Many students board for the first time in the Sixth Form to take advantages of the benefits of being onsite.
Educationally, boarding helps to form strong relationships with the tutors and academic staff who spend time in the Houses. Sixth Form boarders get access to these staff ‘out of hours’ and can use facilities such as the Pensabene Library, the Sixth Form Centre and Norfolk Art and Design Centre in the evenings and at weekends. Boarding can also make accessing evening academic extension activities easier.
In addition to this, Sixth Form boarders can participate in the evening and weekend activity programme. They have increased control over their free time and opportunities to go out of school at the end of the day and at weekends as well as invite guests into the house social areas. They are also permitted to use the school gym without supervision.
Developmentally, Sixth Form boarders can start to develop their own independent living skills as they prepare to move on to life at university and the world beyond school and, for those who have not boarded before, can learn about living with their peers.
Boarders in Years 12 and 13 are very involved in the wider boarding community. They are role models for the younger boarders and take on responsibility for organising social and charitable events and community duty rotas across the Houses.
There are lots of different ways to board in Sixth Form including flexi (one, two or three nights per week), weekly or full boarding. Subject to availability Sixth Formers can stay in boarding on a B&B basis when needed.
