Boarding is an increasingly attractive option; there are many reasons why boarding might be a suitable option for your family. At New Hall, boarders are known and affirmed and feel part of a very special family, strong friendships are made which will last a lifetime. They have the full attention of experienced and dedicated House staff in a close family environment. At New Hall, there are high academic expectations and generous time is allocated for study, but there is also an emphasis on building social confidence among boarders with plenty of time for fun activities and to develop those all-important friendships and life skills.

Yes. We think coming to visit is the best way to decide whether boarding is right for your child. Please contact the Admissions Department to arrange a personal tour of the School and boarding provision. The Admissions Department can be contacted by calling 01245 236 098 or by email on [email protected].

The size of New Hall brings huge advantages to students, as you will see when you look at our excellent facilities and outstanding gardens and grounds. At New Hall, children have room to grow and we pride ourselves on our family atmosphere and values. All our boarding staff, and their families, are dedicated to ensuring every student feels part of the New Hall family – a feeling that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

Our experience is that children adapt better to boarding earlier rather than later. Boarders always live with others their own age and, at New Hall, friendships grow quickly and last a lifetime. Our junior Boarding teams in Hawley House and Earle Wing in Petre House are dedicated to younger boarders, with staff experienced in looking after boarders from Year 3. You can be sure that your most treasured possession will be cared for and nurtured at New Hall.

At New Hall School we offer full or flexible boarding for students in Years 3-13, starting from 1 night per week. For more details, see our Boarding Houses page.

Boarders have access to their mobile phones in the evening. In the junior Houses, mobile phones and laptop computers are collected in at bedtime, while Sixth Form Houses offer the independence of keeping one’s own devices at all times. Students also have access to the school’s Wi-Fi network whilst in bedrooms and can access email, social media and videocall apps in the evenings.

There is a range of people your child can go to, whatever their worry. The House staff are always on hand, and older boarding students and prefects often act as informal mentors. During the school day, there is a student-led support group, ‘Willow’, as well as our School Counselor, Student Support Managers and Senior Prefects. The Catholic values of trust and respect lie at the heart of pastoral care in the Boarding Houses and our staff will work with you to ensure your child feels happy and secure from the start of their boarding experience.

Your child can start boarding at any time during their school life, however, boarding is very popular and we often have more applications than spaces. Therefore, we would encourage you to indicate a preference for boarding as soon as possible. Those who choose full boarding or 4-6 nights will be given priority if a waiting list is in operation. See our Admissions Policy for more details.

Yes. There are always full boarders of all ages at New Hall over the weekend during term time and there is a rich and diverse selection of cultural, artistic and adventure activities at weekends for both boarding and day students. In addition, boarders have access to all the school’s facilities, including the library, music practice rooms, swimming pool, tennis courts, fitness suite, national standard athletics track and performing arts studios. On Sunday evenings, boarders of all backgrounds come together for Mass in the beautiful School Chapel. This is a special time for everyone and boarders are fully involved in the Mass, as readers and as servers.

Exeat weekends are optional, however we strongly recommend that full boarders in Years 3-8 do go home or to guardians on these optional exeat weekends, but there will be the option of staying in School if this is not practical. For full boarders in Years 9-13, parents and boarders may choose whether to be at School over the optional exeat weekends. Please note that whilst there will be normal levels of supervision and pastoral care for boarders on these weekend, there will be a reduced activities programme and no sports fixtures. We believe it is important for student wellbeing that there is a point mid-half term when there can be more time for relaxation and recreational activities.

Around a third of our boarders are international, with the majority in the Sixth Form Houses.  All boarders can speak English and come from around 30 countries including France, Spain, Russia, America, China, Nepal and Nigeria. Integrating fully with groups from different cultures is part of the New Hall experience.

Boarders eat together in the main School Refectory. An exciting and varied menu is on offer for breakfast, lunch, tea and supper, with an emphasis on healthy eating. All of the Boarding Houses have their own kitchens and as students get older these become more widely used, as we prepare boarders for university life. To view a sample menu, please see the menus page.