UK Boarding schools enjoy a good reputation across the globe, for both British and international students. All British boarding schools are subject to the usual compulsory inspections and regulations and are required to meet high standards with all teaching, pastoral care and facilities.

Many boarding schools in the UK are old, well-established institutions which have been run for generations. They are housed in beautiful buildings steeped in history but still provide modern classrooms and facilities.

For international students, British boarding schools allow an immersive environment which can help students to quickly improve their grasp of the English language.

What Are British Boarding Schools Like?

Whether you choose a boarding school in England, a boarding school in Scotland or one in Wales, the standard of education and care will always be high. Most British boarding schools will have a mixture of international and British students, and many will have a mix of boarders and “day” students (who do not board at the school). This creates a real mixture of people from different backgrounds and can help to create a welcoming and friendly atmosphere.

The majority of British boarding schools will close for the summer break and Christmas holidays, with pupils returning home to their families. Some will stay open for shorter half-term holidays, but there are no lessons. Instead pupils are supervised by staff and different activities are usually available.

State Boarding

There are approximately 30 state boarding schools in the UK. These schools are much more affordable than independent boarding schools because the government subsidises the education costs, so parents only need to cover the boarding fees. By opting for a state boarding school, parents can make significant savings on their child’s education without sacrificing quality. While both state and independent boarding schools emphasize the importance of education, state boarding schools offer this at a fraction of the cost.

 Here are some UK Boarding Schools for you to take a look at

LVS Ascot

London Road, Ascot, Berkshire, England SL5 8DR
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 4 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Full, Weekly)
LVS Ascot is an all-ability, co-educational day and boarding school for pupils aged 4-18 located on a bright and spacious site amongst 25 acres of land. It is a through-school so pupils can begin their school career at LVS...
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Heathfield School, Ascot

London Road, Ascot, Berkshire, England SL5 8BQ
Private School (Fee Paying) Girls 11 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Flexi, Full, Weekly)
Heathfield provides a dynamic and inclusive environment where a girl’s childhood will be both happy and exciting; where every girl has the opportunity to discover her unique passions and talents and accordingly, to develop...
[Read More About Heathfield School, Ascot...]

Leighton Park School

Shinfield Road, Reading, Berkshire, England RG2 7DE
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 11 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Flexi, Full, Weekly)
130 years ago Leighton Park was founded on Quaker principles that today are considered best educational practice for any school; respect, integrity, simplicity, equality, peace, truth, and sustainability. Quakers believe in...
[Read More About Leighton Park School...]

St Mary's School Ascot

St Mary's Road, Ascot, Berkshire, England SL5 9JF
Private School (Fee Paying) Girls 11 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Full)
St Mary’s is a Catholic, all girls Boarding school, which is relatively small (390 girls). We are an academic school with consistently excellent results at both GCSE and A Level. As a full boarding school, with only a few...
[Read More About St Mary's School Ascot...]

Wellington College

Duke's Ride, Crowthorne, Crowthorne, Berkshire, England RG45 7PU
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 13 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Full)
To navigate the challenges of the 21st century, the world needs thoughtful, engaged, conscientious, and courageous change-makers in every sector of society. Wellington College exists to provide young people with the...
[Read More About Wellington College...]

Wellington College Prep

Crowthorne Road, Sandhurst, Berkshire, England GU47 8PH
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 3 - 13 Years Day & Boarding (Flexi, Full, Weekly)
Nestled in 32 acres of Berkshire countryside, Wellington College Prep provides the ideal environment in which to grow up, foster a love of learning and create lifelong childhood memories. Our fundamental belief is that every...
[Read More About Wellington College Prep...]

Farleigh School

Red Rice, Andover, Hampshire, England SP11 7PW
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 3 - 13 Years Day & Boarding (Full, Weekly)
Farleigh is a wonderful place in which to spend your childhood. It is set in the Test Valley of Hampshire in 70 acres of parkland and woodland where children can be 'free range' in safety - and this only an hour from London....
[Read More About Farleigh School...]

Lord Wandsworth College

Long Sutton, Hook, Hampshire, United Kingdom RG29 1TA
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 11 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Flexi, Full, Weekly)
Ethos: Do one more thing. What one more thing can you do to make a conversation or interaction with someone that little bit better? Be two years ahead. It is an aspiration and a mind-set that we ask our pupils to stretch...
[Read More About Lord Wandsworth College...]

