We were delighted to hear this week that Farleigh School has been chosen by BSA (the Boarding Schools Association) as one of three finalists in the Supporting Junior Boarders Award category. Mr Matthews, Deputy Head (Pastoral), who received the news, said that the school has always regarded boarding as central to its purpose. He says, “This nomination is testament to the dedication and commitment of our boarding staff, who work tirelessly to ensure the happiness of the 100 full and weekly boarders in their care, of whom about 30 are junior boarders in Years 3-6. For many, this is an extremely young age to begin boarding life and therefore the emphasis on multiple layers of communication is essential to helping pupils settle in.”

Miss Redmond, Junior Boarding House Parent, added: “We are delighted to receive this accolade. The Junior Boarding House is a hive of activity where we enjoy sharing in the lives of all those in our care. Laying foundations of friendship, trust and confidence underpins everything we do from ice cream parties, to movie nights, to building dens in the dorms. This recognition is for us all, whether cleaner, cook or House Parent, but of course it really belongs to these great children!”

Farleigh took inspiration from its Early Years colleagues and adapted the Tapestry Online Journal for use with the junior boarders. The boarders themselves are allocated a boarding tutor (similar to an EYFS keyworker) and this tutor is responsible for posting an Observation for each child at least once a week. Observations are made up of multiple photos along with a short comment from the tutor about the boarding child’s everyday activities. These Observations generate an email alert to parents when published, and allow parents to comment and interact with the tutor in a private setting. This is in addition to our more public website stories and social media platforms, such as Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Farleigh children, particularly the boarders with all their extra time at school, have the time and space to run around, play, build dens in the woods – in short, to be children, and they work hard, grow in confidence and make great friendships along the way in a safe and nurturing environment.