Education dilemma? Flexi-boarding could be the answer
Parents who want their children to stay children for longer will no doubt see the benefits of a school offering wide-open spaces, climbing trees and communing with nature in lesson time as well as during playtime. With space at a premium in many urban and suburban schools, a daily car ride into the beautiful countryside that our region has to offer may be an attractive prospect but may mean travelling further afield than you initially thought practical.
The modern face of boarding means that settling on that ideal balance could be within reach. Flexible boarding options provide children with access to everything a vibrant school community has to offer coupled with the flexibility to have quality family time.
Repton Prep Headmaster Rob Relton planting saplings with boarders.
So, what does ‘flexi boarding’ mean?
Flexi boarding places the child and their family in the driving seat, so they can choose when they spend nights at school.
For many children embarking on boarding for the first time, it enables them to book individual nights (comparable to a sleepover) to enjoy all the benefits of a vibrant boarding community, such as additional extra-curricular activities and spending more time with their friends! It is also designed to fit in with parents’ work commitments or indeed the many other pressures of everyday life.
What does the modern face of boarding look like?
Headmaster of Repton Prep, Rob Relton, emphasises the importance of creating a caring, warm environment where children feel happy and at ease in the company of their friends.
He explains: “Repton Prep’s houseparents and their families live with the boarders in each house, creating a strong sense of family. The closeness of the boarding community and the enormous emphasis placed on caring for the emotional, physical and mental wellbeing of each of our boarders ensures every child thrives.”
Repton Prep School.
Repton Prep has a reputation for valuing the innocence of childhood, so that pupils feel confident and supported throughout their school journey. Preferential class sizes – meaning children are placed in a class size suited to their pace and capabilities – nurture their strengths and qualities in order to help them develop in other areas and allow them to reach their full potential.
Mr Relton adds: “The Repton Prep community is a supportive, purposeful and unbounded group of young people – so much so that pupils often enrol for day schooling and quickly swap to boarding so that they can make the most of all the incredible opportunities on offer.”
That comes as no surprise when you discover that the school is nestled in 55 acres of countryside, with its own den-building wood, lake for watersports, astroturf pitches, swimming pool, sports hall, tennis courts, theatre, not to mention dogs that are delighted to enjoy regular walks with gaggles of enthusiastic children.
To find out more about Repton Prep contact registrar Ellie Jones on 01283 707112 or visit reptonprep.org.uk