St Swithun's School

Alresford Road, Winchester, Hampshire, England SO21 1HA
Private School (Fee Paying) Girls 3 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Flexi, Full, Weekly)
St Swithun’s is a boarding and day school which is unashamedly academic but not academic to the exclusion of all else. Being a pupil at St Swithun’s means being part of a vibrant community, one in which we expect girls to...
[Read More About St Swithun's School...]

Twyford School

Twyford, Winchester, Hampshire, England SO21 1NW
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 3 - 13 Years Day & Boarding (Flexi)
The children here are in their most formative years. This is the time of their lives when all sorts of behaviours, attitudes and habits are established. Our huge range of activity, inside the classroom and just as...
[Read More About Twyford School...]

Cheam School

Headley, Newbury, Berkshire, England RG19 8LD
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 2 - 13 Years Day & Boarding (Full, Weekly)
Cheam is a very special place offering the brightest of learning environments. It is the perfect place to grow, we know that the early years are the very best time to prepare the ground for their adulthood. Our focus is on...
[Read More About Cheam School...]

Ryde School with Upper Chine

Queens Road, Ryde, Isle of Wight, England PO33 3BE
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 11 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Flexi, Full, Weekly)
Our purpose is to provide an exceptional education on the Isle of Wight, enabling our boarding and day pupils to flourish in mind, body and soul. We nurture pupils to make a positive difference and embrace the opportunities...
[Read More About Ryde School with Upper Chine...]

The Oratory Prep School

Goring Heath, Reading, Berkshire, England RG8 7SF
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 2 - 13 Years Day & Boarding (Flexi, Full, Weekly)
The Oratory School is a Independent Day & Boarding school for boys and girls aged 2-13. It is certainly a very special place, which holds the children at its core. They all benefit from an excellent education enriched by our...
[Read More About The Oratory Prep School...]

Kingham Hill School

Kingham, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, England OX7 6TH
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 11 - 18 Years Boarding (Weekly)
The best advertisements for a school are its children, and if you ask current parents why they chose Kingham Hill for their son or daughter, they invariably speak of the impression that friendly, happy, and well-balanced...
[Read More About Kingham Hill School...]

Tudor Hall

Wykham Park, Banbury, Oxfordshire, England OX16 9UR
Private School (Fee Paying) Girls 11 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Full)
Tudor Hall is one of the oldest girls’ boarding and day schools in Britain … but the world doesn’t stand still. Our fresh collective vision is global and invigorating. Our motto, ‘I have that I may give’, infuses life in...
[Read More About Tudor Hall...]

Aldro

Lombard Street, Shackleford, Godalming, Surrey, England GU8 6AS
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 7 - 13 Years Day & Boarding (Flexi, Full, Weekly)
Aldro is a coeducational day and boarding school for approximately 220 children aged between 7 and 13. Nestled in the quintessentially English and very beautiful village of Shackleford, Aldro lies just 30 miles southwest of...
[Read More About Aldro...]

Feltonfleet School

Byfleet Road, Cobham, Surrey, England KT11 1DR
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 3 - 13 Years Boarding (Weekly)
At Feltonfleet, our unique blend of day and boarding pupils creates a real buzz around school. Feltonfleet children are optimistic and inquisitive, with a thirst for life and learning. They thrive here.Feltonfleet children...
[Read More About Feltonfleet School...]

Gordon's School

West End, Surrey Heath, Surrey, England GU24 9PT
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 11 - 18 Years Boarding (Full, Weekly)
Officially listed as outstanding by His Majesty's Chief Inspector, Gordon's is a unique non-selective state boarding school that recognises that a good education is not just about outstanding examination results but a...
[Read More About Gordon's School...]

Royal Alexandra and Albert School

Gatton Park, Reigate, Surrey, England RH2 0TD
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 7 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Flexi, Full, Weekly)
The Royal Alexander and Albert school is set in 260 acres of beautiful parkland landscaped by Capability Brown, but is close enough to major transport hubs, and London, to ensure ease of accessibility. We are a state...
[Read More About Royal Alexandra and Albert School...]

King Edward's Witley

Wormley, Godalming, Surrey, England GU8 5SG
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 11 - 18 Years Boarding (Weekly)
We’re a small and resourceful independent boarding and day school for girls and boys aged 11 to 18. Our 100-acre campus inspires curiosity, invites exploration and prompts discovery. The breadth of opportunity on this lively...
[Read More About King Edward's Witley...]

