Boarding at Summer Fields
"The quality of boarding education in the school is outstanding. The whole life of the school is devoted to the needs of the boarders, and the aim of providing a happy, caring, well-disciplined, boarding environment is very well achieved."
- ISI Report 2009
Summer Fields is a member of the Oxford Boarding Group. Please click here to visit the Oxford Boarding website.
One of Summer Fields’ greatest strengths is our approach to boarding. Boarding is a valuable experience which teaches children independence and the social skills that they need to live in a community. It is also a great preparation for the next stage in their lives. The caring, supportive atmosphere at Summer Fields ensures that the boys feel happy, secure and relaxed.
‘Horizontal’ Boarding
Where many boarding schools will adhere to a ‘vertical’ system in which children of all age groups will live together in one house, Summer Fields is unique in its ‘horizontal’ boarding system. The needs of an eight-year-old making the transition to boarding for the first time are very different to a boy in his fifth year who is preparing for life at a senior school. For this reason, Summer Fields is divided into seven Lodges organised by age. As boys make their way through the school, they graduate to the next Lodge which will cater to the specific needs of each age group.
The Lodges
Summer Fields’ Lodges are run by members of staff called Lodgeparents, a husband and wife team who live with the boys. Lodgeparents welcome the boys home each evening and there is always a buzz of activity in a homely atmosphere. Lodge is where the boys unwind after a busy day, and it is part of our boarding ethos that all schoolwork is completed in school with the exception of 20 minutes of silent reading each night before lights out.
Each Lodge has its own matron and there is a fully qualified medical Sister who is responsible for each pupil’s health. The Domestic Bursar ensures that the food is plentiful and nutritious, and fresh fruit is available each night in Lodge.
Family
Parents are encouraged to participate fully and are very much involved in the life of the School. The relationship between parents, children and the School is extremely important to a successful boarding experience – this is a shared responsibility that should be supportive and informative at all times. We are delighted to see parents at matches, performances and school events, and there are regular formal and informal parent/staff meetings.
Full-boarding
As a full-boarding school, much of Summer Fields’ culture and educational opportunities take place on the weekend when there is a wealth of activities and excursions organised. Nearly all of the teaching staff live at Summer Fields and are involved in weekend programmes. To learn more about weekends at Summer Fields, visit the Sport and Extra-Curricular sections of the website.
There is a flexible system for First Years which enables them to go home almost any weekend with the exception of a few closed weekends per term. This flexibility allows our newest Summerfieldians to make a gradual transition to boarding-life as they progress through their first year.