Boarding at Mowden

Boarding has always been at the heart of life at Mowden Hall. It is where friendships deepen, confidence grows and children experience a true sense of belonging. Our boarding house provides a unique opportunity for pupils to continue developing character beyond the school day – safe, happy and making full use of our wonderful facilities and grounds, all the way through to bedtime.

Our New Approach

Over recent months, we have listened carefully to families and reflected on how boarding can best support modern family life. Launching in the Summer Term 2026 is our new Boarding Fees Package, which is an exciting evolution of our provision.

It has been thoughtfully designed to make our outstanding boarding experience more flexible, inclusive and accessible, while fully preserving the exceptional pastoral care and strong sense of community that define boarding at Mowden. There are four clear pathways – Introductory, Bronze, Silver and Gold – enabling families to choose a level of boarding that fits naturally with busy routines. Each package also includes “flexi-extra” nights, giving families valuable additional flexibility when needed – take these extra nights whenever suits you midweek!

This carefully considered step forward reflects what we know from parent voice and inspection feedback: boarding is a significant strength at Mowden. Quite simply, we know how beneficial it is for children, and we want more pupils to have the opportunity to be part of it.

A Busy and Balanced Schedule

The boarding week includes a varied and engaging evening programme, with six special Big Boarding Weekends spaced across the academic year (Friday to Sunday). We believe strongly in balancing structured activities with quiet time for reflection, relaxation, and personal space.

Life Upstairs

Boarders live in bright, welcoming dormitories located in the main school building. Dorms are usually shared with children from the same year group, although occasionally pupils from neighbouring year groups share together. After the school day, the upstairs environment is relaxed and homely—much like time spent at home. Children can unwind with craft projects, board games, movies, imaginative play, or simply chat with staff over milk and biscuits.

Bedtime begins with 15 minutes of quiet reading to encourage restful sleep and positive bedtime routines.The boarding staff also handle laundry for boarders and wash the games kit of day pupils. All children—whether boarding or not—shower daily after games, with hygiene and hair-washing overseen by the Mateys. The School Nurse maintains up-to-date medical and dietary records for every pupil, administers routine medications, and ensures health and wellbeing are well managed across the school.

Exeats and Staying Connected

Each term includes a half-term break of at least one week, plus additional short exeat weekends in the Spring and Summer terms. These usually run from Friday lunchtime to Monday morning and are scheduled well in advance. During the longer Autumn Term, there are four exeats—two before and two after the half-term break.

We warmly welcome parents to visit their children regularly—whether to attend matches, concerts, or plays—and enjoy refreshments while catching up. If children need to leave school for a special family occasion, permission should be requested from the Head Boarders also have access to their own private email accounts, and school telephones are available for evening calls once prep is finished—helping children stay closely connected to home.