the rich and famous, have decided to make The Cotswolds their home.

The Rendcomb Estate consists of 230 acres of unspoilt countryside, with our main campus nestled in the middle. Not only does it provide the fresh air and tranquility to provide a unique learning experience, the site is very secure with modern security facilities providing a safe environment too.

With London only 90 minutes away by car, Oxford, Bristol and Bath all about an hour away, Rendcomb College is in a fantastic location to spend your formative and educational years in.

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Our boarding activities and clubs

The word extracurricular takes on a whole new meaning in schools across the UK that offer boarding opportunities. At Rendcomb college we take day-to-day educational life and add a big dash of fun to the mix to get the best from our pupils. We understand that they study hard and participate in lessons with enthusiasm and intelligence - that’s why we’re renowned for our impressive exam results.

But we also appreciate the need for downtime and host a wide range of activities away from the classroom to truly enlighten their passions. From sports evenings and weekends to orienteering, laser tag, nighttime walks and enjoying what the Cotswolds has to offer on our doorstep, our houseparents are frequently planning the next internal and external activities with a full schedule of different experiences for all to participate in. Plus, for our older students, we also have an on-site nightclub, The Crypt, for years 11-13.

Our flexi and occasional boarding

We don’t believe in strict rules segregating day students from full boarding at Rendcomb College. Our ethos is all about being one community, a family formed by individuals looking to learn, grow, build bonds and share their lives with. We’re proud to provide both flexible and occasional boarding options at times when a return home can be challenging, or you’re looking for the best of both.

Occasional boarding is for day pupils who wish to stay overnight on an ad hoc basis for a few nights per term - say for example there has been an evening school concert or students want to celebrate a boarder’s birthday party that finishes late in the day. We’ll always be as accommodating as possible and there are opportunities to book last-minute stays as well.

Providing a hybrid option, families can also pre-select specific nights each week to board across an entire term as part of our Flexi boarding package. This must be booked in advance at the start of each term, and we’ll try our best to allocate the same bed space - but personal items can not be left. In this instance, Flexi boarders take priority over occasional boarders. We’re pleased to have an open policy where both day pupils and boarders share the same houses to enable strong friendships and camaraderie for all to flourish throughout the college.

Our year groups

The prospect of boarding at an independent school in the UK is a thrilling one. It is a step forward in growth and development and a chance to find yourself. Pupils are exposed to a new life of independence surrounded by their peers in a prosperous space where they can cook together, socialise with pizza nights, watch tv and films, play games and blossom in each other’s company.

The four houses are located on the school’s campus with easy reach to classrooms and sports facilities. It’s easy to see the many benefits to boarding. Not only is the daily commute reduced, but homework is supervised by mentors and you’re surrounded by luscious landscapes. There are three types of boarding at Rendcomb College.

Year 7-9 Boarding - The boys and girls dormitories are formed separately at Godman House for bedtime but individuals can socialise together during the day. In their first years, younger pupils live with two or three other pupils in a sizeable room.

Year 10-13 - With separate boys and girls areas in Lawn House and Stable House, all boarders have their own contemporary, comfortable study bedrooms which can be personalised for students to put their own stamp on their dorms.

The Fees

Late stay

The school day finishes at 5pm and day pupils can stay until 6pm at no extra charge. They will be supervised by a member of staff in their Boarding House and they can do their homework until they are collected. Parents picking up until 6pm collect their child from their child's Boarding House.

For day pupils who wish to stay on at school after 6pm, a charge of £2.75 will be added to the end-of-term bill to cover the cost of supper. After supper, pupils will go back to their House for further supervised homework and evening activities. Parents picking up after 6pm collect children from House. There will be a ‘latest’ pick-up time which will vary from House to House and will be published by the Houseparents.

The cost:

• Free before 6pm, £2.75 thereafter

Occasional boarding

For day pupils who wish to stay overnight on an ad hoc basis for just a few nights per term. For example, after a school concert or to join in with a boarder’s birthday party. The Houseparents will be as accommodating as possible, although Occasional Boarding is subject to availability. 

We are unable to guarantee the same bed each night for Occasional Boarders, however, this option provides families with the opportunity to book last-minute stays at school providing greater flexibility. 

The cost:

• £41.00 per night for pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9 up to 8 nights per term
• £52 per night for pupils in Years 10, 11, 12 and 13 up to 8 nights per term

Once a pupil has accrued 8 nights in a term, the cost will be £56 per night for all year groups.

Flexi boarding

Families can pre-select specific night(s) each week to board across an entire term. These nights must be booked in advance of the start of each term. Wherever possible, we will allocate the same bed space, however, it will not be possible for personal items to be left at school when the pupil is not boarding.

Flexi Boarding must be a fixed number of nights per week, but nights do not have to be consecutive (for example, a two-night stay might be Monday and Thursday). In the event of a shortage of space, priority will be given to those booking greater numbers of nights. Once booked, the nights are non-refundable and non-transferable. Please note that the Flexi Boarding option is not available to pupils whose parents do not reside in the UK.

The cost (per term) effective September 2024:

Weekly and full boarding

Families looking for regular boarding can select either our Weekly or Full Boarding option. Our weekly boarding rate is currently only available for pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9. All Weekly and Full Boarders will have their own bed, and they may bring in decorative items and personal effects. Belongings may be kept at College throughout the term.

Weekly boarders can be dropped off at school on either Sunday night or Monday morning and may be collected on Friday evening or on Saturday after fixtures or the new enrichment programme. Full boarders may stay at school throughout each term and will go home for Exeat weekends and Half Term holidays. Full boarders are able to return home on the evenings or weekends when needed.

The cost (per term, inclusive of school tuition fees):