As well as being an excellent place to learn, it is of great importance to me that Woldingham is a ‘second home’ to our boarders and that they flourish with the help of our care and guidance. Living on site means that I am part of this home from home community.
Sue Baillie, Head
Boarders thrive in Woldingham’s supportive community and beautiful surroundings, where they enjoy a rich and rounded education.
Academic studies are balanced with music, drama, art and sport, alongside a variety of activities and trips.
Our care of the girls is outstanding. Woldingham feels like a big family, underpinned by a strong set of values. Girls flourish and form lasting friendships.
I’m really glad I chose boarding at Woldingham because it gave me such confidence.
Sixth Form boarder
At Woldingham, boarders live in year groups in homely, well-equipped boarding houses, with comfortable common rooms, TVs, lots of games and WiFi as well as wellness rooms for quieter relaxation. Girls are looked after by our experienced boarding staff who know how to settle them in quickly to make the most of school life.
Support, care, guidance, safety and feeling valued are all essential aspects of any family and Woldingham seeks to ensure this for every girl.
I think boarding at Woldingham really brings people closer: whether it is across different nationalities or different year groups.
Year 11 boarder
Three quarters of our students are British and our international boarders come from more than thirty different countries. We are very proud of this diverse mix of cultures which develops a strong global perspective in all our students.
Woldingham is one of 153 Sacred Heart schools across the world and the Sacred Heart goals of faith, community, intellect, social awareness and personal growth underpin our approach to education.
Your example, even more than your words, will be an eloquent lesson to the world.
St Madeleine Sophie Barat, Founder of the Society of
The Sacred Heart
Each year group is looked after by a Head of Year, a Housemistress, an Assistant Housemistress and a Resident Tutor who get to know each girl and help to create the busy, happy community that Woldingham is known for.
Marden House is home to our weekly and full boarders in Years 7 to 9. Girls share rooms in groups of three or four and have use of the boarders’ common rooms and an adventure playground just outside Marden.
The grandeur of Main House is home to our boarders in Years 10 and 11. Each girl has her own individual study bedroom, complete with desk, wardrobe, storage drawers and sink.
Flexi-boarders in Years 7 to 9 are also based in Main House, sharing bedrooms.
Our Sixth Form boarders live in purpose-build, modern accommodation, with laundry areas, kitchens and common rooms, which provides the perfect transition from school to university.
Lower Sixth boarders live in Berwick House and have their own study bedrooms with shared bathrooms. In the Upper Sixth, students move to Shanley House, where their study bedrooms have an en suite bathroom.
Woldingham is a busy school, where girls embrace a varied mix of opportunities and activities both inside and outside the classroom. Our boarders have the additional benefit of living in our wonderful school site in the heart of the countryside which is only 30 minutes from London.
With their wellbeing front of mind, we encourage girls to make the most of what is on offer, build friendships and enjoy our surroundings as well as balance their academic studies with plenty of fresh air and fun activities. The result is a wonderfully rich and supportive school community.
What I like about boarding at Woldingham is the family-like atmosphere.
Year 10 boarder
Life at Woldingham is a home from home and weekends are active and varied.
Friday Fun is an end of the week highlight for our younger students, where movies, games, karaoke and pizza nights are organised.
On Saturday mornings many girls will be involved in team sports, such as netball, hockey, athletics, cricket and tennis. All boarders in Years 7 to 9 participate in Saturday Active, which includes activities such as roller skating, Pilates, cooking, cake decorating and Photoshop. Before lunch, there is supervised study time for girls in Years 7 to 11.
On Saturday afternoons or Sundays, our weekend excursions offer boarders a wide range of experiences, with visits to historic places and exhibitions; active trips, such as watersports or cycling; and leisure trips including a meal out, going to the cinema and bowling.
Sundays tend to be quieter, with a later wake up, breakfast and Mass. In the afternoon, girls enjoy relaxing in our beautiful grounds or taking part in-house activities. Older students may choose to visit our local town or London, in groups.
Boarders eat together in our dining room and snacks, such as fruit and toast, are provided in all boarding areas.
Our girls love their food! Woldingham’s catering team works hard to prepare delicious, nutritious and interesting meals, as well as catering for individual diets. They also help our multi-national community celebrate by making special dishes for occasions such as Lunar New Year, Nigerian Independence Day, Mexican Day of the Dead and Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day).
I love the food, it’s amazing. You get so much choice.
Year 10 boarder
The best way to see our excellent boarding provision is to come and visit us. We would love to meet you and your daughter.
You can also find more information about life at Woldingham at woldinghamschool.co.uk
She started as a day girl; before we knew it, she was weekly boarding and now she stays most weekends, too.
Woldingham parent