With approximately 79% of students boarding, the School feels like a home from home and boarders lead very full lives. As travel time is reduced there is more time to practise, to ensure academic work is completed to a high standard, to be involved in a breadth of musical and co-curricular activities, and to build life long friendships. Boarding also prepares students for the independence they will have in further education.
The Purcell School has three boarding houses – Avison, Sunley and Ellington – which are run by a dedicated team of warm and caring boarding and pastoral staff, who are responsible for each student’s welfare and wellbeing. Great care is taken to ensure a student’s stay with us is safe, productive and most of all as enjoyable as possible.
All boarders eat together in the main dining hall, however there are also common rooms and small kitchens in each corridor of the boarding houses. Weekend activities, evening events and social gatherings are regularly organised, and students are able to travel into London to attend the junior departments of the capital’s music colleges and conservatoires or enjoy concerts and events.
Boarders have access to school facilities, such as practice rooms and computers, at evenings and weekends. There is one exeat weekend each half of term.
Students take to the routine of boarding seamlessly thanks to the wonderful support of the boarding staff. Whether it’s knowing where to leave their washing, getting up for early morning practise or finding out which day you can find brownies in the dining hall at break, students settle in quickly and effortlessly.