Cobham Hall

Cobham, Gravesend, Kent, England DA12 3BL
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 11 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Full)
We help today’s young people shape tomorrow’s future. By discovering new knowledge, nurturing a curiosity of the world around them, and developing previously unknown skills, each student embarks on a journey of personal...
[Read More About Cobham Hall...]

Dover College

Effingham Crescent, Dover, Kent, England CT17 9RH
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 3 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Full, Weekly)
We encourage the philosophy of the Round Square organisation, Internationalism, Democracy, Environmental, Activity, Leadership. Personal bests matter and look different for each and every child.
[Read More About Dover College...]

Farringtons School

Perry Street, Chislehurst, Kent, England BR7 6LR
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 3 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Full, Weekly)
The School motto, Posside Sapientiam, (Growing in wisdom) influences much of what we do. Underpinned by Christian values, Farringtons School aspires to be a place of trust and respect where teachers take an active interest...
[Read More About Farringtons School...]

Kent College, Canterbury Senior

Whitstable Road, Canterbury, Kent, England CT2 9DT
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 11 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Full)
Kent College is located on the outskirts of the beautiful cathedral city of Canterbury. Our school is proud both of its 140 years of history and tradition, and of its forward-looking, innovative approach to education.
[Read More About Kent College, Canterbury Senior...]

Northbourne Park School

Betteshanger, Deal, Kent, England CT14 0NW
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 2 - 13 Years Day & Boarding (Full)
Northbourne Park is an independent day and boarding school for children aged 2-13, set in 100 acres of beautiful parkland and woods in rural Kent, close to Canterbury and within easy reach from London.
[Read More About Northbourne Park School...]

St Lawrence College

College Road, Ramsgate, Kent, England CT11 7AE
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 3 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Flexi, Full, Weekly)
St Lawrence College is a thriving independent day & boarding school, providing a first class education for boys and girls from 3-18 years. The College is one of the founding schools to be awarded the coveted accolade of...
[Read More About St Lawrence College...]

Cottesmore School

Buchan Hill, Pease Pottage, West Sussex, England RH11 9AU
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 4 - 13 Years Day & Boarding (Full)
Cottesmore School is a boarding community that puts children first. Our Christian and family ethos enables us to enrich the lives of the young people in our care. Each child is cared for, valued, inspired, nurtured and...
[Read More About Cottesmore School...]

Hurstpierpoint College

Hurstpierpoint, Hassocks, Sussex, England BN6 9JS
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 13 - 18 Years Boarding (Full, Weekly)
Many schools claim to get the best out of their pupils. At Hurst, I really believe that we do. Because aside from our superb teaching, our beautiful campus, our welcoming community and our wealth of extra-curricular...
[Read More About Hurstpierpoint College...]

Seaford College

Petworth, Lavington Park, Sussex, England GU28 0NB
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 5 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Flexi, Full, Weekly)
Seaford College is a genuinely warm, friendly school with excellent teaching and learning across all departments. In addition to this very strong academic core, we offer outstanding pastoral care and an impressive programme...
[Read More About Seaford College...]

Windlesham House School

Washington, Pulborough, Sussex, England RH20 4AY
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 4 - 13 Years Day & Boarding (Flexi, Full, Weekly)
Windlesham House is a distinctive school where tradition meets innovation, providing opportunities for children to be creative, courageous, successful and happy. As the oldest prep school in the country (est 1837) and the...
[Read More About Windlesham House School...]

St Paul's Cathedral School

2 New Change, City of London, London, England EC4M 9AD
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 4 - 13 Years Day & Boarding (Full, Weekly)
At St Paul's Cathedral School, we aim to instil a love of learning through a broad curriculum and aim to give each pupil the opportunity to develop intellectually, socially, personally, physically, culturally and...
[Read More About St Paul's Cathedral School...]

Godstowe School

Shrubbery Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England HP13 6PR
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 3 - 13 Years Day & Boarding (Full)
Godstowe was founded by two strong, progressive women, originally in fact as a school whose purpose would be to prepare girls for the move down the hill to Wycombe Abbey School. Their vision was for an innovative, academic...
[Read More About Godstowe School...]

Stowe School

Stowe, Buckingham, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, England MK18 5EH
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 13 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Flexi, Full, Weekly)
We provide a rich, broad, deep and holistic education. We encourage and nurture each individual pupil's interests and talents. We promote physical and mental well-being. We build good character and a commitment to the...
[Read More About Stowe School...]

King's Ely, Senior

Ely, Cambridgeshire, England CB7 4DB
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 13 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Full)
King’s Ely Senior is a school steeped in history but with a forward thinking, progressive outlook. We are down to earth, but with a sense of ambition and a genuinely holistic approach, a school where there is a refreshing...
[Read More About King's Ely, Senior...]

