Dorms vary in size. There are four to ten children per dorm, all of whom are in the same year group. Children are asked to choose a group of friends with whom they would like to share. Each term we change the dorms in order to help facilitate new friendships and to help children learn how to get on with others - an important life skill.

Numbers always increase throughout the year. The Summer Term is the most popular term for boarding because it's the time families start to think about the transition to senior school. We typically have around 130 children boarding during the week and around 20 steps-to-boarding children. This is around 50% of Highfield Prep pupils.

School finishes at 4.40pm. This is when the evening begins for our boarders. A typical evening looks like this:

4.40pm-5.40pm: After-school clubs, which many of the day children are involved in, followed by prep

6.30pm: Dinner, followed by a varied and extensive range of evening activities from 7pm.

7.30pm-8.00pm: Year group bedtime bells are rung and children start their bedtime routines, including showering, toast and brushing of teeth.

Throughout the evening, children are also able to use this time to relax in their dorms or call home using school phones or FaceTime on school iPads.

All Highfield Prep School all pupils attend Saturday school. Lessons run until 12.30pm, followed by afternoon sports matches. These usually finish at 3.30pm when day children go home. Some boarders decide to go home on occasional weekends, but many stay at the weekend to enjoy the fun and varied activities programme. On Saturday afternoons, the children are encouraged to play with their friends and make the most of the fantastic facilities we have here at Highfield. Saturday evenings are always great fun in the boarding houses, with many entertaining activities in which to get involved, such as our Saturday evening films with popcorn and ice cream sundae bar.

Sundays offer a much-needed relaxed start and the children enjoy a lie in until 9.00am. The children then head down for a 'pyjama breakfast' which keeps them going until Sunday Brunch or Lunch. Sunday activities follow, either in house or on trips to wonderful and diverse destinations.

We have Exeat weekends every half term (two either side of half term in the Autumn Term and one either side of half term in the spring and summer terms). The weekend starts at 4.40pm on the Friday and all boarders, including our international pupils, head home for the weekend. For our international students, this may mean spending the weekend with their friends or a guardian. The school is closed until boarders return at 7.30pm on the Sunday night.

We have four fantastic houseparents across the junior and senior boarding houses. They are supported by team of eight graduate assistant teachers. Each night, we always have at least six members of resident staff on duty. They are there to support any child who may feel unsettled in the night. If your child is unwell, they will be able to see our nurse in the morning.