Best boarding schools in Richmond
Apart from The Swedish School in Barnes and The Royal Ballet School in Richmond Park, both of which are decidedly specialised, St Paul’s School has been, until recently, the only school in the London borough of Richmond to offer boarding (full and weekly) from year 9. Most pupils boarding are in the sixth form and it is a relatively niche activity (40, largely international, out of 1,000 pupils). New kid on the block, Thomas’s College, has places for around 50 boarders (flexi or weekly) among its 600 or so pupils (co-ed, 11-18).
Boarding prep schools near Richmond
No prep schools offer boarding in Richmond itself. Talented (and committed) young singers at London’s choir schools (St Paul’s Cathedral School, Westminster Abbey Choir School, Westminster Cathedral Choir School) are expected to board as part of their outstanding musical education. Otherwise, families seeking a low-risk introduction to the full senior school boarding experience will need to look outside the capital. Head off down the M4 and M3 and there are plenty of options for anyone seeking a nice little place in the country (schools rather than second homes).
While there are plenty of boarding preps within easy reach of Richmond, from St George’s School Windsor Castle (a combined prep and choir school and a direct train ride away) to Edgeborough in Surrey and Lambrook School in Berkshire (all co-ed and to 13) as well as single-sex options like Papplewick in Berkshire (all boys, aged 6-13), Richmond families tend not to opt for boarding at prep school. The near home counties of Surrey and Berkshire offer the best prep boarding options for parents who don’t want to be more than an hour’s drive from their children.
Boarding senior schools near Richmond
While prep school leavers’ lists are dominated by local day establishments, plenty of top boarding schools also feature, even if on a more sporadic basis. Eton College, Harrow School, Winchester College and Cheltenham Ladies’ College all make an appearance, as well as fully co-ed options like Wellington College, Charterhouse, Brighton College and Christ’s Hospital. For parents looking for boarding as a convenience rather than a deal-breaker, schools closer to home – Reed’s School, Epsom College, St John’s Leatherhead and Cranleigh School among them – offer full and weekly boarding as well as ad hoc or flexible boarding for one night a week and upwards, ideal for a child with a looming match fixture or exam to prepare for. Do, though, check the small print, particularly when it comes to Saturday school (still a thing, especially where there are significant numbers of full boarders) and the fees (some schools charge for weekly boarding no matter how many nights a child is actually there). As with preps, trains out of Richmond station make schools in Windsor, Ascot and as far west as Reading all very accessible for children going to and from at weekends.
For something a bit different, Marymount International School London in Kingston and ACS International School Cobham and TASIS, both in Surrey, all offer boarding and a more international approach that takes in variants of the IB and US system, while some London tutorial colleges, including MPW London and DLD College have added younger pupils and purpose-built boarding accommodation.