The Leys School

Trumpington Road, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England CB2 7AD
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 11 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Full, Weekly)
The Purpose of The Leys is to play our part in changing the world for the better. We do this by making a positive difference to the lives, values and prospects of Leysians, by being professional, caring and rewarding in...
[Read More About The Leys School...]

Brentwood School

Middleton Hall Lane, Brentwood, Essex, England CM15 8EE
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 3 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Full)
Our School values, ‘Virtue, Learning and Manners’, are taken from the School statutes of 1622. The principles of academic achievement within a caring Christian ethos remain a cornerstone of the School’s philosophy...
[Read More About Brentwood School...]

Chigwell School

High Road, Chigwell, Essex, England IG7 6QF
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 4 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Flexi, Full, Weekly)
Our school is a nurturing community. We strive to ensure that everyone is the very best they can be; independent in spirit, adventurous in approach and empathetic in how they treat others. Since 1629, we have empowered our...
[Read More About Chigwell School...]

Aldwickbury School

Wheathampstead Road, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, England AL5 1AD
Private School (Fee Paying) Boys 4 - 13 Years Day & Boarding (Flexi, Full, Weekly)
Aldwickbury School is an independent Pre-Prep and Prep School for boys aged 4-13 located on the outskirts of Harpenden, Hertfordshire. From September 2025, Aldwickbury School will begin transitioning to a co-educational...
[Read More About Aldwickbury School...]

Lockers Park School

Lockers Park Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England HP1 1TL
Private School (Fee Paying) Boys 4 - 13 Years Day & Boarding (Flexi, Full, Weekly)
Lockers Park is situated in 23 acres of beautiful Hertfordshire woodland, within easy reach of Berkhamsted, St Alban, Harpenden, Tring and the towns and villages of West Hertfordshire. We’re only a short walk away from Hemel...
[Read More About Lockers Park School...]

The Royal Masonic School for Girls

Rickmansworth Park, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, England WD3 4HF
Private School (Fee Paying) Girls 2 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Full, Weekly)
The Royal Masonic School for Girls have proudly educated girls since 1788. Our history is long and distinguished, but our focus is firmly on the future, and we never stop questioning what skills and attributes young women...
[Read More About The Royal Masonic School for Girls...]

St Christopher School

Barrington Road, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire, England SG6 3JZ
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 3 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Flexi, Full, Weekly)
We believe in the benefits of an informal approach – everyone is called by their first name, there is no uniform and there is a strong emphasis on promoting democracy at all levels of the School. This is underpinned by the...
[Read More About St Christopher School...]

St Edmund's College and Prep School

Old Hall Green, Ware, Hertfordshire, England SG11 1DS
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 3 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Flexi, Full, Weekly)
Located in 400 acres of Hertfordshire countryside, St Edmund’s College and Prep, England's oldest Catholic School, offers an education for the whole person for students age 3-18, with boarding available from age 11.
[Read More About St Edmund's College and Prep School...]

Culford School

Culford, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England IP28 6TX
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 1 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Flexi, Full, Weekly)
To make children ready for life means developing them into flexible, innovative, dynamic and resilient young adults. The first three are key values in a world in which change is the only constant; and young adults also need...
[Read More About Culford School...]

Orwell Park School

Nacton, Ipswich, Suffolk, England IP10 0ER
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 2 - 13 Years Day & Boarding (Full, Weekly)
‘‘A place where girls and boys can quietly build their characters and their confidence before setting off, best foot forward, to the most prestigious senior schools in the land’’ - Good Schools Guide
[Read More About Orwell Park School...]

St Catherine's School & College

Grove Road, Ventnor, Isle of Wight, England PO38 1TT
Special School Co-Educational 9 - 19 Years Day & Boarding (Full, Weekly)
At St Catherine’s we believe the integration of speech and language therapy in the curriculum offers the best learning environment for our children and young people. We provide a modified curriculum based upon the National...
[Read More About St Catherine's School & College...]

Sherfield School

Sherfield-on-Loddon, Hampshire, England RG27 0HU
Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 0 - 18 Years Day & Boarding (Flexi, Full, Weekly)
Are you ready for an adventure? You can start your Sherfield journey at any age, from 3 months to 18 years! We offer limitless learning by combining excitement and curiosity and encouraging our pupils to be brave. Based in...
[Read More About Sherfield School...]